is wide, conftituting the harbour of Whitehaven in Cumberland its chief object is the export of coals, lime, and freeftone. This harbour, fituate on the Irifh fea, has had feveral acts passed for its improvement, viz. 7 and 10 Anne, 13 Geo. II., 1, 2, 28, 32, and 45 Geo. III. and in September (1805) notices were given for a further application to parliaThere are feveral rail-ways from this harbour to the famous coal-mines in its vicinity. On the 4th of August 1738, the first rail or waggon-way was opened at this place, leading to Harrithwaite and Woodhoufe collieries. On the 9th of Auguft, 1803, the rail-way, 700 yards in length, paffing over Branftyarch, or Road-bridge, to Howgil and Whingill coal mines, was opened and in the fame year thofe to Brackenthwaite mine were opened.

294. Wifey and Dewbury. In 1802, a rail-way was propofed from the Calder and Hebble navigation at Ravensbridge in Dewbury, to Low-moor iron-works in Wibfey, about 7 miles in length.

295. WILTS AND BERKS CANAL. Acts 35 and 41 Geo. III. General direction nearly N.E. by a bending courfe of about 52 miles in the counties of Wilts and Berks: it crofies the grand ridge at the foot of the chalk-hills without any tunnel: its objects are the import of coals from both its extremities, the export of farming products, &c. On the Calne branch there is a fhort tunnel, under the road at Cuningham park; and a principal aqueduct-bridge over Broadtown brook near Wotton-Baflet. The company have been authorised to raise 311,900%. the amount of fhares being 100 each. In Augu 1799, the western end of the line was completed and filled, and on the ft May 1801, by the completion of the Kennet and Avon to Semington, the junction was formed, and 22 miles of the line to the aqueduct near Wotton-Baffet, with the Calne and Chippenham branches, have fince been used, principally in bringing in Somerfetfhire coals. In September 1800, two branches of the Thames and Severn canal, by Faringdon and Highworth, were propofed to join this canal at Uffington and Shrivenham. In 1803, the Aylesbury branch of the Grand Junction canal was propofed to connect with this canal by means of the Ifis river at Abingdon.

296. Winston and Stockton. In 1768, engineers furveyed the line for a canal from the Tees at Stockton; paffing Hartburn, Cothams-ftob, Moor-houfe, Oak-tree, Maidendale, Banktop, Darlington, Cockerton, Lower-Walworth, Legg's-crofs, Killerby, and Staindrop, to Winston:, with a branch 1 mile from Lower-Walworth to the Tees at Pierfebridge; another from Darlington, 3 miles to Croft-bridge on the Tees; and another

another from Cotham-ftob, 2 miles to the Tees at Yarm. The export of coals, lime, and lead, was the object of this propofed canal.

297. WISBEACH CANAL. Act 34 Geo. III. Direction nearly S. E. for 6 miles in the counties of Cambridge and Norfolk; its object is a communication between Wifbeach and Lynn, instead of an old part of the Nen river near it, which is almost grown up. This company were authorised to raise 20,000 /. the amount of each flare being 105 .

298. WITHAM (old) RIVER. A&t Geo. II. General direction nearly N.W. for about 41 miles in the county of Lincoln; its objects are the import of coals, deals, &c., the export of farming products, and forming part of the inland communication between Lynn and Hull, Liverpool, Manchester, &c. Near Tattershall it is joined by the Horncastle navigation; at Chapel-hill by the Sleaford navigation; and at Wyberton roads the new outfall and navigation of the Welland river are to join this river. This river below Bofton, about 4 miles, was anciently fo deep, and was fo much frequented by fhips, that in the 6th year of king John, when the merchants of London paid only 836. as a tax on their lands and goods, Boston contributed 780. A gradual decay and filling up of the channel and harbour took place to fuch a degree, that when, in 1761, Meffrs. John Grundy, Langley Edwards, and John Smeaton examined the ftate of this navigation, and of the drainage of the adjoining fens, through which this river is embanked on both fides through nearly its whole length, owing to the long neglect of the banks, which fhould have confined the returning tide. and the land-waters, fo as to fcour the channel, they reported that 30 ton barges could then fcarcely reach Boston, while the navigation above that town was entirely loft, and the ancient channel was in feveral places entirely grown up and abandoned by the water in its ordinary ftate. Mr. Smeaton then recommended the erection of a fea-fluice upon this river below Botton, the fill thereof as low as low-water, with 3 openings, amounting to 50 feet wide; thefe to be furnished with doors pointing to fea-ward, and draw-gates behind them gauged, or having their tops, two feet below the furface of the fens, for always retaining a proper quantity of water in the river in dry feafons; alfo a fea-lock at the fame place for the navigation, furnished with three pair of gates, two of them pointing to the land, and one to the fea: the ftraightening, enlarging, and deepening of the river above Bofton to 80 feet at top, 50 at bottom, and 10 feet deep, were recommended, and the erection of three pound-locks, furnished with flood-gates or openingweirs adjoining, below Lincoln, and one other fuch lock above.

