the nature of the crime, and the ability of body; such as working the
coal mines in Northumberland, the lead mines in Derbyshire, the tin
mines in Cornwall, cultivating waste lands, banking after inundations,
forming canals, cleansing the beds of rivers, assisting in harvest, and
in FORMING and MENDING the ROADS: _these hewers of wood and drawers of
water_ would be a corps of reserve against any emergency. From this
magazine of villiany, the British navy might be equipped with,
considerable advantage.



CANAL.

An act was obtained, in 1767, to open a cut between Birmingham and the
coal delphs about Wednesbury.

The necessary article of coal, before this act, was brought by land, at
about thirteen shillings per ton, but now at seven.

It was common to see a train of carriages for miles, to the great
destruction of the road, and the annoyance of travellers.

This dust is extended in the whole to about twenty-two miles in length,
'till it unites with what we may justly term the grand artery, or
Staffordshire Canal; which, eroding the island, communicates with Hull,
Bristol and Liverpool. The expence was about 70,000_l_. divided into
shares 140_l_. each, of which no man can purchase more than ten, and
which now sell for about 370_l_.

The proprietors took a perpetual lease of six acres of land, of Sir