An act was obtained, in 1767, to open a cut between Birmingham and the
coal delphs about Wednesbury.
The necessary article of coal, before this act, was brought by land, at
about thirteen shillings per ton, but now at seven.
It was common to see a train of carriages for miles, to the great
destruction of the road, and the annoyance of travellers.
This dust is extended in the whole to about twenty-two miles in length,
'till it unites with what we may justly term the grand artery, or
Staffordshire Canal; which, eroding the island, communicates with Hull,
Bristol and Liverpool. The expence was about 70,000_l_. divided into
shares 140_l_. each, of which no man can purchase more than ten, and
which now sell for about 370_l_.
The proprietors took a perpetual lease of six acres of land, of Sir
Thomas Gooch, at 47_l_. per annum, which is converted into a wharf, upon
the front of which is erected an handsome office for the dispatch
of business.
[ILLUSTRATION: A Plan of the Navigable Canal from Birmingham to
Autherley]
[ILLUSTRATION: Navigation Office]
This watery passage, exclusive of loading the proprietors with wealth,
tends greatly to the improvement of some branches of trade, by
introducing heavy materials at a small expence, such as pig iron for the
founderies, lime-stone, articles for the manufacture of brass and steel,
also stone, brick, slate, timber, &c.
It is happy for the world, that public interest is grafted upon private,
and that both flourish together.
This grand work, like other productions of Birmingham birth, was rather
hasty; the managers, not being able to find patience to worm round the
hill at Smethwick, or cut through, have wisely travelled over it by the
help of twelve locks, with six they mount the summit, and with six more
descend to the former level; forgetting the great waste of water, and
the small supply from the rivulets, and also, the amazing loss of of
time in climbing this curious ladder, consisting of twelve liquid steps.
It is worthy of remark, that the level of the earth, is nearly the same
at Birmingham as at the pits: what benefit then would accrue to
commerce, could the boats travel a dead flat of fourteen miles without
interruption? The use of the canal would increase, great variety of
goods be brought which are now excluded, and these delivered with more
expedition, with less expence, and the waste of water never felt; but,
by the introduction of twelve unnecessary locks, the company may
experience five plagues more than fell on Egypt.
The boats are nearly alike, constructed to fit the locks, carry about
twenty-five tons, and are each drawn by something like the skeleton of a
horse, covered with skin: whether he subsists upon the scent of the
water, is a doubt; but whether his life is a scene of affliction, is
not; for the unfeeling driver has no employment but to whip him from one
end of the canal to the other. While the teams practised the turnpike
road, the lash was divided among five unfortunate animals, but now the
whole wrath of the driver falls upon one.
We can scarcely view a boat travelling this liquid road, without raising
opposite sensations--pleased to think of its great benefit to the
community, and grieved to behold wanton punishment.
I see a large field of cruelty expanding before me, which I could easily
prevail with myself to enter; in which we behold the child plucking a
wing and a leg off a fly, to try how the poor insect can perform with
half his limbs; or running a pin through the posteriors of a locust, to
observe it spinning through the air, like a comet, drawing a tail of
thread. If we allow, man has a right to destroy noxious animals, we
cannot allow he has a right to protract their pain by a lingering death.
By fine gradations the modes of cruelty improve with years, in pinching
the tail of a cat for the music of her voice, kicking a dog because we
have trod upon his foot, or hanging him for _fun_, 'till we arrive at
the priests in the church of Rome, who burnt people for opinion; or to
the painter, who begged the life of a criminal, that he might torture
him to death with the severest pangs, to catch the agonizing feature,
and transfer it into his favourite piece, of a dying Saviour. But did
that Saviour teach such doctrine? Humanity would wish rather to have
lost the piece, than have heard of the cruelty. What, if the injured
ghost of the criminal is at this moment torturing that of the painter?--
But as this capacious field is beyond the line I profess, and, as I have
no direct accusation against the people of my regard, I shall not enter.