The Sun.
London, England, 1805-03-29 00:00:00

THE GRAND JUNCTION C. NA.

THAT grand line of communication between the
metropolis ;and the most distant parts of the 'king-
dom, which the Grand junttion Canal was to el.
lett, was incomplete till Monday last, .owing, to a
range of high land, between Stoke Binen and Blis.
worth,' in Northamptonshire-, not being penetrated
by a tunnel or arch, as intended ; but all goods
coming past that place have been obliged,to be:un-
loaded, and placed on waggons, and conveyed on a
railway over the hill, to be embarked again in other
boats. On Monday morning, the Ws.tther proving
very fine,
,an amaaingly large concourse of people
were assembled, some of them from considerable
distances, to view the stupendous works at Ellsworth
Tunne4 and to see the grand procession in honour
of the opening of this internal communication by
water, between the most distant places. One of the
Paddington packet-boats,called the Marquis of Buck.
iughtn, was the first' boat which went through the
Tonnel—this was early in the morning, in order to
join the other boats assembled at the North end of
the Tunnel,. at Blisworth, to form the grand proces-
sion. About i t o'clock the Committee of the Ca-

nal Company, who had superintended this great
work, Messrs. NO, .Mansell, unwin,,Parkinsort,
Smith, anti a great number of others of the prin.
cina,l Proprietors, entered the boats, attended' by
Mesars.:Telford,,Bevan,.and others of ,the Engineers
employed on the Canal, and by the Band of the
Northamptonshire Militia, and proceeded into the
Tunnel, amidst the loudest acclamations of the, spec-
tators; the pitchy darkness Of tite Tiinnel was short-
ly relieved by a number of flambeaux nod lights-;
but the company in ,general seemed lost in Content.
plating the stupendous efforts by which this amazing
arch of brick.work, about eighteen inches thick in
general, Weer) feet wide, arid nineteen in 'height,
withinside, being of an elliptical form, 3080: yards
in length, had been completed between the of
August, J 792; and. the 2.611) or. February, 1805.
The height of the hill, above the, 'Tunnel, bring, t,..r
a considerable way, full sixty feet,- for' drawing up
the clay and soil which were excavated, .11'nd letting
down the materialsttS, different Parts of the works,
nineteen, shafts, or wells, were sunk on different
parts of the line, and a heading, or small arch, was
run or forrned the whole length, below' the present
Tunnel, with numerous cross branches to draw off
the springs of water, which would othttwise have
impeded the work. •
In an hour and two minutes the boats with the
company arrived at .the South end of the Tunnel, and
were greeted by the loud litizzas oft at least five
thooand persons, who 'were assembled,. and who
accompanied theboats with continual cheers as they
proceeded down the locks to Stoke, and from thence
to,CLI Stratford, where one of the boats being too
highly laden with people, they vTeriencetl a se.
vere squeeze against ilia' bridge, and the 'ins trument
celled a Serpent, on whielvoner of' the Bend was
playing, was crushed:to'piecet.7 Except this, we
did not hear of the slightest 'accident, but the whole
went off with the greatest eclat.
The principal company retired to the Bull Inn,
at, Stoney Stratford, and,. about six o'clock, 140
Proprietors and friends to this grand-undertaking sat
distivn tu an ixcellent dinners Mr. Praed, in the chair.
Alter which, much iinrareSting conversasson•i.ok.
place on trade and other subjects, enlivened by the
following Toasts: " The King ;" The Queen and
Royal Farnily.va '' Success to the Grand Junttion
Canal which was drank with three times
three, and the greatest applauses ; " The Marquis
of Buckingham ;" ," Mr. Praed, the Chairman ;"
" Mr.' Barnes ;" " Mr. Parkinson;" " The Coven.
try Canal ;" " The Oxford Cana;" these being
Canals with which,the Grand juntlion now, opens
a cummunicaticin • " The Duke of Grafton ;"
41 Success to Inland Navigation ;" Mr.Telford ;"
" The Earl ofirridgewater;" " The COnduilors of
the Einhankroent,',' meaning an, embankment across
a valley near Stoney Stratfrard, intended to, preserve
the level of the Canal across that same, instead of
the lucks down on the one side and up on the other,
by which boats pass at present. ."
Mr. Box,"&c.
Ac. The utmost harmony and conviviality' pre.
vailed among the company till near twelve O'clock,
when.they broke up. All the other Inns in, Stoney
Stratford were filled with company,' and many of
the patties did not separate till a late hour.
Though the Tunnel at Blisworth•completcs the.
line of the Canal, and, enables boats freely to peas,
the whole length, yet, besides the, embankment:
above.mentioned, several.other works are in hand,
or intended itvdifferent places. for improving the
Canal, or .rendering, it more completely water.
tight,. where. the soil is faulty, for removing the dis.
content, or avoiding the interruptions of the iVlillers,
particularly in the Caine Valley, .and,..above all, for
increasing, the supply of water, that no interruption
may, in dry seasons, he given to the increasing trade
reasonably to he expetied on this essential-line of
Canal,' particularly at the summits near Wendover,
and near 'bring, On which last objeet the great abi,
lilies of an excellent Engineer arc at present cur..
ciscd.