372 CALEDONIAN CANAL. for the stowage of timber, she does not make progress to windward so well as a sharper-built vessel, although, in this constant employ, this vessel must very frequently beat to windward the whole length of the lake. Of course, if an imperfect vessel can navigate the lake against the wind in safety, larger and decked vessels can have nothing to apprehend from its squalls and waves. At the western end of this loch stands Fort Augustus, where the foundation of the lock near this fort, and on Loch Ness, is twenty-four feet below the level of the summer surface of the lake, which, varying in its height ten feet, renders it necessary to cut a new channel for the river through the rock on the north side, in order to get at a solid foundation of rock, the soil being too open to warrant the cutting to so great a depth. The canal from Fort Augustus will ascend about five miles to Loch Oich, which is about three miles in length, and one quarter broad, and is, in some parts, twenty-six fathoms in depth, and in others only five. This loch will be the summit level of the canal. It is intended to reduce this loch to a greater regularity of depth. From the western end of this loch the canal is continued for about two miles, when it falls into Loch Lochy, a sheet of water ten miles and a half long, and its breadth, at the east end, near three quarters of a mile; from thence it increases, until, in the Bay of Arkeg, CALEDONIAN CANAL. 373 it spreads to about a mile and a quarter, and is from seventysix to seventy-four fathoms deep in many parts. On one side of this loch are high ridges of rocks and ground, descending abruptly into the lake. At the east end of this lake is a complete little harbour, in which there are from ten to five fathoms water, admirably adapted for giving every protection to the canal, and safe and commodious for ships to lie in. Mooring-chains, with buoys, will be as necessary here as in Loch Ness. It is intended to cut a new course for the river Lochy, along the bottom of the bank on the south side, where the canal will occupy the deserted part of the present bed of the river, and to raise the lake twelve feet above its present level, by which, on account of the general steepness of its shores, very little land, except at the east end, will be overflowed; and as there is some deep cutting at the summit, it is proposed to remove back the soil now on the surface of the meadow at the east end of the lock, to bring the ground which is to be excavated at the summit to elevate the low ground at the east end, and, when this is raised to the proper height, to cover it again with the soil which had been removed back, with the addition of that which covered the land to be occupied by the canal near the summit. The canal will then proceed by Corpach to Loch Eil, 374 CALEDONIAN CANAL. which communicates with the Sound of Mull, and is part of the West Sea. At Corpach it is intended to form a sealock, to be cut out of the rock, and to make a small bason within it, capable of admitting a number of vessels with the flowing tide, which, after the gates are closed, may ascend the locks at leisure, of which the whole number will be twenty-five, and the number of lock-gates thirty-eight: these, by being in clusters, as they are intended to be, will be much less expensive than in separate locks, on account of the back of one forming the front of the next, whereas separate locks must be complete in all their parts. Upon this canal it is intended to construct bridges similar to those which are at the West-India Docks, and which have been imitated in cast iron at the London Docks: they swing horizontally to each side of the canal, or lock. At the eastern end of Loch Eil stands Fort William, as far as which there is a safe navigation and harbour for shipping. In this manner the junction of the two seas will be effected. The Lochs Eil and Doughfour are to be deepened by steam-engines, as the scarcity of provender renders the keeping of horses very expensive. The canal is twenty feet deep, fifty wide at bottom, and one hundred and ten feet wide at top, and will admit of the passage of thirtytwo-gun frigates, and of course of the largest merchantvessels. It was originally intended to have cut the canal CALEDONIAN CANAL. 375 so as to admit of forty-four-gun frigates; but not only would the additional cost have been very great, but it was by no means certain that the depth of water in Loch Beauly, near the eastern entrance of the canal, would safely or conveniently admit the passage of frigates of so large a rate at the ordinary high-water depth. The time of passing a thirty-eight feet lock will be about twenty minutes, a fortyfeet lock about twenty-two minutes, and a forty-three-feet lock twenty-five minutes. The smallest size of vessels trading to the Baltic is about seventy-five feet in length, twenty-one feet in width, in draught of water twelve feet, and in burden one hundred and twenty tons. The largest size is about one hundred and thirty feet long, thirty-five feet wide, in draught of water nineteen feet, and in burden six hundred and fifty tons. Timber, stone, lime, &c. have been found at convenient distances. Since June, 1806, the labourers employed, who, the public will be pleased to hear, are almost all Highlanders, have not been so numerous as in the preceding twelvemonth, when their number fluctuated from one thousand one hundred and sixty-three to six hundred and forty-one, whereas, in the last year, the number varied from nine hundred and sixty to five hundred and eighty-one, a larger number being employed during the summer than in the winter months, and of course their numbers are 376 CALEDONIAN CANAL. lessened in the seasons for potatoe-planting, and the herringfishery. Upwards of 38,700l. was paid for labour, from May, 1806, to May, 1807, whereas, in the preceding twelvemonth, only 33,800l. was paid, although the number of labourers then employed was considerably greater, and although the price of labour has continued very nearly the same, a circumstance attributed to an increase of skill and industry among the workmen, which is said to be very perceptible. Those who reside in the neighbourhood occasionally depart, on account of their domestic occupations, but readily return upon notice being given for their attendance. This increased assiduity amongst the workmen is attributable in a great measure to their being regularly paid every four weeks, without the delay of a single day since the commencement of the work, by which means they have been taught the advantage of industry, and a confidence has been inspired that has operated to keep down the price of materials and workmanship in a degree not otherwise attainable. As the canal has advanced, temporary huts and sheds have been erected to accommodate this considerable accession of population, and stores of oatmeal have been sold at prime cost: cows are kept, and a brewery has been established; the latter, most wisely, to counteract as far as it can an |