Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/408

 he produced at sundry meetings of gentlemen and land-owners interested in promoting the scheme. It was unanimously resolved, in order to put it beyond a doubt, whether it was practicable or not, to call Mr. Brindley, to re-survey the line laid down by Mr. Longbotham; and after surveying by himself, and Mr. Whitworth, (who was engaged with him) he reported to two numerous meetings, one held at Bradford on the 5th and the other at Liverpool on the 9th of December, 1768, that it was very practicable, and might be executed for the total sum of £259,777, which he stated in detail. The canal, according to the plan and estimate, was one hundred and eight miles and three quarters in length, 42 feet wide at the top, 27 feet at the bottom, and 5 feet deep.

This canal, as its name implies, proceeds from Leeds to Liverpool, and is the most extensive of any in the kingdom. At that era of canal navigation, when first commenced, it was one of the boldest and most magnificent projects hitherto attempted in Great Britain.

The act of the 10th George III. is entitled, 'An Act for making and maintaining a navigable Cut or Canal from Leeds Bridge, in the county of York, to the North Lady's Walk in Liverpool, in the county palatine of Lancaster, and from thence to the River Mersey.'  In describing the line of this canal, we shall confine ourselves to the course of country through which it has been actually executed; and afterwards mention a few of the places through which it was projected by the original line. Commencing at Leeds Bridge, where the jurisdiction of the Aire and Calder Navigation terminates, and where the two navigations unite, it proceeds twenty-seven chains in the River Aire, to the first lock on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, where the extensive warehouses, wharfs, basins and docks belonging to this concern are situate; from which circumstance, the lock here may be admitted as the commencement of the canal. From this place its course is north westerly, passing alongside the River Aire by Armley, Kirkstall Bridge, Kirkstall Abbey and Forge, to near New Leeds, whence it makes a detour southerly to Ross Mill; from hence it again takes a north-westerly course, leaving Horsforth on the north and