The Sun.
London, England, 1824-12-17 00:00:00

PROPOSED BRISTOL AND ENGLIS

CHANNELS SHIP CANAL.

Yesterday a very numerous Meeting of the
Subscribers to this most stupendous undeiaking was held at
the London Coffee-houre, budgate-hill, to take into considera-
tion the Report made by Mr. Telford, as to the practicability
of the-measure, and the probable expencolttendant on its com-
pletion.
At one o'clock.Jonv BENT, •, Eig ALP •, was'called to the
•
Chair.
Mr. Telford's Report, deduced from his land surveys, tone-
' ther with another Report drawn up by Captain Nicholls, au
able and'experlenced Officer, supplying such nautical informa-
tion as the Committee deemed necessary to lay before the public,
together with various maps, plans, and specifications of the dif-
ferent lands, &c., through which the Canal is proposed to pass,.
were then laid on the table for the inspection of the Meeting.
The CHArti 31 Air" , in entering on the duties of the situation to:
which he had been called, had only to regret that some person of
more weight:and consequence had not been selected from the:
many respectable Gentlemen around him. The object for
Which 'the meeting was convened was already sufficiently known
to require much explanation—it was to receive the Report of
Mr. Telford, which would speak for itself much better than any
observation which could he given upon it. In proof of the feel-
ing which had been excited amongst the landed proprietors,
through whose estates the Canal was proposed to pass, he should
merely, read a letter from Lord Rolle, and another from Sir
Thinnas Lethbridge, on the subject.—Lnere the Chairman read
the letters, both of which spoke in commendation of the mea-
sure; and it was stated as a further encouragement, that his
l.ordship, with his usual liberality and patriotic spirit, had inti-
mated that he would forego all charge for land stone, FCC., so
far as regarded that portion of the line which may pass through
his estates.] The Chairman, in conclusion, put it to the sense
of the meeting, whether a better period was likely to occur
than the present for the pressing of such a measure on the at-
tention of the public, when the recent melancholy disasters on
our coasts were fresh in the recollection of every man. The
navigation of the Bristol Channel. at all times attended with
frightful risk to the mariner, would by this Canal be altogether
superseded:; and he made no doubt many other important be-
nefits would be developed when the plan was brought into effi-
cient operation. lie should now merely say, that he was satis-
fied when the Reports were read it would be a further encou-
ragement to them to go on.
Mr. DAVID POLLOCK proposed the reading of Mr. Tel

