Waterways and Water Transport in Different Countries by J. Stephen Jeans

1765. The aqueduct and the neighbouring viaduct (shown in the old

643 words | Chapter 121

print at p. 344) pass over the Mersey and Irwell Navigation at such a height as to allow the passage through the archways of small vessels. To accommodate the larger vessels that will pass up the Ship Canal, the archways of the aqueduct and viaduct would have to be more than double the height. This was the engineering difficulty which the Ship Canal promoters had first of all to encounter and by many it was regarded as insuperable. The suggestion was made that the Ship Canal should end at a point below the aqueduct. Mr. E. Leader Williams, the engineer of the company has, however, proposed to construct a short diversion of the Bridgwater Canal immediately over the line at which it would cross the Ship Canal. The length of the Bridgwater over the Ship Canal will then be formed in the manner of a long movable iron caisson or trough, somewhat deeper in the centre than at the two ends, supported by and turning (when required) upon a circle of live rollers. This caisson is to be filled with water to a depth equal to that of the canal itself, and is to be fitted at either end with watertight gates, which are also to be fixed at either end of the approaches from the canal. [Illustration: THE BRIDGWATER CANAL.—(_a_) Across the Irwell (_b_) Barton Bridge.] Upon the completion of this work, the central portion of Brindley’s aqueduct will be removed, the ends being allowed to remain. The manner of working the new aqueduct will be as follows:—The operator in charge of the machinery will, on descrying an approaching steamship, cause the four watertight gates at the ends of the caisson and of the approaches to be closed, and will then, by means of hydraulic machinery, cause the caisson to revolve for a quarter of a circle upon the live roller which will support it, thus leaving a perfectly clear passage for the vessel. Through this passage, up- or down-going vessels will be able readily to steam, and when clear of the aqueduct the process will be reversed—that is to say, the attendant will cause the caisson to turn back into its original position, and will have his watertight gates opened once more, when the line of the Bridgwater traffic will be clear again, after a very brief interval, and without any loss of the water in the canal. At the ends of the existing line of the canal (after the removal of Brindley’s old aqueduct) it is proposed to construct hydraulic lifts as already stated, by means of which it will be competent to lower barges with full cargoes (the barges remaining afloat throughout the whole operation) from the Bridgwater to the Ship Canal, or, _vice versâ_, to raise them from the Ship Canal to the Bridgwater, thus making Barton a point of interchange of traffic between the high and the low level navigation. The works on the Manchester Ship Canal were commenced in 1886, and are to be completed, under contract, in 1892. The estimate of the promoters is that the canal will have a traffic of 3,000,000 tons per annum, from which a net annual income of 709,000_l._ may be expected. This estimate, however, did not include any coastwise traffic, nor such goods as coal, salt, and iron, and took no account of the future expansion of trade. Another estimate, submitted to Parliament, which included these items, calculated on a revenue of over 9½ millions of tons, and a net revenue of over a million and a half sterling. Whatever the financial results of this great undertaking may be, its future can hardly fail to be well assured, and Lancashire has reason to be satisfied with the energy, capacity, and public spirit that have placed such a valuable means of communication at the disposal of its principal industrial centres.

