Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/565

 from Knott Mill, Manchester, to the summit, being now stated to be 533 feet 8 inches, and the fall from thence to Sowerby Bridge 353 feet 7 inches.

This canal is one of the main links in the chain of inland navigation between the east and west seas, being made for vessels of such a size as enables them to navigate in the tideway, and to pass between Liverpool and Hull without the expense of re-shipping their cargoes, thus affording great advantages to the populous towns of Manchester, Rochdale, Halifax, Wakefield, and others on the banks of the intermediate rivers. The Baltic produce can be thus readily conveyed into Lancashire, and the manufactures of Lancashire in return exported through the ports of Goole and Hull, to Hamhurgh, Petersburgh, Lubeck, and other continental markets. The stone from Cromwell Bottom and its neighbourhood is hereby also conveyed to Rochdale and Manchester. These connections are likely to make it ultimately an undertaking of considerable profit to the proprietors.

The first act for this undertaking was passed in 1794, under the title of 'An Act for making and maintaining a navigable Canal, from the Calder Navigation at or near Sowerby Bridge Wharf, in the parish of Halifax, in the West Riding of the county of York, to join the Canal of his Grace the Duke of Bridgewater, in the parish of Manchester, in the county palatine of Lancaster; and also certain Cuts from the said intended Canal;' whereby certain persons were incorporated as "The Company of Proprietors of the Rochdale Canal," with the usual powers.

This canal being intended to form a junction with the Duke of Bridgewater's at Manchester, power is granted to him and his heirs to construct on this canal a lock at Castlefield, and to receive for their own exclusive benefit the following

TONNAGE RATES.
Smaller Quantities to be charged in Proportion.

These Rates are to free the Goods for which they are paid from any further Payment at the Duke's Wharfs, in the Parish of Manchester.