Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/395

 Keer; from Barwick, passing near Over Kellet, it runs south-west to Bolton-by-the-Sands and Hest; bending to the east from this place and winding round Lancaster, where it crosses the Lune or Loyne by a magnificent aqueduct, it proceeds to Galgate, leaving Quern Moor Park on the east. From Galgate a branch 79 feet 4 inches above low water goes off westerly by Thornham to Glasson New Dock, locking down 51 feet to the sea lock at Glasson, the sill of which is 3 feet 10 inches above low-water-mark. Leaving the Galgate Branch the main line comes to Garstang, where it crosses the River Wyre, a branch of which it again passes near Kirkland Hall. From Garstang it runs easterly by Greenhalgh Castle past Myerscough Hall; thence making a detour westward it winds round the estate of Salwick Hall, whence it runs eastwardly to Preston, traversing from Tewit Field to that town a distance of forty miles on one level, generally called the Lancaster Level. Here the canal is interrupted for about four miles and a half: but a railroad crossing the Ribble, and ascending the high ground, connects this part of the line with the continuation thereof at the summit level at Thorpe Green. This railroad rises 222 feet; at its termination, where the head level of the canal commences, there is a commodious basin, and immediately adjoining commences a tunnel three hundred yards in length. From this junction of the railroad and canal, the latter proceeds almost due south to Bark Hill near Wigan, a distance of thirteen miles and a half. The remainder of the projected line to West Houghton was never executed, being rendered unnecessary by the junction of the Leeds and Liverpool with the Lancaster Canal, at Johnson's Hillock, near Shaw Hall, two miles and a half from the tunnel. At this place the Lancaster Company made a short branch or junction on which there are seven locks, with a rise of 67 feet 3 inches, from their summit level into the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, A communication is thus made between Kendal and Manchester, and all the navigations connected with that town, through the Leeds and Liverpool Branch to Leigh, by way of Bark Hill and Wigan. The canal in its progress passes through a noted agricultural district, generally called the Fylde Country.

Having thus given the route of the canal, we proceed to notice the acts of parliament connected with it, in their order. The first