A Description of Modern Birmingham: Whereunto Are Annexed Observations Made during an Excursion Round the Town, in the Summer of 1818, Including Warwick and LeamingtonPye, Charles
History
A Description of Modern Birmingham: Whereunto Are Annexed Observations Made during an Excursion Round the Town, in the Summer of 1818, Including Warwick and Leamington
Pye, Charles
Birmingham (England) -- Description and travel; Leamington (England) -- Description and travel; Warwick (England) -- Description and travel
Was opened for the passage of boats, by forming a junction with the
Birmingham canal, on the 21st of July, 1815, by means of which goods
may be conveyed from the upper part of this town, to London, one whole
day sooner than they can by steering immediately into the Warwick
canal. At King's-Norton, this canal is conveyed under ground, by means
of a tunnel, two miles in length, which is in width 16 feet and in
height 18 feet, yet it is so admirably constructed, that any person by
looking in at one end, may perceive day-light at the other extremity.
The pound of water extends on a level for the space of fourteen miles,
when it descends into the river Severn by means of fifty-eight locks.
_The Warwick Canal_
Was opened for the passage of boats, by forming a junction with the
Birmingham canal, in the year 1800.
A communication being opened between the Birmingham and Worcester
canals, in the year 1815, there are now two different routes by which
goods may be conveyed from this town to London, by water; one of them
is, by an immediate junction of the Birmingham canal with the Warwick,
which is accomplished by means of nineteen locks; the other is, by
passing into the Worcester canal, on the same level; from thence into
the Stratford canal, which is also on the same level, and from thence
into the Warwick canal.
Boats from the wharfs within the town; Bird's, White-house's,
Robinson's, and Crowley's, are capable of delivering goods in London
one whole day sooner by the latter route than they can do by the
other, and the merchants and ironmongers in the metropolis are hereby
informed of that circumstance. The boat-owners by proceeding on this
route, are necessitated to advance a small sum of immediate money, for
tonnage, more than they do on the other route; to counterbalance that,
the boats are exempt from the wear and tear of passing through twelve
locks, and an extra day's expense; therefore, when both circumstances
are taken into consideration, the expenses cannot vary much either
way, and to the London merchant one day is, at times, of the utmost
importance.--On that account, there is no doubt that those who are
apprised of this circumstance, will order their goods to be conveyed
by way of the Stratford canal.
The trade of this town has within the last fifteen years increased in
an astonishing manner; for in the year 1803, six weekly boats were
sufficient to convey all the merchandize to and from this town to
Manchester and Liverpool, but at the present time, there are at least
twenty boats weekly employed in that trade.
At the same period, the competition was so great between the carriers
to London, that they procured a number of boats, but it was with
difficulty they could find lading for five or six in a week; whereas,
at the present time, there are at least eighteen boats per week,
constantly employed at the different wharfs in that traffic.
_The Theatre._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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