and¡¡his¡¡advice¡¡was¡¡to¡¡render¡¡the¡¡canal¡¡system¡¡as¡¡complete¡¡as¡¡it
could¡¡be¡¡made£»¡¡for¡¡he¡¡entertained¡¡the¡¡conviction£»¡¡which¡¡has¡¡been
justified¡¡by¡¡experience£»¡¡that¡¡such¡¡navigations¡¡possessed¡¡peculiar
advantages¡¡for¡¡the¡¡conveyance¡¡of¡¡heavy¡¡goods£»¡¡and¡¡that£»¡¡if¡¡the
interruptions¡¡presented¡¡by¡¡locks¡¡could¡¡be¡¡done¡¡away¡¡with£»¡¡or
materially¡¡reduced£»¡¡a¡¡large¡¡portion¡¡of¡¡the¡¡trade¡¡of¡¡the¡¡country
must¡¡continue¡¡to¡¡be¡¡carried¡¡by¡¡the¡¡water¡¡roads¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡new¡¡line
recommended¡¡by¡¡him¡¡was¡¡approved¡¡and¡¡adopted£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡works¡¡were
commenced¡¡in¡¡1826¡£¡¡¡¡A¡¡second¡¡complete¡¡route¡¡was¡¡thus¡¡opened¡¡up
between¡¡Birmingham¡¡and¡¡Liverpool£»¡¡and¡¡Manchester£»¡¡by¡¡which¡¡the
distance¡¡was¡¡shortened¡¡twelve¡¡miles£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡delay¡¡occasioned¡¡by
320¡¡feet¡¡of¡¡upward¡¡and¡¡downward¡¡lockage¡¡was¡¡done¡¡away¡¡with¡£
Telford¡¡was¡¡justly¡¡proud¡¡of¡¡his¡¡canals£»¡¡which¡¡were¡¡the¡¡finest¡¡works
of¡¡their¡¡kind¡¡that¡¡had¡¡yet¡¡been¡¡executed¡¡in¡¡England¡£¡¡¡¡Capacious£»
convenient£»¡¡and¡¡substantial£»¡¡they¡¡embodied¡¡his¡¡most¡¡ingenious
contrivances£»¡¡and¡¡his¡¡highest¡¡engineering¡¡skill¡£¡¡¡¡Hence¡¡we¡¡find¡¡him
writing¡¡to¡¡a¡¡friend¡¡at¡¡Langholm£»¡¡that£»¡¡so¡¡soon¡¡as¡¡he¡¡could¡¡find
¡¨sufficient¡¡leisure¡¡from¡¡his¡¡various¡¡avocations¡¡in¡¡his¡¡own
unrivalled¡¡and¡¡beloved¡¡island£»¡¨¡¡it¡¡was¡¡his¡¡intention¡¡to¡¡visit
France¡¡and¡¡Italy£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡purpose¡¡of¡¡ascertaining¡¡what¡¡foreigners
had¡¡been¡¡able¡¡to¡¡accomplish£»¡¡compared¡¡with¡¡ourselves£»¡¡in¡¡the
construction¡¡of¡¡canals£»¡¡bridges£»¡¡and¡¡harbours¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨I¡¡have¡¡no¡¡doubt£»¡¨
said¡¡he£»¡¡¡¨as¡¡to¡¡their¡¡inferiority¡£¡¡¡¡During¡¡the¡¡war¡¡just¡¡brought¡¡to
a¡¡close£»¡¡England¡¡has¡¡not¡¡only¡¡been¡¡able¡¡to¡¡guard¡¡her¡¡own¡¡head¡¡and
to¡¡carry¡¡on¡¡a¡¡gigantic¡¡struggle£»¡¡but¡¡at¡¡the¡¡same¡¡time¡¡to¡¡construct
canals£»¡¡roads£»¡¡harbours£»¡¡bridgesmagnificent¡¡works¡¡of¡¡peacethe
like¡¡of¡¡which¡¡are¡¡probably¡¡not¡¡to¡¡be¡¡found¡¡in¡¡the¡¡world¡£¡¡¡¡Are¡¡not
these¡¡things¡¡worthy¡¡of¡¡a¡¡nation's¡¡pride£¿¡¨
Footnotes¡¡for¡¡Chapter¡¡X¡£
*£§1£§¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Matthew¡¡Davidson£»¡¡above¡¡referred¡¡to£»¡¡was¡¡an¡¡excellent
