Foreign and Domestic Intelligence. 232 Common Crier having proclaimed filence, the Recorder rofe and imformed the Livety how neceffary it was that they fhould be cautious and deliberate in their choice of Sheriffs; it was an election (he declared) trufted in their hands by the conftitution of the city, from a full confidence that they would not abufe their truft, but making the fupport of the intereft of the city the principal object of their attention, they would felect from the good, wealthy, and the in lependent, two fit and able men, who equally deferved the character of good subjects, and good citizens. The Court having left the huftings, the election proceeded, and the Common Serjeant and Common Crier proclaimed feparately the refpective names of all who had been nominated to serve the office of Sheriff. Alderman Plumbe, who stood first on the lift, had not above two or three hands held up in his favour; Mr. Alderman Kirkman but few more; Mr. Alderman Wilkes almoft every hand, in the hall; Mr. Alderman Roffiter not one hand, but the unanimous hifs of all the Livery, Mr. Alderman Oliver a great many hands, though not equal to Mr. Wilkes; Mr. Bull as many as Mr. Wilkes; the other candidates none at all.---Having gone through the lift, the Sheriffs declared their opinion that the election had fallen on Mr. Alderman Wilkes and Frederick Bull, Efq. whereupon a poll was inftantly demanded in favour of John Kirkman, Efq. and Richard Oliver, Efq. and another poll in favour of the Aldermen Plumbe and Kirkman, as the two fenior Aldermen. Some little demur was made about opening the books for the poll: The Common Serjeant declared the books would be opened for that purpose as this morning, when he was ftopped fhort by Mr. Sheriff Baker, who addreffed the Livery in a fhort fpeech, declaring he thought it beft to take the opinion of the candidates; and affured the Livery, that he and his colleague would agree to their determination; upon which Mr. Maskell declared from the huftings, that it was an important crisis, and that as a fingle moment was of confequence, the poll-books ought to be opened this day; the hall immediately refounded with the words, "this day, this day," and the Sheriffs confented, de claring that the books fhould be opened at four and clofe for the day at fix. Two motions were made, which closed the bufinefs; the one, That the thanks of the Livery be given to the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, Mr. Alderman Oliver, and Mr. Alderman Wilkes, for their magnanimous and intrepid conduct refpecting prefs-warrants, and other important matters. The other motion was made by Mr. Maskell, that it be recommended by the Livery to the Commoncouncil, and Court of Aldermen, that a filver cup, with the City Arms thereon, of 2001. value, be presented to the Lord Mayor, and one of 100l value to each of the Aldermen Wilkes and Oliver, for their great and important fervices.---Thefe motions were unanimously agreed to, and the hall fhook with reiterated claps, huzzas, and expreffions of fatisfaction, applaufe, and esteem. When the books were clofed last night, the numbers were For Mr. Alderman Wilkes 296 Bull Kirkman Plumb Oliver 276 45 34 28 Sir William Stephenfon, Alderman Townsend, Alderman Sawbridge, Deputy Judd, Mr. Lovell, &c. polled for Mr. Alderman Oliver and Mr. Bull. A gentleman (who on a former occafion printed the poll)attempted to hire fix Mr. Bellas attempted to address the Livery feveral times, and was as often prevented by hiffes, groans, &c. clerks for the like purpose, but was foon obliged to delift: after which the Sheriffs declared from the Huftings, that the poll fhould not be published. This day at the clofe of the po!! at Guildhall, for Sheriffs of this City, the numbers ftood thus: For Mr. Alderman Wilkes Mr. Alderman Kirkman, 627 573 503 477 79 It is remarkable that Mr. Kirkman polled yesterday the favourite No. 45,. and Mr. Wilkes 296, the number of· Luttrell's electors at Brentford. At the clofe of the poll this day, June 26, the numbers were, For Mr. Alderman Wilkes Bull 1022 945 Kirkman 985 Plumbe 948 SUPPLEMENT TO THE SIXTH VOLUME OF The Oxford Magazine; Account of the Duke of BRIDGEWATER'S NAVIGATION across the IRWELL, with a beautiful Copper-Plate View of that laudable and furprizing Undertaking. TH HE duke of Bridgewater, who has confiderable coal mines in his eftate at Worley, about four miles north of the river Irwell, formed a plan for conveying his coals from his works at Worley to Manchefter, by means of an artificial canal. Accordingly he applied to parliament in the year 1758, and obtained an act for enabling him to cut a navi gable canal, from Worley to Salford, near Manchester; and to carry the fame to or near Hollin-Ferry. Soon after the paffing this act, his grace begun his works, and made a navigable canal from Worley-mill, to the public highway leading from Manchefter to Warrington; but it being then difcovered, that the navigation would be more beneficial, both to his grace and the public, if carried over the river Irwell, near Barton-bridge, to Manchefter; his grace applied again to parliament, to vary the courte of his canal accordingly, and to extend a fide branch to Longford-bridge, in Stretford, and obtained an act for that