Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/67

Rh 1813, the spring tide there was ascertained by Captain Andrew Livingstone, of Glasgow, to be full 50 feet perpendicular rise. At Chepstow, situate upon the mouth of the River Wye, (where the channel of the Severn is little more than two miles wide,) the vertical rise of time spring tide is often 60 feet.

As the River Avon is the first link of one of the chains of the present inland communication between the ports of Bristol and London, this circumstance alone gives to it an importance that in former times it had no claim to; and if ever the scheme, which is now in agitation, for making a canal between these two important places, capable of admitting ships of upwards of four hundred tons burthen, (the estimated expense of which is eight millions,) be carried into execution, this river will doubtless form an interesting portion of such a navigation.

The celebrated Smeaton reported on the proposed floating harbour, docks, &amp;c. so long ago as the year 1765; but William Jessop, Esq. was the engineer who carried into execution the works required under the authority of the last act of parliament. 

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AVON RIVER.
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 * 10 Anne, Cap. 8, Royal Assent 22nd May, 1712.
 * 47 George III Cap. 129, Royal Assent 14th August, 1807.
 * 51 George III Cap. 167, Royal Assent 15th June, 1811.

THIS is a continuation of the same River Avon as mentioned above; but was made navigable to Bath, by different parties, and under separate authorities. The source of the River Avon is at a short distance west of Badminton Park, the seat of the Duke of Beaufort, in the county of Gloucester, and after meandering through these beautiful grounds, enters Wiltshire, taking a northerly direction close to the town of Malmsbury, and thence westward to Dauntsey, a seat of the late Earl of Peterborough, where, changing for the south, it passes Christian Malford, winding to within a little distance of Bowood, the seat of the Marquis of Lansdowne; thence to the town of Chippenham, to which place, a branch of the Wilts and Berks Canal is carried. In its course it runs by Lackham House, and Laycock Abbey, to the west of the town of Melksham; thence to the town of Bradford, a little below which,