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ments extending along the Thames may be obtained by a visit to this place. Standing on the top of the bank, which is from 40 to 50 feet above the river level at low water,* we see on the one side the Thames, with its shipping passing and repassing, high above the inland level when the tide is up, with the still lake of Dagenham and the far extending flats on the other. Looking from the lower level on these strong banks extending along the stream as far as the eye can reach, we can only see the masts of sailing ships and the funnels of large steamers leaving behind them long trails of murky smoke,-at once giving an idea of the gigantic traffic that flows along this great water highway, and the enormous labour which it has cost to bank up the lands and confine the river within its present artificial

[graphic]

limits.

The Thames from Dagenham Bank, looking up the River.

We do not exaggerate when we state that these formidable embankments, winding along the river side, up

*The banks themselves are from | to 30 feet wide at the base. The 17 to 25 feet high in the neighbour- marks of the old breach are still hood of Dagenham, and from 25 easily traceable.

creeks and tributary streams, round islands and about marshes, from London to the mouth of the Thames, are not less than 300 miles in extent.

It is to be regretted that Perry gained nothing but fame by his great work. The expense of stopping the breach far exceeded his original estimate; he required more materials than he had calculated upon; and frequent strikes amongst his workmen for advances of wages greatly increased the total cost. These circumstances seem to have been taken into account by the Government in settling with the engineer, and a grant of 15,000l. was voted to him in consideration of his extra outlay. The landowners interested also made him a present of a sum of 1000l. But even then he was left a loser; and although the public were so largely benefited by the success of the work, which restored the navigation of the river, and enabled the adjoining proprietors again to reclaim for purposes of agriculture the drowned lands within the embankment, the engineer did not really receive a farthing's remuneration for his five years' anxiety and labour.

After this period Perry seems to have been employed on harbour works, more particularly at Rye and Dover; but none of these were of great importance, the enterprise of the country being as yet dormant, and its available capital for public undertakings comparatively limited. It appears from the Corporation Records of Rye, that in 1724 he was appointed engineer to the proposed new harbour-works there. The port had become very much silted up, and for the purpose of restoring the navigation it was designed to cut a new channel, with two pier-heads, to form an entrance to the harbour. The plan further included a large stone sluice and draw-bridge, with gates, across the new channel, about a quarter of a mile within the pier-heads; a wharf constructed of timber along the two sides of the channel, up to the sluice; together with other well-designed improvements. But the works had scarcely been begun before the Commissioners displayed a strong disposition to job, one of

them withdrawing for the purpose of supplying the stone and timber required for the new works at excessive prices, and others forming what was called "the family compact," or a secret arrangement for dividing the spoil amongst them. The plan of Perry was not fully carried out; and though the pier-heads and stone sluice were built, the most important part of the work, the cutting of the new channel, was only partly executed, when the undertaking was suspended for want of funds.

From that time forward, Perry's engineering ability was very much confined to making reports as to what things should be done, rather than in being employed to do them. In 1727 he published his "Proposals for Draining the Fens in Lincolnshire;" and he seems to have been employed there as well as in Hatfield Level, where "Perry's Drain" still marks one of his works. He was acting as engineer for the adventurers who undertook the drainage of Deeping Fen, in 1732, when he was taken ill and died at Spalding, in the sixty-third year of his age. He lies buried in the churchyard of that town; and the tombstone placed over his grave bears the following inscription :

.

To the Memory of

JOHN PERRY Esq; in 1693

Commander of His Maiesty King Willm,
Ship the Cignet; second Son of Sam1 Perry
of Rodborough in Gloucestershire Gent & of
Sarah his Wife; Daughter of Sir Tho® Nott; K
He was several Years Comptroller of the
Maritime works to Czar Peter in Russia &
on his Return home was Employed by ye
Parliament to stop Dagenham Breach which
he Effected and thereby Preserved the
Navigation of the River of Thames and
Rescued many Private Familys from Ruin
he after departed this Life in this Town &
was here Interred February 13; 1732 Aged
63 Years

This stone was placed over him by the
Order of William Perry of Penthurst in
Kent Esq his Kindsman and Heir Male

CHAPTER VI.

JAMES BRINDLEY - THE BEGINNINGS OF CANAL NAVIGATION.

IN the preceding memoirs of Vermuyden and Perry, we have found a vigorous contest carried on against the powers of water, the chief object of the engineers being to dam it back by embankments, or to drain it off by cuts and sluices; whilst in the case of Myddelton, on the other hand, we find his chief concern to have been to collect all the water within his reach, and lead it by conduit and aqueduct for the supply of the thirsting metropolis. The engineer whose history we are now about to relate dealt with water in like manner to Myddelton, but on a much larger scale; directing it into extensive artificial canals, for use as the means of communication between various towns and districts.

Down to the middle of last century, the trade and commerce of England were comparatively insignificant. This is sufficiently clear from the wretched state of our road and river communication about that time; for it is well understood that without the ready means of transporting commodities from place to place, either by land or water, commerce is impossible. But the roads of England were then about the worst in Europe, and usually impassable for vehicles during the greater part of the year.* Corn, wool, and such like articles, were sent to market on horses' or bullocks' backs; and manure was carried to the field, and fuel conveyed from the forest or the bog, in the same way. The only coal used in the inland southern counties was carried on horseback in sacks for the supply of the blacksmiths' forges. The food of London was principally

*For a full account of Old Roads refer the reader to 'Lives of the and Travelling in England, we must | Engineers,' vol. i. pp. 154-275.

brought from the surrounding country in panniers.

The

little merchandise transported from place to place was mostly of a light description, the cloths of the West of England, the buttons of Birmingham and Macclesfield, the baizes of Norwich, the cutlery of Sheffield, and the tapes, coatings, and fustians of Manchester.

Articles imported from abroad were in like manner conveyed inland by pack-horse or waggon; and it was then cheaper to bring most kinds of foreign wares from remote parts to London by sea than to convey them from the inland parts of England to London by road. Thus, two centuries since, the freight of merchandise from Lisbon to London was no greater than the land carriage of the same articles from Norwich to London; and from Amsterdam or Rotterdam the expense of conveyance was very much less. It cost from 71. to 91. to convey a ton of goods from Birmingham to London, and 137. from Leeds to London. It will readily be understood that rates such as these were altogether prohibitory as regarded many of the articles now entering largely into the consumption of the great body of the people. Things now considered necessaries of life, in daily common use, were then regarded as luxuries, obtainable only by the rich. The manufac ture of pottery was as yet of the rudest kind. Vessels of wood, of pewter, and even of leather, formed the principal part of the household and table utensils of genteel and opulent families; and we long continued to import our cloths, our linen, our glass, our "Delph" ware, our cutlery, our paper, and even our hats, from France, Spain, Germany, Flanders, and Holland. Indeed, so long as corn, fuel, wool, iron, and manufactured articles had to be transported on horseback, or in rude waggons dragged over still ruder roads by horses or oxen, it is clear that trade and commerce could make but little progress. The cost of transport of the raw materials required for food, manufactures, and domestic consumption, must necessarily have formed so large an item as to have in a great measure pre

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