ford's Report previous to arty observation beiniinade, or any
resolution gone Into. This motion was approved of, and Mr.
King (King and latkin, Solicitors to the Committee) was called
upon to read the Report.
Mr. Dal- en Po r.toez stated, that he proposed making some
motions relative to this interesting subject ; but as a necessary
preliminary, he begged to suggest the propriety of having the
very able Report made by Captain Nicholls read to the meeting,
or rather an abstract of that Report, which, from its extremely
voluminous nature, had boon given in two parts or sections, and
would, if read altogether, occupy too great a portion of time.
This proposition met with very general advocacy, and Mr.
King proceeded with the following abstract, which had been
drawn up from Captain Nicholls's Report.
EXTRACT FROM CAPT. NICHOLLS' REPORT.
PROPOSED NEW HARBOUR AT STor.ronn.—.‘ little to
the westward of the small village of Stolford, or Seaward, in
the Bristol Channel, and directly opposite to the tail of the
Gore Sand, an extensive ledge of rocks, called the Wick Rocks,
runs out to low water mark.
This ledge is covered at about half flood, and consists of
firm ridges of Has rock of considerable elevation, and forms a
shelter on the west and north-west, to a kind of bay or patch of
soft mud, which spreads out within it to the extent of nearly a
mile; the whole, however, ebbs dry at opting tides, out of the
extreme point of the Wick Rocks; but, notwithstanding this
circumstance, the place appears to me, after repeated examina-
tions, to afford all requisite facilities for an entrance to the pro-
posed canal, and for the construction of substantial piers for the
protection of shipping resorting thither.
A harbour formed here would be without all the dangers
which beset the entrance to the river Parret, excepting only
the Gore Sand, on the outer extremity of which a buoy must
he placed. The flat of mud within the Wick Rocks is now
used occasionally by small vessels, who there deliver and re-
ceive their cargoes of coal, kelp, &c. Vessels coming from the
northward may always at about half tide cross the tail of the
Gore Sand, and by doing so would make a straight course into
the entrance of the proposed harbour ; and vessels from the
westward would have no difficulty or danger of any kind to en-
counter in entering it.
Captain Nicholls here points out the various advantages of
this undertaking, and refers to several localities in proof of his
opinion.
The Report then proceeds to point out the benefits of the
proposed Harbour at Iteer, in the English Channel. and an-
swers the objections raised to it by the following remarks :
As an outlet from the Ship Canal, I consider the proposed har-
bour at Beer perfectly unexceptionable, and it possesses advan-
tages is this respect, which it would perhaps be in vain to look
for elsewhere. All the objections winch have ever been raised
amino it, appear to hinge ors the supposed prevalence of south-
erly winds, during which, it has been contended, vessels will
find it difficult to work out of Seaton Bay, and the Great Bay
without It. The fact, however, is, 'that the wind rarely blows
home across the English or Bristol Channels, either from
the northward or the southward, and scarcely ever for any
long continuance, but rather,, as has been before stated, it
assumes the direction of the coast : if, however, it shall hap.
pen to blow so Wong at south or south-east, that a vessel
cannot get out of the harbour, I am. quite sure that she will
be in a better situation there, until it moderates, than out-
side in the Channel: I think that the proposed harbour at
Beer, when it shall be completed, according to the present plan,
will become a place of considerable resort, as an asylum har.
bour for coasters and other vessels navigating the English
from Portland to
Channel., Such a harbour is much wanted, as at present there
points, in strong
itshem) Start,i)iat
south-easterly gales, are exposed to hazard.
Captain Nicholls thus concludes his observations :—Among
slrheSeltiteeirliCalonritytehde betweenweotahet's e
tite natural advantages of Beer Harbour may be reckoned a
plentiful supply of water, which issues out from under White
Cliff Point. This might be conducted along the Eastern Pier,
and would serve to supply any number of vessels with water,
in the shortest time, and in the most convenient manner pos-
sible. During war, the facility of procuring a supply of water
in such a situation would be an important accommodation to
our fleets and cruisers ; and as the water is peculiarly fine, and
keeps remarkably well at.sea, the procuring a supply of it here
would probably conduce to the health of the crews, as well as
to a saving of time and espence.
The harbour at iteer will, I think, in its character and con-
sequences, be very similar to the proposed harbour at Stol-
ford ; it will, in short, be the same to the great bay between
Portland and the Start, that the latter will be to Bridgewater
Bay and the Bristol Channel, each of them will serve as ports of
refuge, for vessels in stormy weather, and both of these places
will, in my opinion, be fit terminations for the proposed canal.
Capt. N. estimates the number of tons that will pass through
the cane!, annually, at 1,0935271.; and the clear income aris-

ing from the canal, and applicable to a dividend among tire
Proprietors, at 210,046/. 12s. 4d.
He calculates that the revenue to be derived from the inter-
nal traffic on the canal will cover the expence of management
and maintenance, after it shall he completed.
M. I). Pot Loci: then moved, " That this Meeting are fully
satisfied, frotn the interesting and luminous Report of Mr.
Telford, as to the practicability of constructing the projected
Ship Canal."
This Resolution was put from the Chair and carried unani-
mously.
Mr. D. Pottocx wished that he was not so often compelled
to intrude on the attention of the Meeting, but he could not
help alluding to another circumstance necessarily untouched in
Mr. Telfords Report, and which was ably stated in the ab-
stract just read front Captain Nicholls'; it was in respect to
tonnage, which was not' Mr. Telford's province to embrace.
When the Committee received Captain Nicholl's Reports,
they had before them one on the General Shipping Interests
of Great Britain, made to the House of Commons, in
which the tonnage on this line of navigation was stated at
1,154,000 tons, and Capt. Nicholls' estimate was 1,196,000 t
the nearness of which was a strong proof of the accuracy of his
information on the subject; and confirmed the opinion that the
prosecution of the proposed plan would be attended not only
with great profit to those who had embarked money in the con-
cern, but would he productive of lasting benefit to the nation
at large. Indeed if any doubt had ever existed as to its utility,
he thought those doubts must be dissipated by what had been
just read. He concluded with proposing the second Resolution
—(For which see Advertisement).
This Resolution was seconded by a Gentleman whose name
we could not learn ; and when the Chairman was in the act
of putting it, another Gentleman stepped forward and said,
before the Resolution was put to the vote, he should take the
liberty of reading a letter from Captain John Locke, Com-
mander of an Indiatnan in the same trade with Captain Ni-
cholls, to shew the character of' the man who, by his report,
was before the meeting.—This letter being read, anti ex-
tremely
flattering to the character of Capt. both for honour
and ability, the Resolution was put and carried.
Mr. Pottocx said the next thing to be considered was thi
manner in which a sufficient fund could be obtained to carry the
project into effect. Hitherto the Committee had forbore to ask
for subscriptions; in fact, what had been put down as deposits
was merely to provide means for the getting up of the Reports
laid before the meeting; It was now necessary to call upon the
public generally to contribute to the furtherance of this great