Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/340

 be greatly diminished by the extensive accommodation provided by St. Catherine's Docks, and the further extension of the London Docks.

GRAND UNION CANAL.
50 George III. Cap. 122, Royal Assent 24th May, 1810.

THIS canal was commenced under the authority of an act of parliament, bearing date as above, and entitled, An Act for making and maintaining a 'navigable Canal from the Union Canal, in the parish of Gumley, in the county of Leicester, to join the Grand Junction Canal near Long Buckby, in the county of Northampton; and for making a collateral Cut from the said intended Canal.

This canal unites with the Leicester Union Canal near Gumley Hall and Foxton, about four miles from Market Harborough; to which latter place there is a collateral cut; from the junction it proceeds in a southern direction to the turnpike-road between Lutterworth and Northampton, which it crosses, and near to which there are reservoirs for supplying it with water, at the eastern extremity of a branch forming the communication with Welford; leaving the Welford Branch on the east, it proceeds in the same direction as before, by Elkington and Guilsbrough to Crick, where there is a considerable reservoir; leaving Watford on the east, it continues its course to its termination in the Grand Junction Canal at Long Buckby, in the parish of Norton, having traversed a distance of nearly forty-five miles. On this line there are two tunnels; one near the crossing of the turnpike-road to Northampton, the other at Crick.

By the act the proprietors are incorporated under the name of "The Company of Proprietors of the Grand Union Canal," and. are empowered to raise a sum not exceeding £200,000, for the purposes of the said act, in shares of £100, or half shares of £50 each, as shall seem best to the subscribers at their first general meeting: and, in case such sum shall not be found sufficient for completing the work, the proprietors may raise a further sum not exceeding £50,000, either amongst themselves, or by the creation