CONTENTS. ix Great breach at Dagenham-Futile attempts to stem the breach- Navigation of the river obstructed - Boswell, a contractor, attempts to stop the breach, and fails - Captain John Perry — His early career as a sailor Employed by the Czar Peter of Russia to superintend a canal from St. Petersburg to the Caspian Sea Perry is ap- pointed comptroller of Russian maritime works Surveys canal route from St. Petersburg to the Volga — Quits Russia without pay or reward for his services Undertakes the stoppage of Dagenham breach on the Thames - Description of his process - Opposition of Boswell Confidence of the Parliamentary Committee - The works continued by Perry; their completion — Gigantic traffic of the Thames -Extent of the embankments - Perry a loser by his contract — His employment as surveyor of harbours and in directing works of recla- THE BEGINNING OF CANAL NAVIGATION. Insignificant trade of England in the last century-Defective state of road and river communication - Modes and cost of inland carriage — Natural advantages for communication by rivers and canals — England behind Holland, France, and Russia-Isolated efforts - John Trew's Canal at Exeter - Francis Matthew's project of a Canal from London to Bristol- Andrew Yarranton's schemes - Want of money for great engineering works -- Aire ånd Calder Navigation - The Mersey and Irwell, the Weaver, Douglas, and Sankey Navigations in Lancashire and Cheshire - Beginning of artificial Canals in England - James Brindley-His Birth and Birthplace - Macclesfield, its trade - The "Flash Men" and Broken Cross gangs - Brindley's Croft - His Parentage-Boyhood -Apprenticed to a Millwright-Importance of the Millwright's position and craft - Brindley, though neglected, successfully repairs a silk-mill-His excellent work -- Brindley suc- cessfully erects machinery for a paper-mill-Takes charge of his Master's business - Begins business for himself at Leek. 118-137 BRINDLEY AS MASTER WHEELWRIGHT AND MILLWRIGHT. Various nature of Brindley's employment - His ingenuity gets him the by Earl Gower at Trentham - Flint introduced in Pottery manu- facture-Brindley makes improved flint-mills-Employed by the bro- thers Wedgwood-John E. Heathcote, of Clifton Colliery, employs Brindley to drain his drowned mines Brindley succeeds where others failed - Low remuneration for skilled labour - Brindley em- ployed in fitting up a silk-mill at Congleton-His habits of observa- tion and fertility of resources - His improvements in machinery for silk manufacture Employed on mills, machines, and pumps at the Potteries - His original contrivances — Improved mill for Wedgwood, at Burslem - Suggests flint grinding in water- -Improves the steam-engine-Erects an engine at Fenton Vivian Its working and cost - His engine patent-Erects steam-engine suc- - Attempts at improved inland navigation in Lancashire, Cheshire, and -- - Bridgewater's project to make a water road from his collieries at - 153-183 CONTENTS. xi Brindley's survey from Stretford to the Mersey-Importance of com- munication between Manchester and Liverpool-Growth of Liverpool - Decay of Chester-Liverpool coaches, 1726 to 1750-The Duke's project of a Manchester and Liverpool Canal - Brindley's survey — Extract from diary - Brindley in London-"At the play"-Oppo- sition to the Duke's project - Brindley as witness for the Bill — His model and explanation of "puddling"- Canal lock described Brindley's powers with chalk-The Manchester and Liverpool Canal authorised - Brindley's capital idea of long level reaches and concen- tration of locks-Continued but bootless opposition of the Old Quay Navigation and the landowners-Importance of the Duke's scheme -Sketch of the works, and Brindley's contrivances Sale Moor Moss-Steam engine and pump at Dunham-"The Duke's folly" Brindley's floating workshops - Provision against outbursts of the banks-Attention to details -Rate of wages paid to workmen - Entries in diary - Brindley's training of workmen - Their trade secrets-Lawrence Earnshaw - Number of men employed on the Canal Brindley's bold idea of a bridge across the tideway of the - -- The Duke's straits for money - Great extent and cost of the under- - - - Fulton-Resolved to have steam-boats for his canals - His manners CHAPTER XI. BRINDLEY CONSTRUCTS THE GRAND TRUNK CANAL. - Canal to connect the Mersey with the Trent- Brindley employed as - - 248-274 CHAPTER XII. BRINDLEY'S LAST CANAL - HIS DEATH AND CHARACTER. Brindley's idea of the use of rivers-His ideas of the Grand Trunk employments and engineering skill-His private life-His strange courtship and marriage His home at Turnhurst Colliery at Golden Hill Illness and death Characteristics Mechanical genius- His studies in bed - His private character Influence of Brindley's Canals on the enterprise and speculation of the time— Extent of the Canal system in Great Britain and Ireland Canal The Canal du Midi- Its importance as uniting the Atlantic with the - - 301-312 |
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