New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-23
MANCHESTER SHIP CANAL.
LIVERPOOL ONCE FRIGHTENED, NOW CON-
TEMPLATES THE GREAT DITCH
CALMLY.
Westminster, Sept. %.

Westminster, Sept. %.
Liverpool is growing accustomed to scares
arising from contemE lation of its imminent decay
Sometimes alright comes from Milford Haven,
which proposes to draw straight to lis ample
bosom all the biggest ships that cross the Attain
tic, the Great Western Railway Company
oiieingly providing especial train service that
shall land passengers in London at an appreclable
hour than those going the old way to the
Mcrsey. Sometimes it is Holyhcad that puts in
claim, and the London and Northwestern Rail-
way Company wake up to the possibility OF their
having the monopoly of s,aborne traffic. Act
ually Southampton has just pulled brick from
the foundation on whi,h the glory and prosper.
ity of Liverpool stand, having had transferred
to it the business Of ore Of the American liners.
The other day there meeting at Southampton
where the mayor publicly embraced the manager
of the Southwestern Railway and in the name OF
the town conveyed to him lat fair price,
stretch of mud land hitherto Of no value 10 any
one, which the railway company undertook 70
utilize for the service of the benehcent steamship
company. But of all the rights Liverpool mas
ever suffered, none equals that which possessed
Il when the first sod of the Manchester Ship Canal
was cut and the possibility Of the completion OF
the gigantic work was placed beyond cavil.
II was in 1885 that the act of Parliament
authorizing the canal was passed. Its object
was stated to be to afford the cheapest means
for the transit of merchandise and minerals OF
all kinds between English and foreign ports and
the manufacturing towns and coal fields OF Ian.
cashire: Yorkshire. Cheshire, Derbyshire and
Staffordshire. A magnificent scheme THIS winch
every one save these interested in the welfare Of
Liverpool looked with gliTenlng eyes But
while thus comprehensive, the real object OF the
20 tisft- natural
of Manchester men to see their cotton come
straight from America without paying toll at
the gates of Liverpool With that intent the
canal was to he constructed % to enable ships
of the largest tonnage to steam right up 10
Manchester, and unload under the shadow OF us
mighty warehouses; IT. was estimated that the
cost of the works. including railways, docks ana
all medicinal expenses. would he n trine over
so 100000. The canal to be thirty-hve
miles long, with minimum depth OF twenty-siN
feet and a bottom width of 100 feet increased
at the Runcorn entrance and the Manchester
terminus so that the biggest Atlantic steamer
might turn round at its pleasure The company
were authorized to raise a capitol of cloO0O.Ooo,
fs 900 900 being in share capital. with authority
to borrow a further sum of c2,O0O,Ooo In
addition power was taken to issue deDentute
stock
lie ScneInP nau q Sntlllu s'hl's i'' h'"''
fowoJ in like the tide at the mouth of tie
Metsey. 1t was point of honor with Manchester
men to subscribe The small tradesmen and
professional persons took their flO shares, while
the wealthy and wise appropriated large blocks
Of debentures The project came ont at most
favorable time. while Barring Brothers were still
regarded as being as sound the Bank Of
England, and Argentina land flowing win
bonuses and dividends The company were
fortupate in their engineers and contractors ana
for while all went on merriy. Al the De2ln'
ming Of last year the works were IN snch a
forward state that there talk Of fleet OF
ships sailing up the new waterway on the LIST
Of January bringing to Manchester tie worlds
wish of happy new year. Then clouds snd.
denly began to gather TIE contractor died, and
though the work far forward and SO
admirably managed that that should have made
no difference somehow it did. Never since has
the sun shone on the new waterway. There
were labor struggles: dams burst spelling acres
of accumulated labor: eypons's accumulated, and
finally il was found that the Golfers were empty.
But the canal has inestimable advantage
which will probably even Yet succeed in pulling
the undertaking through. Long before the
works. commenced simultaneously at Manchester
and Runcorn, met in placid stream Of flowing
water the canal had cost so much that II
could not be abandoned. Apart from feelings
Of pride Manchester could not leave lis bantling
% perish by the waysde. \ whip-up was
privately made and further patches Of deben-
lures were subscribed. But il was n mere drop
in a bucket which some people begin 10 suspect
is bottomle>s In this dilemma Manchester was
appealed TO in its corporate capacity, and noby
responded. Last year special act was ran througt
Parliament authorizing tie corporation 10 adj
vance 90 10000 by way of loan. II was
asserted that this would be amply sufficient to
complete the work. and that the security was
unimpeachablc Nay. the ratepayers Were
assured that since the canal company would pay
the corporation interest at the rate of ID
per cent, while il could borrow at 3 l-?. con-
siderable revenue would accrue. available for
the MITIGATION Of the burden of rates There
were some inconsideratc people who pointed ont
that for indefinite time, certainly till the
canal began to pay: the 1-2 per cent interest
nut into Manchesters left-hard pocket was
taken from Manchester's right-hand pocket
But the world is full of cayiilers and one thing
clear was that if Manchester did not find the
money no one else would The works must
stop and the millions already subscribed. chiefly
by Manchester men, would be forever sunk in the
mud at the bottom Of the forlorn unfinished
canal
The three millions were forthcoming, and the
canal works more leaped into life. and Liver
pool was again sunk into gloomy meditations
the fate of Tyre and Sdcm. But aack the three
millions already spent, and the Manchester
Canal, like boy who need not be named ia
opening its capacious mouth and asking for more"
This has given even rich and mighty Manchester
pause. The MAJOR has comforted the citizens
with the assurance that if it comes 10 the worst
if the money loan vanishes and the interest proves
as unsubstantial a cloud wreath on a summer
day, it would not mean more than an increase
each householders rate of Is. 3D., and at the end
of forty-seven years even that would be paid off.
This last condition somewhat lacks in comfort,
since for the vast majority of contemporary house
holders forty-seven years is the probable limit Of
their occupation. But beyond this is the question.