Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/416



Here it may be observed, that this company abandoned their own line of canal for the space of eleven miles, and locked down 64 feet 6 inches at Cophurst, into the head level of the Lancaster Canal; consequently, every vessel going through the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, must pass eleven miles along the Lancaster Canal, that is, from Cophurst or Johnson's Hillock to Kirklees. To establish this junction, an agreement between the two companies was entered into, stipulating that such junction should be made, and the same was confirmed by an act obtained by the Lancaster Canal Company in the 59th George III.

This gigantic concern, which was no less than forty-six years in executing, and which has cost £1,200,000, has proved highly beneficial to the country through which it passes, giving facility to the transport of coal, limestone, lime for manure, and all agricultural produce, connecting the trade of Leeds with Liverpool and with Manchester, Wigan, Blackburn, Burnley, Colne, Skipton, Keighley, Bingley and Bradford; and by opening a communication between the eastern and western sides of the island, which in a great measure was the original object of the first promoters, now bids fair to remunerate the proprietors for their risk and patient endurance through a long and difficult struggle, having had to borrow above £400,000, at a time when the public funds were very low.

Although they only applied for tolls to remunerate them upon the original estimate made by Mr. Brindley, those rates have never been increased, and now stand the same as by the first act of 10th George III. which empowered them to take the following

TONNAGE RATES.
All small Rubbish, Waste Stones from Quarries, Gravel and Sand employed for repairing Roads, not being Turnpike, if not carried more than Five Miles; also all Dung, Soil, Marl, Ashes of Coal and Turf for the Improvement of Lands belonging to Persons through whose Lands the Canal passes, but not to pass any Lock unless the Water flows over the Gauge, Paddle, or Niche of such Lock, are exempt from Toll.