Chapters

1. Chapter 1 2. INTRODUCTION AND OUTLINE. 3. 3. For domestic water supply. 4. INTRODUCTION AND OUTLINE iii 5. CHAPTER I. 6. CHAPTER II. 7. CHAPTER III. 8. CHAPTER IV. 9. CHAPTER V. 10. CHAPTER VI. 11. CHAPTER VII. 12. CHAPTER VIII. 13. CHAPTER IX. 14. CHAPTER X. 15. CHAPTER XI. 16. CHAPTER XII. 17. CHAPTER XIII. 18. CHAPTER XIV. 19. CHAPTER XV. 20. CHAPTER XVI. 21. CHAPTER XVII. 22. CHAPTER XVIII. 23. CHAPTER XIX. 24. CHAPTER XX. 25. CHAPTER XXI. 26. CHAPTER XXII. 27. CHAPTER XXIII. 28. CHAPTER XXIV. 29. CHAPTER XXV. 30. CHAPTER XXVI. 31. CHAPTER XXVII. 32. CHAPTER XXVIII. 33. CHAPTER XXIX. 34. CHAPTER XXX. 35. CHAPTER XXXI. 36. CHAPTER XXXII. 37. CHAPTER XXXIII. 38. CHAPTER XXXIV. 39. CHAPTER XXXV. 40. CHAPTER I. 41. 1. The era of waterways, designed at once to facilitate the transport 42. 2. The era of interoceanic canals, which was inaugurated by the 43. 3. The era of ship-canals intended to afford to cities and towns remote 44. part 600 ft. above the level of the sea, and has in all 114 locks and 45. CHAPTER II. 46. 1. That the freer the admission of the tidal water, the 47. 2. That its sectional area and inclination should be made to 48. 3. That the downward flow of the upland water should be 49. 4. That all abnormal contaminations should be removed from 50. CHAPTER III. 51. 1. They admit of any class of goods being carried in the 52. 2. The landing or shipment of cargo is not necessarily 53. 3. The dead weight to be moved in proportion to the load is 54. 4. The capacity for traffic is practically unlimited, 55. 5. There is no obligation to maintain enormous or expensive 56. 6. There is an almost total absence of risk, and the 57. 1. A total absence of unity of management. For example, on 58. 2. A want of uniformity of gauge in the locks, as well as in 59. 3. With few exceptions they are not capable of being worked 60. 5. The many links in the communications in the hands of the 61. CHAPTER IV. 62. CHAPTER V. 63. CHAPTER VI. 64. 1. The construction of a National canal, passing right 65. 2. The conversion of the existing waterways into a ship 66. 3. The construction of a ship canal between the Forth and 67. 4. The construction of a canal from the Irish Sea to 68. 5. The construction of a ship canal between the Mersey and 69. 6. A canal to connect the city and district of Birmingham, 70. 8. The improvement of the Wiltshire and Berkshire canal, so 71. 1. By a ship canal, that would enable vessels of 200 tons at 72. 2. By a canal that would enable canal boats to navigate the 73. 3. By the construction of an improved canal, between the 74. CHAPTER VII. 75. 1886. The works, including land, cost 74,000_l._, or 15,206_l._ per 76. CHAPTER VIII. 77. 1745. This canal joined the Havel with the Elbe at Parcy. It is about 78. CHAPTER IX. 79. CHAPTER X. 80. 1. _The Voorne Canal_ running from Helvoetsluis through the island of 81. 2. _The Niewe-waterweg_, or direct entrance from the North Sea to 82. 1. _The Walcheren Canal_, about seven miles long, from the new port of 83. 2. _The South Beveland Canal_, from the West Schelde at Hansweert 84. 1. _The Afwaterings Kanaal_, from the Noordervaart and the Neeritter, 85. 2. _The canalised river Ijssel_, from the river Lek, opposite to 86. 3. _The Keulsche Vaart_, from Vreeswijk, on the river Lek, _viâ_ 87. 4. _The Meppelerdiep_, Zwaartsluis to Meppel, for vessels of length, 88. 5. _The Drentsche, Hoofdvaart, and Kolonievaart_, from Meppel to Assen, 89. 6. _The Willemsvaart_, from the town canal at Zwolle to the 90. 7. _The Apeldoorn Canal_, from the Ijssel at the _sluis_ near 91. 8. _The Noordervaart_, between the Zuid Willemsvaart at _sluis_ No. 92. 9. _The Dokkum Canal_, from Dokkum (in Friesland) to Stroobos, and 93. CHAPTER XI. 94. 1000. The total fall is 21·73. Besides the works just described, 480 of 95. CHAPTER XII. 96. CHAPTER XIII. 97. CHAPTER XIV. 98. CHAPTER XV. 99. 1880. There were in the latter year 73 boats on the canal, averaging 100. CHAPTER XVI. 101. 1. That one uniform size of locks and canals be adopted throughout the 102. 2. That the locks on the proposed Bay Verte Canal be made 270 feet long 103. 3. That the locks on the Ottawa system be made 200 feet long and 45 104. 4. And that the locks in the Richelieu river be made 200 feet long and 105. CHAPTER XVII. 106. CHAPTER XVIII. 107. CHAPTER XIX. 108. CHAPTER XX. 109. 1880. In 1885, the gross tonnage was close on nine millions, and the 110. 1. A maritime canal from sea to sea, with a northern port on 111. 2. A fresh-water canal from Cairo to Lake Timsah, with 112. 1. The lands necessary for the company’s buildings, offices, 113. 2. The lands, not private property, brought under 114. 3. The right to charge landowners for the use of the water 115. 4. All mines found on the company’s lands, and the right to 116. 5. Freedom from duties on its imports. 117. CHAPTER XXI. 118. CHAPTER XXII. 119. CHAPTER XXIII. 120. 35. The Panama Canal, again, although approximately about the same 121. 1765. The aqueduct and the neighbouring viaduct (shown in the old 122. CHAPTER XXIV. 123. 1. That part of the canal situated in the plains to be 124. 2. At the same time as the above-mentioned work was 125. 3. Towards the end of the year 1883 several large 126. 1888. The geological strata to be passed through in excavation does 127. CHAPTER XXV. 128. CHAPTER XXVI. 129. introduction of such waterways.[228] They were upheld and protected by 130. CHAPTER XXVII. 131. CHAPTER XXVIII. 132. CHAPTER XXIX. 133. CHAPTER XXX. 134. CHAPTER XXXI. 135. CHAPTER XXXII. 136. CHAPTER XXXIII. 137. CHAPTER XXXIV. 138. 1. The invention or devices to be tested and tried 139. 2. That the boat shall, in addition to the weight 140. 3. That the rate of speed made by said boat shall 141. 4. That the boat can be readily stopped or backed 142. 5. That the simplicity, economy, and durability 143. 6. That the invention, device, or improvement can 144. CHAPTER XXXV. 145. 1. The whole system of ‘inland navigation’ would be 146. 2. All chances of monopoly and trade restriction by 147. 3. Government security would ensure capital being raised 148. 4. By adopting a ‘sinking fund,’ these navigations might 149. 5. Would facilitate uniformity of classification, toll, 150. 6. The question of railway-owned canals would thus be 151. 7. Also the difficulty of floods would be removed as 152. 8. The above advantages, whilst affording unbounded 153. 1. Public opinion is not yet ripened to enable such a 154. 2. To successfully compete with railways (who have now 155. 3. If the Government did not undertake the carrying, 156. 4. The patronage being placed in the hands of 157. 5. For the good canals a very high price would have to 158. 6. In justice to the railways, the Government could 159. 7. The present enormous capital of railways, 160. 1462. River Ouse (Yorkshire) Navigation. 161. 1572. Exeter Canal ” 162. 1699. River Trent Navigation 163. 1796. Salisbury and Southampton Canal. 164. 1852. Droitwich Junction Canal.

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