Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/477

 to Sorwy Furnace, another to Nant-y-glo Works, and a third to the Sirhowey Railroad to Risca. Near Pontypool is a railway branch to Tronsnant Furnace and another to Blaen-Din Works. From the Usk to Pontnewynydd in a distance of twelve miles and a half, there is a rise of 447 feet by the canal; in its railway continuation to Blaen-Ason, there is a rise of 610 feet in a distance of five miles and a quarter. From Crynda-Farm to Crumlin Bridge the canal rises 358 feet in eleven miles; the railway from Crumlin Bridge to Beaufort rises 619 feet in ten miles; the Nant-y-glo Branch has a rise of 518 feet.

This is an extensive and useful undertaking, being in the very centre of a country abounding in limestone, stone, coal, iron, tin and lead, which before this work was executed were permitted to remain undisturbed, for want of a conveyance for the produce of the mines. The cost of the work has been great, but it is a speculation which will not fail, eventually, of proving highly beneficial to the parties who have embarked their property in it; for by a most singular clause in the act, the coal from Newport can be carried to supply the Bristol Market without paying the sea duty, notwithstanding all other coal brought down the Severn, which does not approach within many miles so near the sea, as the Newport Coal, cannot be carried to Bristol, without payment of the duty on sea-borne coal.

MONTGOMERYSHIRE CANAL.
34 George III. Cap. 39, Royal Assent 28th March, 1794.

55 George III. Cap. 83. Royal Assent 22nd June, 1815.

2 George IV. Cap. 119, Royal Assent 23rd June, 1821.

THE Montgomeryshire Canal was commenced under an act of parliament obtained in the year 1794, with the title of 'An Act for making a navigable Canal from or near Porthywain Lime Rocks in the parish of Llanyblodwell, in the county of Salop, to or near Newtown, in the county of Montgomery, and also certain collateral Cuts from the said Canal.' By this act the proprietors were incorporated as "The Company of Proprietors of the Montgomeryshire Canal," and authorized to raise £72,000, in shares of £100 each, and a further sum of £20,000, if required, to complete the same. The company thus empowered began their