Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/636



Besides the above rates, all goods which pass into or from the Tamar River, and are not loaded at Morwelham Quay, are to pay as below, for reimbursing the owner or occupier thereof, for the loss of wharfage on such goods, viz.

WHARFAGE RATES.
In addition to the above, One Penny per Ton is to be paid on all Goods entering the Canal Basin at Morwelham.

By an estimate furnished by Mr. John Taylor and Mr. J. Hitchins, dated in February, 1803, it appeared that the expense of completing the canal, to be 16 feet at top, 8 feet at bottom, and 3 feet deep, and tunnel, would amount to £36,958, 16s.

From the Tamar River, the first one-eighth of a mile is level with high water at Morwelham Quay; thence in a quarter of a mile is a rise of 237 feet; thence about three miles and one-eighth to Tavistock is level; the branch is level to New Quarry about a mile and five-eighths; thence to Millhill Bridge, three-eighths of a mile, is a rise of 19½ feet.

The locks upon this canal are to be calculated for boats of 12½ feet long and 5 feet wide; but the company may erect inclined planes for boats or boxes of goods, instead of locks.

Morwelham Down, through which the tunnel passes, is of hard rock and supposed to be intersected by several fissures or lodes filled with metallic ores. It is the property of the Duke of Bedford, who is the most considerable subscriber to the undertaking, and who has leased to the company the mines which may be found in tunnelling.

The canal crosses the Lumbourn River near Crebar by an aqueduct bridge two hundred yards long and 60 feet above the river. Its principal object is the export of slate, copper-ore and other minerals and agricultural produce; and the import of coals, lime and other articles for the supply of Tavistock and the neighbouring country.