Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/595



SHREWSBURY CANAL.
33 George III. Cap. 113, Royal Assent 3rd June, 1793.

THIS canal commences in Castle Foregate Basin, on the east side of Shrewsbury, near the Ellesmere Canal, to which it may be joined by mutual consent, and following the windings of the River Severn, passes Uffington; from thence, having a parallel course with the River Tern, it passes Upton Forge, Withington and Rodington, at which last place it crosses the River Roden; a little further on, it crosses the River Tern by an aqueduct at Long Mill, and runs by Langdon and Eyton, and crossing Ketley Brook, joins the Donnington and Shropshire Canals at Rockwardine Wood, in Shropshire. The proprietors purchased one mile and one hundred and eighty-eight yards of the Ketley Canal, which joins the Shrewsbury Canal at Wombridge, and now forms a part of the line of this work.

The act of parliament, under sanction of which this canal was undertaken, was obtained in 1793, and is entitled, 'An Act for making and maintaining a navigable Canal from the North End of the Shropshire Canal, in the township of Rockwardine Wood, in the county of Salop, to the town of Shrewsbury, in the said county.' It incorporates the company of proprietors by the name of "The Company of Proprietors of the Shrewsbury Canal Navigation," and authorizes them to raise amongst themselves the sum of £50,000, in shares of £100 each, and, if necessary, a further sum of £20,000 for the purposes of the act, and to take the following

TONNAGE RATES.
And in Proportion for a less Quantity than a Ton or a less Distance than a Mile.

And an addition of One Penny per Ton if passed by Inclined Planes, until the Canal pays a Dividend of Eight per Cent, when this last Rate shall cease.

Boats with less than Eight Tons to pay for that Quantity, except when returning.

All Manure (except Lime) exempt from these Rates.

There is a peculiarity in the construction of the locks on this navigation, which enables a long narrow canal boat, or two or four smaller boats (constructed for passing the inclined planes) to