Page:The Canal System of England.djvu/42

 and with that object they were to have a minimum depth of 2 metres (6 ft. 7 in.), locks at least 5·20 metres (17 ft. 1 in.) wide by 38·70 metres (127 feet) in length, and bridges at least 3·70 metres (12 ft. 1 in.) in height.

In execution of this programme 18,000, 000l. were spent in the years 1879-1900. The total length of first-class waterways was increased from 906 miles to 2,930 miles, including 401 miles of newly-constructed canals.

The Government plans for the future are embodied in a measure which provides for the expenditure of about 2,400,000l. in the course of the next sixteen years in continuing works of improvement already begun on waterways, and no less than 19,160,000l. on new works, whether of construction or improvement.

The most expensive of the new works planned is the Canal du Nord-Est, estimated to cost 5,240,000l., to facilitate communication between Dunkirk, the northern coal region, and the eastern industrial region; 4,920,000l. are provided for the canal from the Loire to the Rhône, about 81 miles long, and specially costly owing to the nature of the ground; 3,640,000l. for a canal directly connecting Marseilles and the Rhône, to obviate the necessity now existing of boats going round by sea from Marseilles to the mouth of the St. Louis Canal at Port-de-Bouc. The