C H A P. IV.

ON CUTTING CANALS FOR COASTING VESSELS, RIVER, OR FORTY-TON 
BOATS, IN ORDER TO SAVE THE TRANSFER OF CARGO 
TO BOATS OF SMALLER DIMENSIONS



	It has been a prevailing opinion, and many canals have been constructed, and are executing, on the principle that to form them sufficiently large to receive coasting vessels, river, or forty-ton boats, would produce a considerable advantage, by saving transfer of cargo to small vessels. 

	While there was no alternative but forty or twenty-five ton boats, there might be some reason in such a practice, as the difference in constructing the canals for such boats does not appear to be materially great; but, if we estimate a canal for a forty, and then for a four-ton boat, the saving, by adopting the latter, is so important as to render the expense of transfer inconsiderable. 

	In every situation where a canal is to be formed for forty-ton boats, one-third of the sum necessary for that purpose would pay the expense of a canal for boats of four tons. Hence, if a company
are about to expend 300,000l. per annum is sunk to save transfer. It must be observed, that in all goods passing imland form the coast, there is only one change of cargo, viz. to the small boat; when the small boat unloads up the country, the expense is the same as if the larger had proceeded to the same point. In all goods passing to the rivers, or coast, one transfer onto the larger boat, the first reception into the small boat being the same as the large one. Hence all goods going up the country may be taxed two-pence per ton, the price of transfer, and the same on all goods descending: it must also be considered, that although a canal may be connected with the river, or ocean, the principal part of the trade will not require transfer, being taken up, and deposited, in various places on the passage, without descending to the river, or the ocean.

	The trade of a canal must, indeed, have a very material connection with a river, where there is occasion to transfer five hundred tons per day; which at two pence per ton, allowing 280 working days, would amount to 1166l. 13s. 4d per annum; yet, to save this, the principle of 10,000 l per annum is sunk.

	By adopting small boats, the clear gain to the company would be 8833l. 6s. 8d. per annum, even provided they paid the expense of transfer; but I conceive this expense will ultimately fall on the freighter, or he must have as admirable alternative, much superior to land-carriage, if the two-pence per ton for transfer can prevent him from sending his goods by the canal, the 10,000l per annum is a clear saving to the company. 

	This reduces a decision on the question of the adoption of small boats in various situations, to a very simple criterion. Let the interest of the saving made by adopting a small canal, instead of a large one, be compared with the expense of transferring cargoes : keeping this in view, that the expense of transfer will fall on the freighter or carrier, who can have no alternative to relieve him from this mode of conveyance , not even if a large canal ran to the same point. No large canal can rival a small one, for evident reasons. Suppose for instance, a large and small canal running side by side, the large canal costing 300,0001. (or in proportion, three times the expense of the small one), and the smallest 100,000l.  one penny per ton per mile, to the small canal, would be as good interest as three-pence to the larger work; consequently the small canal company could lower their tonnage, so all to favor the freighter, and render the expense of transfer of no consequence they would even grow rich, by lowering the tonnage; which would draw the trade from the large canal, and leave it a stagnant and useless pool.

	The facility and cheapness of the small canal also invites and encourages connection from every quarter, but the difficulty of conducting large boats through a country precludes, or at least most materially limits, their extension.

	Considering these circumstances, I conceive there are few situations which can warrant a canal for large boats; short cuts uniting the arms of rivers, or through a flat country to an adjoining town, where there is no great expense and much to be gained, the latter may be advisable.

	But, to view internal navigation on the broad scale of national, I conceive the river navigations should be extended as far as convenient ; but, the moment the course of the river is left to direct water conveyance towards the interior country, small boats should commence. 

	In the light of national improvement, the produce of labor is the real wealth of a country ; the more the labor will produce, so much more the nation improves. As a man who improves a machine, from spinning one pound of cotton per day, to spin twenty; in the fame time, and with the same labor, evidently obtains his comforts with greater ease. It is therefore worthy of remark, that, within little more than three years, the immense sum of 5,300,000l. has been subscribed, in order to pay the expense of constructing the various navigations which have been proposed within that time: this sum, averaged at 5000l per mile, will execute 1060 miles; yet, to a certainty, 2120 miles might be formed on the small scale for the above sum, adequate, in every part, to the various kinds of trade, and thus give to the nation the advantage of 1060 miles additional water carriage, the benefits of which would certainly be immense. 

	Of the canals already cut, or in such forwardness as not to admit of an alteration, I consider them in the same view as rivers; but all future works to be guided by the before-mentioned criterion, of comparing the expense of transferring cargoes, with the interest of the money saved, by adopting the small, instead of large boats. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

( 31 )