officer£»¡¡but¡¡a¡¡strange¡¡cynical¡¡humourist¡¡in¡¡his¡¡way¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡was¡¡a
Lowlander£»¡¡and¡¡had¡¡lived¡¡for¡¡some¡¡time¡¡in¡¡England£»¡¡at¡¡the¡¡Pont
Cysylltau¡¡works£»¡¡where¡¡he¡¡had¡¡acquired¡¡a¡¡taste¡¡for¡¡English¡¡comforts£»
and¡¡returned¡¡to¡¡the¡¡North¡¡with¡¡a¡¡considerable¡¡contempt¡¡for¡¡the
Highland¡¡people¡¡amongst¡¡whom¡¡he¡¡was¡¡stationed¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡is¡¡said¡¡to
have¡¡very¡¡much¡¡resembled¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Johnson¡¡in¡¡person¡¡and¡¡was¡¡so¡¡fond
of¡¡books£»¡¡and¡¡so¡¡well¡¡read¡¡in¡¡them£»¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡called
'the¡¡Walking¡¡Library¡£'¡¡He¡¡used¡¡to¡¡say¡¡that¡¡if¡¡justice¡¡were¡¡done¡¡to
the¡¡inhabitants¡¡of¡¡Inverness£»¡¡there¡¡would¡¡be¡¡nobody¡¡left¡¡there¡¡in
twenty¡¡years¡¡but¡¡the¡¡Provost¡¡and¡¡the¡¡hangman¡£¡¡¡¡Seeing¡¡an¡¡artist¡¡one
day¡¡making¡¡a¡¡sketch¡¡in¡¡the¡¡mountains£»¡¡he¡¡said¡¡it¡¡was¡¡the¡¡first¡¡time
he¡¡had¡¡known¡¡what¡¡the¡¡hills¡¡were¡¡good¡¡for¡£¡¡¡¡And¡¡when¡¡some¡¡one¡¡was
complaining¡¡of¡¡the¡¡weather¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Highlands£»¡¡he¡¡looked¡¡sarcastically
round£»¡¡and¡¡observed¡¡that¡¡the¡¡rain¡¡certainly¡¡would¡¡not¡¡hurt¡¡the
heather¡¡crop¡£
*£§2£§¡¡The¡¡misfortunes¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Caledonian¡¡Canal¡¡did¡¡not¡¡end¡¡with¡¡the
life¡¡of¡¡Telford¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡first¡¡vessel¡¡passed¡¡through¡¡it¡¡from¡¡sea¡¡to
sea¡¡in¡¡October£»¡¡1822£»¡¡by¡¡which¡¡time¡¡it¡¡had¡¡cost¡¡about¡¡a¡¡million
sterling£»¡¡or¡¡double¡¡the¡¡original¡¡estimate¡£¡¡¡¡Notwithstanding¡¡this
large¡¡outlay£»¡¡it¡¡appears¡¡that¡¡the¡¡canal¡¡was¡¡opened¡¡before¡¡the¡¡works
had¡¡been¡¡properly¡¡completed£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡consequence¡¡was¡¡that¡¡they¡¡very
shortly¡¡fell¡¡into¡¡decay¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡even¡¡began¡¡to¡¡be¡¡considered¡¡whether
the¡¡canal¡¡ought¡¡not¡¡to¡¡be¡¡abandoned¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡1838£»¡¡Mr¡£¡¡James¡¡Walker£»
C¡£E¡££»¡¡an¡¡engineer¡¡of¡¡the¡¡highest¡¡eminence£»¡¡examined¡¡it£»¡¡and
reported¡¡fully¡¡on¡¡its¡¡then¡¡state£»¡¡strongly¡¡recommending¡¡its
completion¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as¡¡its¡¡improvement¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡advice¡¡was¡¡eventually
