Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/667



The act of 1783 is merely for amending and comfirming the powers granted by former acts.

That of 1797 is entitled,' An Act to enable the Company of Proprietors of the Navigation from the Trent to the Mersey, to make a navigable Canal from and out of a certain Branch of the said Navigation, called the Caldon Canal, at or near Endon, to or near the town of Leek, in the county of Stafford; and also a Reservoir for supplying the several Canals of the said Company with Water;' and authorizes the company to make such branch from the Caldon Branch to the town of Leek.

The act of parliament of 1802 is entitled,' An Act to enable the Company of Proprietors of the Navigation from the Trent to the Mersey, to make Railways; to alter the Course of the Railway from Frog Hall to Caldon, and Part of the Course of the Canal from Frog Hall to Uttoxeter; and to amend the Trent and Mersey Canal Acts.' This act, in addition to authorizing several alterations in the lines of the branches from the canal, empowers the company of proprietors to divide the shares which were originally £200 each, into shares of £100 each.

The act of 1809 amends and enlarges the powers given by former acts, without any particular clauses.

The act of 1823 is entitled,' An Act to enable the Company of Proprietors of the Navigation from the Trent to the Mersey, to make an additional Tunnel through Harecastle Hill, in the county of Stafford, and an additional Reservoir in Knypersley Valley, in the said county; and to amend and enlarge the Powers of the several Acts for making and maintaining the said Navigation, and the several Canals connected therewith.' By this act it is provided that all goods, wares and merchandize, using the said intended new cut or canal, shall pay an additional rate of three half-pence per ton per mile, and in proportion for a greater and less distance or weight. For completing the additional works, the proprietors are empowered to borrow £60,000 on mortgage of the works and premises of any or all of their canals. With these powers the company entered upon their new plan, as soon as it had received the sanction of the legislature, and the additional tunnel through Harecastle Hill, and the reservoir in Knypersley Valley, were forthwith completed.