Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-01-02
THE MANCHESTER CANAL
WAS OPENED IN A FORMAL
MANNER,
And Number of Vessels Sailed From
This Country to Participate
in the Ceremonies.


BY Associated Press.
Manchester, Jan. 1.-The Manchester
Dispatch canal was formally opened to-
day. The weather was brilliant and-the
occasion was made notable in every way
possible. There was much rejoicing in
this city and all along the line of the
canal.
The mayor and corporations of Man.
chester and Daleford started for Man.
chester and the AIodwheal Joined the
sea vessels which are due at the Man
chester docks AZ o'clock Great enths-
insm was manifested everywhere. The
newspapers publish a list OF vessels en-
route to Manchester from New Orleans.
The vessels arrived here after a three
hours passage and were cheered by over
100000 people.
The great ship canal from Eastman to
Manchester is now an accomplished fact
aud the town Of Manchester, situated
about forty miles from the seaboard,
can be reached by sea from New York
In about ten hours after arriving at Liy-
erpoo. On December 10 a steamer CON
vgying the directors of the canal made
the entire journey of the canal, but the
formal official opening did not take place
until today.
In order to realize the full Significance
of this fact, and Of all that il implies,
we have to consider the sudden creation
of a great mart put Ia direct COM
municatinn with all the parts os the
world, aclose TO and partly within the
confines of mn immense commercial city,
and surrounded by an industrial popula.
ton of 100000. Besides the actual
canal, the docks are Of most extensive
character. The small docks and quays
and the upper reach will be principally
occupied by coasting vessels. while in the
larger docks win he mo1red ships from
the United States, Canada. India, etc.
Az the other docks VIII be accommodate
tons for cattle, and in fact, Manches-
ter has by stroke become one of the
inrgest and most important ports in the
United Kingdom. The work is the out
come Of q series Of long Investigations
in parliamentary committees IN the wears
of 1889, 1884 and 1880
The supporters Of the canal. who spent
fl5OOOO in obtaining the act. were man
ufacturcrs and merchants of Manches-
ter, and is principal opponents were
the corporation Of Liverpool With the
use of electricity, steamers viii be able
TO navigate by night as well as by dav.
and the whole OF the canal Will be
trayersed in about len hours
Some notion OF The capacity of the
canal may be drawn when we cofnpnre
its depth with the Suez and Amsterdam
canals The minimum width Of the bot
ton of the Suez canal il u feet and Of
the Amsterdam 81 feet inches. while
that Of the Manchester canal is 100 feet
The minimum depth Of the Manchester
aud Suez waterways Is Pc feet and thai
Of the Amsterdam canal % feet. A
statement signed By 1S2 steamship
owners, Possessing more than 1000
steamers Of nm aggregate net tonnage
Of about 100000 tons, more than %
per cent. Of The entire steamship ton
mage Of the United Kingdom. declares
that the canal will be naVigahle without
difficulty by merchant steamers Of the
largest class. and that II the charges Of
the ship canal are not higher than those
Of other pofts-and they are actually less
the ship owners will at once make use
Of the waterway ~ soon as 1t Is open for
tralhc. aud the additional 30 rs milef
10 Manchester from the sea will not
increase the rate Of freight charged 10
Liverpool by u merchant Steamer for
long voyage. It Is believed that the