by the act to be raised, had been expended, but that a debt of £31,345 was also incurred; they therefore applied a second time to parliament and obtained an act, entitled, 'An Act to enable the Company of Proprietors of the Canal Navigation from Manchester to Bolton and to Bury, to raise Money to complete the same.' By this act they were empowered to raise an additional sum of £80,000 amongst themselves, for paying off the debt and for completing the work; and for the readier obtaining of this sum, they had authority to borrow any part thereof on mortgage. This act having only the usual clauses, it is unnecessary to quote any other part of it.
The direction of the canal is north-west; from its commencement in the Mersey and Irwell Navigation there is a rise to the basin in Salford, of 68 feet 4 inches by six locks; thence it runs nearly parallel with the Irwell on a level for about four miles; in the next three miles there are twelve locks; the remaining part of the line and the branch to Bury is level. The whole rise is 189 feet 6 inches. It crosses the Irwell by an aqueduct near to Clifton Hall, and there are two other aqueducts, one over the River Roach, not far from Darley Hall, and another over the Irwell near Bolton. The length of the line is above fifteen miles. At first the canal was designed, as stated above, for narrow boats, and some locks were built accordingly; but these were afterwards pulled up and rebuilt, and the canal widened. There is a feeder from the Irwell, with a reservoir at Bury, and another at Radcliffe.
The work is of great utility, not only to the towns it connects, but also to the adjacent country, abounding in coals and minerals, for which it affords a ready conveyance; and also to the cotton trade which is carried on very extensively in this part of Lancashire.
MANCHESTER AND OLDHAM RAILWAY.
7 George IV. Cap. 99, Royal Assent 26th May, 1826.
THE act for making this railway was obtained in the year 1826, under title of 'An Act for making and maintaining a Railway or Tramroad from Manchester to Oldham, with a Branch from Failsworth Pole, to or near to Dry Clough, in the township of
