Inland Navigation.
The Times, 1824-06-10T00:00:00

).esterdav a meeting was beld ai the London Tavern, to take in- >consaeration a plan for making a Ship Canal between the Bristol id thc British Channel, in order to avoitlthedangerousnavigation und the Land's-end, especially in winter. Sir T. LETHD11.IDGE took the chair of the meeting. He felt gh satisfaction in thinking that thc measure contemplated would of great national benefit As far as he Was acquainted vith it, id the suoport it had received, he thoughtthere would be no dis- atient opinion. It would be of thegreatest advantage to the line country througb which this ship canial was intended to pass; but couid never succeed without the assistance of the great and opu- nt bodies of the metroDolis. Mlr. Rennie's opinion was, the plan hs perfectly feasible, although it was then considered too gigantic \s undertahnag. The proposed line was not the same with that of tr. Rennie, wlsich was only intended for vessels of 120 tons. They re sure of dip co-op.ration of the landholders. Mr. Rennie's es- isate of the expensc was from 1,000,0001. to 1,300,000].; but from jC reduction in th,e price of labour, the larger plan might be carried tt efFect for a sum not much exceeding th at estimate. From what a had henrd frem the monied interest, he haR no doubt the neces- ry sam rvould be raised. lie had heatdno dissenting voiceasto the ,eat mercantile advantages of the measure: and he had no doubt it vuld receive the sanction of Parliament. 4lr. POLLOCX was glad to bear a probaibility of the measure be- t caTrried into effect; and he had no doubt that it would be advan- veous to those who should subscribe to it. It appeared that above l Ae million of tonnage passed the Land's-end last year, and he was stifned in supposing that about half of that would have passed rough the canal, if suchi canal had been tbrmed, besides half a mil- in of tons of coals. This, on a line of canal of 33 miles, at Id. a ile, wouldproduce 136,Q000. The expenseof cutting thecanal 3uld be amply provided for by a sum of 1,200,0001. for vessels of ad tons. If tLby took the wear and tear, and repairs, at 1,0001. per ,'ile a year, there would be left 6O,O001. ns a return for the capital. here would be a difference in the expense of insurance. Their canal i)uld enter into the sea at Seton Bay, and by it they vould save the lf of two per cent, the difference between the rate to Portsmnouth )d that to BristoL Half the light dues would be saved ns would e wages of seamen, provisions, the wear and tear of the ships, &C., ich would be great inducements to merchants sending cargoes by c eanal. He then read a string of resolutione, expressive of the ad- Intages of such a canal, &c. ]A gentleman asked the arnount of the proposed toll on the canal. 'mr. POLL.OC; said, onepenny per mile, per ton, which would 3s. per ton for the rhole distance. 0ir. B1noorE said, he had been a large subscriber to the fomnser ~an, and thinking the money was extravagantly wasted, he wished ienter a caveat agninst expending in the same way the monev ich might be subscribed now. For this purpose, he thought that '0,0001. should bc subscribed before any monev should be expend- J. People in the city would not subscribe at first, if they thought -ey could aftcrwards enter into the concetn at a discount. C 5r. PoLLocKsaid, one of theresolutions provided, that no money ould be expenided until a certain sum should be subscribed. The rmer plans would beat the service of the new eompany, and that uld satve them a great deal, probably, in the expense in suTveys. e wished thegendieman to point out a plan to prevent the shares m falling to a discount before the canal should be opened: but :did not anticipate that they would ever be at a discount. No :ntlean would consult his own interest if he subscribed under 1ch circumstances. X .1r. BuassnDrDE regretted that tho plan had in a most inexplica- e manner been abandoned. He was sure that the tonnage on the on and coal alone would amply repay the subscribers; and he hoped .at the old subscribers, who had sunk their monev, would have a eference over the new. Mlr. Rennic's line of caial was as good as iy that could be devised, and the folloving it up would save the ,zmpanv a great deal of money. Some&questions were then put as to who were to be of the com- ittee. .Sir T. LETenRIDGE said, it would be forthe meeting to elect own comniittee. Mr. POLLox E said that many of the landholders were hostile to 4r. Rennie's plan and line of canal, and it would be desirable to ld one more totheir liking and equally advantageous to the com- Iny. This would occasion expense -previous to an application to 'Urliament. At any rate, it would be aecessary to have a new cur. y, On account of property having, in many cases, changed hands lice the last was taken. :Alr. BUBBiIDGE said, this canal would be the meana of saving any lives. ,AIr. POLLOCE said, the average loss of lives in going round the tand's-end was estimated at 80 per annum; and in the last three lars there had been a loss of property to above 300,0001. ,,Sir T. LETJtBEn}DGE said, the loss of lives was estimated at 200 r annum. iThe resolutions for entering on the undertaking were all agreed 4 unanimously, and the meeting dispersed. IZLAND NA FJGA TION.