adopted£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡canal¡¡was¡¡finished¡¡accordingly£»¡¡at¡¡an¡¡additional
cost¡¡of¡¡about¡¡200£»000L¡££»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡line¡¡was¡¡re¡opened¡¡in¡¡1847£»
since¡¡which¡¡time¡¡it¡¡has¡¡continued¡¡in¡¡useful¡¡operation¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡passage
from¡¡sea¡¡to¡¡sea¡¡at¡¡all¡¡times¡¡can¡¡now¡¡be¡¡depended¡¡on£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡can
usually¡¡be¡¡made¡¡in¡¡forty¡eight¡¡hours¡£¡¡¡¡As¡¡the¡¡trade¡¡of¡¡the¡¡North
increases£»¡¡the¡¡uses¡¡of¡¡the¡¡canal¡¡will¡¡probably¡¡become¡¡much¡¡more
decided¡¡than¡¡they¡¡have¡¡heretofore£»¡¡proved¡£
*£§3£§¡¡'Brindley¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Early¡¡Engineers£»'¡¡p¡£¡¡267¡£
*£§4£§¡¡'Life¡¡of¡¡Telford£»'¡¡p¡£¡¡82£»¡¡83¡£
CHAPTER¡¡XI¡£
TELFORD¡¡AS¡¡A¡¡ROAD¡MAKER¡£
Mr¡£¡¡Telford's¡¡extensive¡¡practice¡¡as¡¡a¡¡bridge¡builder¡¡led¡¡his¡¡friend
Southey¡¡to¡¡designate¡¡him¡¡¡¨Pontifex¡¡Maximus¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡Besides¡¡the¡¡numerous
bridges¡¡erected¡¡by¡¡him¡¡in¡¡the¡¡West¡¡of¡¡England£»¡¡we¡¡have¡¡found¡¡him
furnishing¡¡designs¡¡for¡¡about¡¡twelve¡¡hundred¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Highlands£»¡¡of
various¡¡dimensions£»¡¡some¡¡of¡¡stone¡¡and¡¡others¡¡of¡¡iron¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡practice
in¡¡bridge¡building¡¡had£»¡¡therefore£»¡¡been¡¡of¡¡an¡¡unusually¡¡extensive
character£»¡¡and¡¡Southey's¡¡sobriquet¡¡was¡¡not¡¡ill¡¡applied¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡besides
being¡¡a¡¡great¡¡bridge¡builder£»¡¡Telford¡¡was¡¡also¡¡a¡¡great¡¡road¡maker¡£
With¡¡the¡¡progress¡¡of¡¡industry¡¡and¡¡trade£»¡¡the¡¡easy¡¡and¡¡rapid¡¡transit
of¡¡persons¡¡and¡¡goods¡¡had¡¡come¡¡to¡¡be¡¡regarded¡¡as¡¡an¡¡increasing
object¡¡of¡¡public¡¡interest¡£¡¡¡¡Fast¡¡coaches¡¡now¡¡ran¡¡regularly¡¡between
all¡¡the¡¡principal¡¡towns¡¡of¡¡England£»¡¡every¡¡effort¡¡being¡¡made£»
by¡¡straightening¡¡and¡¡shortening¡¡the¡¡roads£»¡¡cutting¡¡down¡¡hills£»
and¡¡carrying¡¡embankments¡¡across¡¡valleys¡¡and¡¡viaducts¡¡over¡¡rivers£»
to¡¡render¡¡travelling¡¡by¡¡the¡¡main¡¡routes¡¡as¡¡easy¡¡and¡¡expeditious¡¡as
possible¡£
Attention¡¡was¡¡especially¡¡turned¡¡to¡¡the¡¡improvement¡¡of¡¡the¡¡longer
routes£»¡¡and¡¡to¡¡perfecting¡¡the¡¡connection¡¡of¡¡London¡¡with¡¡the¡¡chief
