This actual experience of John Wesley's would seem to confirm the view expressed by Sir Richard Whitworth in the observations he offered to the public in 1766 on "The Advantages of Inland Navigation." It was, he argued, trade and commerce, and not the military force of the Kingdom, which could alone enrich us and enable us to maintain our independence; but there were millions of people "buried alive" in parts of the country where there were no facilities for transport, and where they had hitherto been "bred up for no other use than to feed themselves." What advantage would not accrue to the nation when these millions were brought into the world of active and productive workers! "Hitherto," he continued, "the world has been unequally dealt, and, though all the inhabitants of this island should have an equal right to the gifts of nature in the advantages of commerce, yet it has only happened to those who live upon the coasts to enrich themselves by it, while as many millions lie starving for want of opportunity to forward themselves into the world. Though the city, village, or country in which they live is at the lowest ebb of poverty it will, in a short time, by trade passing through it, alter its very nature and the inhabitants become, from nothing, as it were, to a very rich and substantial people; their very natural idea of mankind, and their rude and unpolished behaviour, will be altered and soothed into the most social civility and good breeding by the alluring temptations of the beneficial advantage of trade and commerce." The opening of the Grand Trunk and other canals connecting with it led to such reductions in the cost of carriage as are shown in the following figures, from Baines's "History {178}of Liverpool," where they are quoted as from "Williamson's Liverpool Advertiser" of August 8, 1777:-- COST OF GOODS TRANSPORT PER TON. BETWEEN BY ROAD. BY WATER. £ s. d. £ s. d. Liverpool and Etruria 2 10 0 0 13 4 " " Wolverhampton 5 0 0 1 5 0 " " Birmingham 5 0 0 1 5 0 Manchester and Wolverhampton 4 13 4 1 5 0 " " Birmingham 4 0 0 1 10 0 " " Lichfield 4 0 0 1 0 0 " " Derby 3 0 0 1 10 0 " " Nottingham 4 0 0 2 0 0 " " Leicester 6 0 0 1 10 0 " " Gainsborough 3 10 0 1 10 0 " " Newark 5 6 8 2 0 0 Thus the cost of transport by canal was in some instances reduced to about one-fourth of the previous cost by packhorse or road waggon.