The last act of parliament relating to this navigation was passed in 1827, and is entitled,' An Act for enabling the Company of Proprietors of the Navigation from the Trent to the Mersey, to make Two Branches or Cuts from and out of the said Navigation; and for further amending the Acts of the said Company.' By this last act the company are directed to make so much of the line of the Macclesfield Canal as extends from the western part of the regulating pound, in the township of Oddrode, to Hardingswood Lock, in the parish of Audley, and to receive the rates thereon; and the following are ordered to be collected by them as
TONNAGE RATES.
| For all Sand, Gravel, Paving-stones, Bricks, Clay, Coal for burning Lime, Lime-stone and Rubble for Roads | 1d per Ton, per Mile. |
| For all Ashler Stone, Slate, Flag, Spar, Coal except for burning Lime, and other Minerals | 1½d ditto. ditto. |
| For all Timber, Lime, Goods, Wares and all other Merchandize, Articles, Matters and Things | 2d ditto. ditto. |
EXEMPTIONS.
Vessels laden wholly with Dung, Soil, Marl, and Ashes of Coal or Turf for time Improvement of Lands on the Line, are exempted from paying the above Rates, provided they do not pass any Lock, unless the Water is flowing over the Waste Weir of such Lock.
By this act also the company may make a communication with a cut, intended to be made by the Ellesmere and Chester Canal Company at Wardle Green; and the company shall receive for all goods, conveyed on the said intended cut into or upon the said communication, the following
TONNAGE RATES.
| For all Coal, Culm, Coke, Lime-stone and Rock Salt | 9d per Ton. |
| For all Free-stone, Timber, Iron-stone, Slate, Lead-ore, Iron and Lead | 9½d ditto. |
| For all other Goods, Wares, Merchandize or Things | 10½d ditto. |
By this act also the £200 shares are directed to be divided into shares of £100 each. The company may borrow on mortgage the sum of £20,000, for executing the additional works and for the several other purposes of the act.
It is unnecessary, after what has been said at the commencement of the article, to enter into any minute investigation of the utility of this great national undertaking, whilst to state all the
