The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-01-18 00:00:00

BNGG/S!I A YD

CHANNELS SHIP CANAL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MUTTS'S PRESS.

Ent,—Yoar correspondent A. B. has now spoken oat, jun
deceived by his former letter from the Isle of Wight, in which he
'potent commendation of the proposed Harfoor at Beer, and the
extension of the Ship Canal thence to Bridgewater, from whits
place he resommended that Rail Roads should branch out to Exeter
and Other places. In his last letter, however. dated from the hle
of Dogs, and which appeared in your paper of the 13. input. he
argues against the formation of the Harbour at lieer and the Cisme
altogether ; and contends, that a Rail Road would be cheaper. ass
every way better calculated to answer tie objet in view :—but ht
now no longer advises that his favourite ail Road should be eared
across from one Channel to the other, so as to supersede the pea.
posed Canal in the object for uniting the two Channels; bat 1:e
strikes out a totally new line. He now goys, An that is wanted Is
Rail Read from Bristol to London, on which :tuner and Irish pro.
visions might be conveyed to an early insahet in the metropolis.—
He proposes too, to construct a Rail Road trims Bridgewater*
Exeter ; and he then goes on, (still contending for the superkwitr
of Rail Roads over Canals) to trace the beneficial effects wind
would result front these now recommended by Ilim; aid which. bt
an odd kind of reasoning, he endeavours to show, will be of init.
flue service to the coasting trade,—by aniiiiiiliating it altogether:!
Really, Mr. Editor, after A. B.'s admissions in his runner letter
in favour of the proposed Ship Canal—indeed after his admission jet
his present letter, in which lie first says, there will be a profit of Ilk.
per cent., and then afterwards he expresses his conviction, that she
tonnage arising from " the consumption of coals, iron, and bricks
I alone. on the South Coast, will certainly yield M. per cent. to the
Ship Canal." After these admissions, I say, I was not prepares
to expect such a train of reasoning, if so it can be celled, as A. B.
has now put forth.
As Englishmen, we do, and all must real the full importance of
every thing connected with the prosperity and security of our mt.
rine establishments, to promote and extend which, we can hardly
make too great exertions or too extensive sacrifices, inasmuch as On
security and prosperity of our Empire depends more on the penis.
niinancy of our marine, than nu soy other single cause—nay, I be.
here, that I might truly say, than on all other causes put togethet.
Admitting this to be the case then, without at all adverting to the
comparative merits of the Rail Roads and Canals, I will venture to
lay it down as a maxim, which every British Statesman, whin
every genuine Patriotic Englishman, will contend for, that even if
by the agency of Rail Roads commodities can be carried soahnhine
cheaper than by coasting vessels, if some little saving can here be
effected to the public—still, looking to the whok subject, and re.
gutting the coasting trade as by far tier greatest nursery tier or r set.
men which we posses, I would not consent to such a saving, if a
edict it, one seaman less should be employed, or one boy less as.
prentiord to the sea. If our commercial marine should lie lessened.
whence is our navy to be manned in case of war?
But I am far from admitting, that any saving whatever will be
occasioned by A. B.'s projected Rail Road from Bristol to Limdoe,
superseding the proposed Ship Canal acrosst to Peninsula. tbn de
contrary, I take upon myself to say most distinctly, that the trot.
sit of commodities along snit Rail Road would be at least double,
(I believe treble) whet it will be if they were conveyed by ma art
through the proposed Canal, even without reckoning the expense t(
tear ashipments and conveyance to it. It is evident that .1. B. knots
nothing a the Bristol Channel, or the ports of Bridgewater et
Dilator. He appears entirely ignorant to) of nautical subjects; ara
I teeny would advise him to reflect. examine, and inquire a line
mere, liefore he again ventures to offer the result of his lucubration
to the public : his statements else will probably prove as income:
as those which lie has given in his last letter, and particularly that t
which he says, that the promoters of this great national object.
" after six months last in making attempts," have nut been able
raise shove half the subscription requisite for effecting it.—sbenc:
he argues, that the public are averse to the undertaking: whereat
the tact is, that the subscription has been completed to the eatert
that it was proposed to carry it, until after the bill had been oh.
tamed; and the books were in consequence closed on Monday last
much to the disappointment of numbers of Individuals: for 6•
thoroughly is the measure appreciated by the public, and so at.
maous have been the applications for shares in this great concen,
notwithstanding that the returns on the capital embarked in it inn
be reduced from 401. to 101. per cent., by time imervention of Rai
Roads, as A. B. prophecies—that in apportioning she shares, tee
Committee, whilst discharging this their painfid duty to the pubis
and the subscribers, have been obliged, in the gran majority of h.
stances, to curtail the number of shares applied for to one.third art
one.half; nor have they, in hardly any instance, been able to assile
to individuals the full number of shares requited.
There have been numerous applications made since the boots
were closed on Monday last, but these, of course, could not k
complied with.
I have thought it necessary, Mr. Editor, to make this last stair-
ment, lest any portion of your respectable readers should be m>
led by A. Ws incorrect assertions. If any individual shall and
feel a doubt on the subject, such doubt nay easily be solved by
his applying at the office of the Solicitors to this great natiooal act.
dertaking.
This being the last time that A. B. and I can he opposed tosses
other, at least in your columns, I wish to part from him in per.
feet ood hutnour, and 1 will again advise him to read through the
Reports of Mr. Telford and Captain Nicholls, on the proposed
ship canal ; if he will do this candidly, fairly, and fully, I ven-
ture to predict that he will arrive at conclusions very diderent from
those which lie has put forth to the public in his two letters, (rent
the Isle of' Wight, and the Isle of Dogs.
I am, Mr. Editor,
Your obedient marmot.
A SUBSCRIBER.

January 14, 1825.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

HUNTING APPOINTMENTS.

His hi ajetry's stag-hounds mill meet on Friday at the hlogpia,
Hounslow Heath.

The Earl of Darlington's fox-hounds on Thursday at Pien-
bridge, and on Saturday at Boughton Bank, each day at slew.
The Lanibton fox-hounds on Thursday at Beascepeth, teal
Saturday at Bumopaide, each day at ten.