purpose. The making a navigable canal over the river Irwell, and filling up the holHow or low ground on the north fide of this river, were cfteemed to be a very arduous undertaking, and, by mot perfons who viewed the chafm, thought to be impracticable; but his VOL. VI. grace being well fupplied with materials from his own eftate, hath already compleated this, which was looked upon as the most difficult part of his undertaking, and hath now ca: ried it into execution. By the first act, a rate or duty, not exceeding two fhillings and fix-pence per ton, was granted to the duke, as a recompence for the charges of making and compleating his navigation; and and the fecond act varies the course of the canal, and extends it, but makes no alteration with refpect to the tonnage. The duke, upon a further furvey and taking levels, found it practicable to extend his canal from Longfordbridge, by Dunham, to fall into the river Merfey, at or near a place called the Hemp-Stones, below Bank-Quay, and fo as to bring veffels into his canal at the loweft nepe tides; and having obtained a third act for that purpose, undertook the whole at his own expence. This ftupendous work was begun at a place called Worfley-mill, about feven miles from Manchefter; where, at the foot of a large mountain, the duke has cut a bafon capable of holding all his boats, and a great body of water, which ferves as a refervoir, or head, to his navigation; and in order to draw the coals out of the mine, which runs throug 234 Account of the Duke of Bridgewater's Navigation. Having obtained a ticket to fee this curiofity, which is done by fending your name to a new houfe which the duke has lately built for his refidence, at about half a mile distance, you enter with lighted candles the fubterraneous pallage in a boat, made for bringing out the coals, fifty feet long, four and a half broad, and two feet three inches deep. When you first enter the paffage, and again when you come among the colfiers, your heart will be apt to fail you: For it feems fo inuch like leaving this world for the regions of darkness, that I could think of nothing but thofe defcriptions of the infernal fhades which the poets have drawn for Ulyffes, neas, and your old friend Telemachus. There is more civility, however, in this region, than Homer, Virgil, and Fenelon, have difcovered in theirs; for, fhould your spirits fink, the company are ever ready to aid you with a glass of wine: Even Charon himself will offer you a cup on the occafion. Through this paffage you proceed, towing the boat on each hand by a rail, to the extent of a thousand yards, that is near three quarters of a mile, before you come to the coal works; then the paffage divides, and one branch continues on a straight line among the coal works three hundred yards further, while another turns off, and proceeds three hundred yards to the left; and each of them may be extended farther, or other paflages be conveyed from them to any other part, as the mines may run, and neceffity require. Hence you will perceive, that those who go up both pallages, travel near three miles under ground before they return. The pages in thofe parts where there were coals, or loose earth, are arched over with brick; in others the arch is cut out of the rock. At certain distances there are, in niches, on the fide of the arch, fun nels or openings through the rock to the top of the hill, (which is in some places near thirty-feven yards perpendicular,) in order to preferve a free circulation of fresh air, as well as to prevent thofe damps, and exhalations that are often fo deftructive in works of this kind, and to let down men to work in cafe any accident should happen to the paffage. Near the entrance of the paffage, and again further on, there are gates to close up the arch, and prevent the admiffion of too much air in tempestuous and windy weather. At the entrance the arch is about fix feet wide, and about five feet high from the surface of the water; but as you come further in it is wider, and in fome places opened, fo that the boats, that are going to and fro, can pass each other; and when you come among the pits, the arch is ten feet wide. The coals are brought from the pits to this paffage, or canal, in little low waggons, that hold near a ton each, and as the work is on the descent, are eafily pushed by a man, on a railed way, to a ftage over the canal, and then fhot into one of the boats already mentioned, each of which holds about eight tons. They then, by means of the rails, are drawn out by one man to a bafon at the mouth of the paslage, where four, five, or fix of them are linked together, and drawn by one horfe or two mules, by the fide of the canal, to Manchester, or other places where the canal is conveyed, There are alfo, on the canal, other broad boats, that hold about fifty tons, which are likewife drawn by one horse. Of the mall boats there are about fifty employed in the work, and of the large ones a confiderable number. Before we quit the coal mines, to fpeak of the open canal and its conveyance, we must take fome notice of a mill near the mouth of the paffage, and which, though an overfhot mill, is fo well contrived as to work three pair of grinding ftones for corn, a dressing or boulting mill, and a machine, fift |