_The Orebro Canal._—One of the most recent canal undertakings in Sweden is the Orebro Canal, which is designed to bring down to the town of that name the traffic from the Mälar and Hjelmar Lakes, instead of being compelled to cart it from the old harbour of Skebäck, two or three miles distant. There is no special engineering feature about the canal, which was commenced in June 1886, and opened in 1888. For some distance it follows the bed of the Svarta, and is subsequently divided into two branches, one of which, the main branch, to the south, has a length of 4600 feet, and the other, to the north, is 2600 feet long. The former is designed for passenger and lighter traffic, and the other is specially arranged for the transport of grain, coal, timber, &c. The main canal has a width of 80 to 90 feet at the water line, and has 8½ feet depth. The lock at the commencement of the canal is 125 feet long and 25 feet broad, and at the northern end of the canal, where there is a high granite quay, 1200 feet long, the canal is 150 feet wide. The water on the canal is enclosed by a dam of 200 feet long, and the total cost of the undertaking is about 40,000_l_. The enterprise is mainly interesting as an example of the local application of water power with a view to economy of local transport. _Projected Canals._—At the present time a canal is projected whereby it is intended to connect the Kattegat with the Lake of Wenern, thus bringing into direct water communication the towns of Uddevalla and Genersborg. The length of this canal will be about twelve miles, some four miles of that distance being through lakes. The level of the canal will be raised above that of Lake Wenern by three sluices. The depth of water in the Uddevalla harbour and in the Venersborgvik would limit the depth of the canal to about 21 feet, but this would be sufficient to admit vessels of about 3000 tons. The sluices proposed would be 350 feet long and about 45 feet in width. The canal would be a natural outlet for a large traffic in timber, iron, and wood pulp, now so largely employed in the manufacture of paper. FOOTNOTES: [97] Thomas Telford, born in Dumfries-shire, Scotland, in humble circumstances, was, next after Brindley, the greatest English canal engineer. He constructed the Caledonian, Ellesmere, Gloucester and Berkeley, Grand Trunk, Birmingham, Macclesfield, Birmingham and Liverpool Junction, and other canals. He also constructed a number of harbours, docks, roads, and bridges, including the Menai Bridge and St. Katherine’s Docks. He died in 1834, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. [98] Cox’s ‘Travels,’ vol. iv. CHAPTER XIII. THE WATERWAYS OF RUSSIA. “The servitude of rivers is the noblest and most important victory which man has obtained over the licentiousness of Nature.” —_Gibbon._