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All dispatch and facility must of necessity benefit the port. Almost all the manufactures sent to Germany, the north of Europe, and Russia, must of necessity travel eastward, and every facility for bringing them to London would be a great advantage.
19. The losses and disappointments which you mentioned before would of course be obviated?
In the course of the season many vessels take their departure for the Baltic, and if the manufacturers are thrown out two or three days they are thrown out the whole winter, for the Baltic is frozen up, and they are frozen in; three or four days make all the alteration.
20. Do you often find that goods are stopped on the canal by its being frozen?
One night will stop them; they are also more liable to casualties; they are stopped in cleaning.
21. How often in a year?
I believe twice.
22. They are sometimes shut up in the winter by frost?
I have known them six or seven weeks.
23. During the time there is a cessation of the supply?
Many of the articles will not bear the expence of land carriage; the season operates in some measure on land carriage, but not so effectually as on water. Many articles will not bear the expence, such as iron bars, and so on; we must bring them by water, or we cannot export them at all.
24. In these cases you are obliged to wait till the canals are open?
In point of fact the value of the articles is so small that they cannot bear the expence.
Mr. Henry Hemsley.—p. 84.
1. Do you reside in London?
I do.