town's¡¡of¡¡Scotland¡¡and¡¡Ireland¡£¡¡¡¡Telford¡¡was¡¡early¡¡called¡¡upon¡¡to
advise¡¡as¡¡to¡¡the¡¡repairs¡¡of¡¡the¡¡road¡¡between¡¡Carlisle¡¡and¡¡Glasgow£»
which¡¡had¡¡been¡¡allowed¡¡to¡¡fall¡¡into¡¡a¡¡wretched¡¡state£»¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as
the¡¡formation¡¡of¡¡a¡¡new¡¡line¡¡from¡¡Carlisle£»¡¡across¡¡the¡¡counties¡¡of
Dumfries£»¡¡Kirkcudbright£»¡¡and¡¡Wigton£»¡¡to¡¡Port¡¡Patrick£»¡¡for¡¡the
purpose¡¡of¡¡ensuring¡¡a¡¡more¡¡rapid¡¡communication¡¡with¡¡Belfast¡¡and¡¡the
northern¡¡parts¡¡of¡¡Ireland¡£¡¡¡¡Although¡¡Glasgow¡¡had¡¡become¡¡a¡¡place¡¡of
considerable¡¡wealth¡¡and¡¡importance£»¡¡the¡¡roads¡¡to¡¡it£»¡¡north¡¡of
Carlisle£»¡¡continued¡¡in¡¡a¡¡very¡¡unsatisfactory¡¡state¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡only¡¡in
July£»¡¡1788£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡first¡¡mail¡coach¡¡from¡¡London¡¡had¡¡driven¡¡into
Glasgow¡¡by¡¡that¡¡route£»¡¡when¡¡it¡¡was¡¡welcomed¡¡by¡¡a¡¡procession¡¡of¡¡the
citizens¡¡on¡¡horseback£»¡¡who¡¡went¡¡out¡¡several¡¡miles¡¡to¡¡meet¡¡it¡£
But¡¡the¡¡road¡¡had¡¡been¡¡shockingly¡¡made£»¡¡and¡¡before¡¡long¡¡had¡¡become
almost¡¡impassable¡£¡¡¡¡Robert¡¡Owen¡¡states¡¡that£»¡¡in¡¡1795£»¡¡it¡¡took¡¡him
two¡¡days¡¡and¡¡three¡¡nights'¡¡incessant¡¡travelling¡¡to¡¡get¡¡from
Manchester¡¡to¡¡Glasgow£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡mentions¡¡that¡¡the¡¡coach¡¡had¡¡to¡¡cross
a¡¡well¡known¡¡dangerous¡¡mountain¡¡at¡¡midnight£»¡¡called¡¡Erickstane
Brae£»¡¡which¡¡was¡¡then¡¡always¡¡passed¡¡with¡¡fear¡¡and¡¡trembling¡£*£§1£§
As¡¡late¡¡as¡¡the¡¡year¡¡1814¡¡we¡¡find¡¡a¡¡Parliamentary¡¡Committee
declaring¡¡the¡¡road¡¡between¡¡Carlisle¡¡and¡¡Glasgow¡¡to¡¡be¡¡in¡¡so¡¡ruinous
a¡¡state¡¡as¡¡often¡¡seriously¡¡to¡¡delay¡¡the¡¡mail¡¡and¡¡endanger¡¡the¡¡lives
of¡¡travellers¡£¡¡The¡¡bridge¡¡over¡¡Evan¡¡Water¡¡was¡¡so¡¡much¡¡decayed£»¡¡that
one¡¡day¡¡the¡¡coach¡¡and¡¡horses¡¡fell¡¡through¡¡it¡¡into¡¡the¡¡river£»¡¡when
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importance£»¡¡and¡¡50£»000L¡£¡¡was¡¡granted¡¡by¡¡Parliament¡¡with¡¡this
object£»¡¡under¡¡the¡¡provisions¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Act¡¡passed¡¡in¡¡1816¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡works
were¡¡placed¡¡under¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Telford's¡¡charge£»¡¡and¡¡an¡¡admirable¡¡road¡¡was
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