The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-01-04
MANCHESTER SHIP CANAL
THE GREAT WATERWAY FORMALLY
OPENED AND DEDICATED.
One Of the Greatest Engineering Fsats Of
Modern Times, Bringing England's
Immense Mills to the Sea-
board - will Paralyze
Liyerpools Trade.

MANCHESTER, Jan. Ia Manchester
dispatch says the canal was formally
opened today. The weather was bril-
liant and the occasion was made nota-
BILE in every way possible. There was
much rejoicing in this city and all
along the line of the canal. The may
or and corporations of Manchester and
Dalford started for Manchester and
the Modwheal joined the sea vessels
which were due at Manchester docks
at 1 o'clock. Great enthusiasm was
manifested everywhere. The news
papers publish list of vessels EN- route
to Manchester from New Orleans.
The vessels arrived here after three
hours passage and were cneered by
over l00,0 people.
The great sLIp canal from the East
ham coast to Manchester is now an
accomplished fact and the town of
Manchester, situated, about 40 miles
from the seaboard, can be reached by
sea from New York about 10 hours
after arriving at Liverpool, On Dec.
lO steamer conveying the directors
OF the canal made the journey OF the
canal, but the formal official opening
did not take place until today.
In order to realize the iull signi6-
canoe of this fact and of all that it
Implies, we have to consider the
sudden creation of great mart put
in direct communication with all parts
OF all the world, close to- and partly
within the confines of an immense
commercial city and surrounded by
an Industrial population of $3.50 600.
Besides the actual canal the docks are
OF most extensive character. The
small docks and quays and upper
reach will be principally occupied by
coasting veasels, while in the larger
docks will be moored ships from the
United States, Canada, India, etc. At
other docks will be accommodations
for cattle and in fact Manchester has
by stroke become one of the largest
and most important ports in the
United Kingdom. The work is the
outcome OF a series of long investiga-
tions in parliamentary committees in
the years 1883, 1884 and 1885.
The supporters of the canal, who
spent el5O,OO in obtaining the act,
were manufacturers and merchants of
Manchester, and its principal oppon-
ents we're the corporation of Liverpool.
With the use OF electricity steamers
Will be able to navigate by night as
we'll as by day and the whole OF the
canal will be traversed in about 10
hours. Some notion of the capacity
OF the canal may be drawn when we
compare it's depth with the Suez and
Amsterdam canals. The minimum
width OF the bottom of the Suez is 70
feet and OF the Amsterdam 98 feet and
inches while that of the Manchester
canal is 12O feet. The minimum depth
OF the Manchester and Suez waterways
is ~ feet and that of the Amsterdam
canal % feet. A statement
signed by 1872 steamship own
ers, possessing more than
20 per cent of the entire steamship
tonnage of the United Kingdom, de-
clare that the canal will be navigated
without difficulty by merchant steam
ers OF the largest class, and that il
charges on the ship canal are not
higher than those OF other ports land
at once make use of the waterway as
additional 80 1-3 miles to Manchester
from the sea will not increase the rate
of freight charged to Liverpool by
merchant steamer for the long voyage.
1t is believed that the quantity of
grain carried over the canal will be at
least one-half of that now landed at
Liverpool. 1t is estimated that at
least $50, 600 tons per annum OF fruit
and vegetables will at once be imported
to Manchester by this Ioute. Ten large
sugar merchants have stated that not
less than 100 tons of sugar per annum
will pass through the canal. With re-
gard to raw cotton, firms In the dis
trict owning $4,000 spindles declare
that nearly all the cotton they use
will be brought by the canal.
OF the outward cargoes there will be
no lack and textile manufacturers
have testified their belief that about
500, 600 tons per annum will be dis
patched by the new canal. The finan-
cial success OF this enormous under
taking seems to be assured The pro.
moters of the canal are confident of
their ability to secure very large and
remuneratlve tariff. Estimates of
profit, based upon capital as originally
proposed, were very favorable. The
original capital OF eS, 100000 has, how
ever grown to nearly double that
amount, and anticipations OF profit
are not now so sanguiDe rs they for
merly were. That there are, however,
enormous possibilities OF traffic cannot
be disputed.
FRANCE.