Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/48

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
26
ARUN RIVER NAVIGATION.

tion of 923 feet above the sea, at low water, and at a short distance north of the town of Haslemere, in the county of Surrey; when, after taking an easterly course for some miles, it enters Sussex at Aldfold: whence it takes a southerly direction to New Bridge, near Billinghurst, where this navigation commences. In its course from Aldfold, to the last mentioned place, it is crossed several times by the Wey and Arun Canal. From New Bridge, a canal four miles and a half long has been cut, in a parallel course with the Arun, on its western bank, to near Haresfold, where it crosses to the east side, and continues in that course to Pallenham Wharf, when the river becomes navigable. From this place it pursues a southerly direction of two miles and three quarters, to Stopham, where the Rother, also a navigable river, falls into it: hence, taking a circuitous route, by Pulborough and Greatham, it reaches Greatham Bridge, to which place a canal, one mile and three quarters long, has been cut, in nearly a direct line, from the junction with the Bother. By this canal, the circuitous course, above described, is avoided, and five miles saved in the distance between Stopham and Greatham Bridge. From the latter place, the river makes several considerable bends to Houghton Bridge, (a distance of four miles, from the end of the canal), where this navigation, made under the powers of an act, passed in the 25th of George III. entitled, 'An Act for amending and improving the Navigation of the River Arun, from Houghton Bridge, in the parish of Houghton, in the county of Sussex, to Pallenham Wharf, in the parish of Wisborough Green, in the said county; and for continuing and extending the Navigation of the said River Arun, from the said Wharf, called Pallenham Wharf, to a certain Bridge, called New Bridge, situate in the parishes of Pulborough and Wisborough Green, in the said county of Sussex,' ceases. The length of the river and cuts, belonging to this navigation, is thirteen miles; but to the sea, at Arundel Port, it is twenty-six miles and a quarter. The lower portion of this, however, is made navigable under other powers, and with different provisions, which will be described under the head of Arun River.

The subscribers to this work, thirty-one in number, were incorporated as "The Company of Proprietors of the River Arun "Navigation," within the limits pointed out in the language of the