CHAP. X.

COMPLETION OF THE CANAL.

223

for Liverpool, passed through them. This day, upwards of six hundred of his Grace's workmen were entertained

tertained a very unfavourable opinion of this undertaking, esteeming it too difficult to be accomplished, and fearing their lands would be cut and defaced without producing any real benefit to themselves or the public; but they now see with pleasure that their fears and apprehensions were ill-grounded, and they join with one voice in applauding the work, which cannot fail to produce the most beneficial consequences to the landed property, as well as to the trade and commerce of this part of the kingdom."

Whilst the canal works had been in progress, great changes had taken place at Worsley. The Duke had year by year been extending the workings of the coal; and when the King of Denmark, travelling under the title of Prince Travindahl, visited the Duke in 1768, the tunnels had already been extended for nearly two miles under the hill. When the Duke began the works, he possessed only such of the coal-mines as belonged to the Worsley estate; but he purchased by degrees the adjoining lands containing seams of coal which run under the high ground between Worsley, Bolton, and Bury; and in course of time the underground canals connecting the different workings extended for a distance of nearly forty miles. Both the hereditary and the purchased mines are worked upon two main levels, though in all there are four different levels, the highest being a hundred and twenty yards above the lowest. In opening up the underground workings the Duke is said to have expended about 168,000l.; but the immense revenue derived from the sale of the coals by canal rendered this an exceedingly productive outlay. Besides the extension of the canal along these tunnels, the Duke subsequently carried a branch by the edge of Chat-Moss to Leigh, by which means new supplies of coal were introduced to Manchester from that district, and the traffic was still further increased. It was

a

saying of the Duke's, that "a navigation should always have coals at the heels of it."

СНАР. Х.

HIS LOW RATE OF PAY.

225

The

The total cost of completing the canal from Worsley to Manchester, and from Longford Bridge to the Mersey at Runcorn, amounted to 220,000l. A truly magnificent undertaking, nobly planned and nobly executed. power imparted by riches was probably never more munificently exercised than in this case; for, though the traffic proved a source of immense wealth to the Duke, it also conferred incalculable blessings upon the population of the district. It added much to their comforts, increased their employment, and facilitated the operations of industry in all ways. As soon as the canal was opened its advantages began to be felt. The charge for water-carriage between Liverpool and Manchester was lowered one-half. All sorts of produce were brought to the latter town, at moderate rates, from the farms and gardens adjacent to the navigation, whilst the value of agricultural property was immediately raised by the facilities afforded for the conveyance of lime and manure, as well as by reason of the more ready access to good markets which it provided for the farming classes.. The Earl of Ellesmere has not less truly than elegantly observed, that "the history of Francis Duke of Bridgewater is engraved in intaglio on the face of the country he helped to civilize and enrich."

Probably the most remarkable circumstance connected with the money history of the enterprise is this: that although the canal yielded an income which eventually reached about 80,000l. a year, it was planned and executed by Brindley at a rate of pay considerably less than that of an ordinary mechanic of the present day. The highest wage he received whilst in the employment of the Duke was 3s. 6d. a day. For the greater part of the time he received only half-a-crown. Brindley, no doubt, accommodated himself to the Duke's pinched means, and the satisfactory completion of the canal was with him as much a matter of disinterested ambition and of professional character as of pay. He seems to have kept his own expenses down to the very lowest point. Whilst super

J. B.

intending the works at Longford Bridge, we find him making an entry of his day's personal charges at only 6d. for "ating and drink." On other days his outgoings were confined to "2d. for the turnpike." When living at "The Bull," near the works at Throstle Nest, we find his dinner costing 8d. and his breakfast 6d. His expenditure throughout was on an equally low scale, for he studied in all ways to economize the Duke's means, that every available shilling might be devoted to the prosecution of the works.

66

The Earl of Bridgewater, in his singular publication, the 'Letter to the Parisians,' above referred to, states that Brindley offered to stay entirely with the Duke, and do business for no one else, if he would give him a guinea a week;" and this statement is repeated by the late Earl of Ellesmere in his Essays on History, Biography,' &c. But, on the face of it, the statement looks untrue; and we have since found, from Brindley's own note-book, that on the 25th of May, 1762, he was receiving a guinea a day from the Earl of Warrington for performing services for that nobleman; nor is it at all likely that he would prefer the Duke's three-and-sixpence a day to the more adequate rate of payment which he was accustomed to charge and to receive from other employers. It is quite true, however— and the fact is confirmed by Brindley's own record—that he received no more than a guinea a week whilst in the Duke's service; which only affords an illustration of the fact that eminent constructive genius may be displayed and engineering greatness achieved in the absence of any adequate material reward.

In a statement of the claims of Brindley's representatives, forwarded to the Earl of Bridgewater on the 3rd of November, 1803, it was stated that "during the period of his employ under His Grace, many highly advantageous and lucrative offers were made to him, particularly one from the Prince of Hesse, in 1766, who at that time was meditating a canal through his dominions in Germany, and who offered to subscribe to any terms Mr. Brindley might

CHAP. X.

CLAIMS OF HIS WIDOW.

227

stipulate. To this engagement his family strongly urged him, but the solicitation of the Duke, in this as in every other instance, to remain with him, outweighed all pecuniary considerations; relying upon such a remuneration from His Grace as the profits of his work might afterwards justify."*

The inadequate character of his remuneration was doubtless well enough known to Brindley himself, and rendered him very independent in his bearing towards the Duke. They had frequent differences as to the proper mode of carrying on the works; but Brindley was quite as obstinate as the Duke on such occasions, and when he felt convinced

We regret to have to add that Brindley's widow (afterwards the wife of Mr. Williamson, of Longport) in vain petitioned the Duke and his representatives, as well as the above Earl of Bridgewater, for payment of a balance said to have been due to Brindley for services, at the time of the engineer's death. In her letter to Robert Bradshaw, M.P., dated the 2nd May, 1803, Mrs. Williamson says: "It will doubtless appear to you extraordinary that so very late an application should now be made

but I must beg leave to state that repeated applications were made by me (after Mr. Brindley's sudden and unexpected death) to the late Mr. Thomas Gilbert and also to his brother, but without any other effect than that of constant promises to lay the matter before His Grace; and I conceive it owing to this channel of application that no settling ever took place. A letter was also written to His Grace on this subject so late as the year 1801, but no answer was received. From the year 1765 to 1772, Mr. Brindley received no money on account of his salary. At that time he was

frequently in very great want, and made application to the Duke, whose answer (to use the Duke's expression) was, 'I am much more distressed for money than you; however, as soon as I can recover myself, your services shall not go unrewarded.' In consequence of this, Mr. Brindley was under the necessity of borrowing several sums to make good engagements he was then under to various canal companies. In the year 1774, two years after Mr. Brindley's death, the late Mr. John Gilbert paid my brother, Mr. Henshall, the trifling sum of 1007. on account of Mr. Brindley's time, which is all that has been received. I beg leave to suggest how small and inadequate a return this is for his services during a period of seven years. Mr. B.'s travelling expenses on His Grace's account during that time were considerable, towards which, when he had not sufficient money to carry him the whole journey, he now and then received a small sum. How far his plans and undertakings have been beneficial to His Grace's interest is well known."