The

The eftimate for fuch of thefe works as related to draining, was 38,000, and for the navigation works 7,370l. When Mr. Smeaton was afterwards confulted in the year 1782, he objected to a navigation lock which had been in the interim erected below Lincoln town, and recommended the cutting off the communication between Foffdyke canal and Brayford meer, by a pound-lock with gates pointing to the canal, and deepen this river through and above Lincoln bridge, and to remove Brayford head, fo as to lower the water in Brayford meer: the principal wharfs appear to have been fince made, and the trade of Lincoln is now carried on upon this meer or water. By the acts of 32 Geo. III. for Horncaftle and Sleaford navigation, thofe companies were required to contribute equally with this company in the expenfes of deepening and improving this river through Lincoln high-bridge, and thence to the Foffdyke canal, in the next 7 years; in confequence of which, goods pathing on this river to or from the Horncaftie or Sleaford navigations, are to pay only half the accustomed rates on this river. In 1803, it was in contemplation to further improve the navigation of this river below Lincoln.

299. WORCESTER AND BIRMINGHAM CANAL. Acts 31, 38, and 44 Geo. III. General direction nearly N.E. for 29 miles in the counties of Worcester and Warwick; it croffes the grand ridge by a tunnel: its objects are the export of coals, and a more direct communication between Birmingham and the Severn river at Selly Oak it is joined by the Dudley canal, and at Kings-Norton by the Stratford canal. The width of the canal at top is 42 feet, and the depth is 6 feet; the locks are 80 feet long and 15 feet wide; the boats are of 80 tons burthen. There are 4 or 5 principal, and feveral fmaller culverts: the principal tunnel at Weft-heath is 2700 yards long, 18 feet high, and 18 feet wide within the arch, the depth of water is 74 feet; at Tardebig is another of 500 yards in length; at Shortwood is another of 400 yards in length; at Oddingley one of 120 yards; and at Edgbaston another of 110 yards in length four of thefe tunnels are upon the fummit-pound. The scheme of this canal was laid, and a bill was brought into parliament in 179, but the oppofition of interefts, and natural difficulties of this valt undertaking then proved fatal to it. In May 1796, the eaftern end of this canal, as far as the Stratford canal at Kings-Norton, was completed. The arching of the Weft-heath tunnel was begun on the 28th of July 1794, the whole of it was turned by the 25th of February 1797, (1780 yards of it having been completed in the year 1796) and in March 1797, the navigation was extended through it to Hopwood wharf, and in the following year, the fame was extended

extended to the western end of the fummit-pound at Tardebig. The company were authorised by their two first acts to raise 399,9297. Is. 11⁄2d.: their whole fhares being made hereby, of the odd value of 1387. 175.9d. each: these were said to be depreciated in value almost to nothing; but in 1802, they had rifen to 40%. each. The laft act was for raifing a further sum of money for completing the very difficult part of the line, and fupplying lockage-water, by fteam-engines to pump it up from the Severn, by refervoirs, &c. which yet remains to be accomplifhed. About the year 1793, a branch was proposed from this canal near Hanbury-hall to the Droitwich canal at

that town.

300. WYE RIVER. The general direction of this rapid and romantic river is nearly N.W. by a very bending and crooked course of about 85 miles in the counties of Monmouth and Hereford, and Brecknock, in South Wales, and skirting the county of Gloucester; its objects are the carriage of coals, and the export of agricultural products; at Hereford it is approached very near, if not joined, by the Hereford and Gloucester canal. In 1802, the Dean-Foreft rail-way was proposed to join this river at English-Bichnor, we believe; in the fame year notices were given, for an intended rail-way from this river at Hereford, to join the fame again oppofite to Lydbrook; and in March 1805, another rail-way was propofed from this river to the Monmouthfhire canal.

301. WYRLEY AND ESSINGTON CANAL. Acts 32 and 24 Geo. III. General direction nearly S.W. by a very crooked courfe of 23 miles in the county of Stafford: it terminates at its western end near, or upon the grand ridge: its object is the export of coals, iron, and lime, which abound in its courfe. There is a branch of 5 miles to Hay-head lime-works; another of 24 miles to Lord's-Hay coal-pits; another of near 4 miles at Wyrley-bank collieries, with a branch from this last near 1 mile to Effington new collieries; there is also a branch a mile to near Walfall town, which terminates within a mile of the branch of the old Birmingham thereto. This canal is 28 feet wide at top, 16 at bottom, and 4 feet deep. The company were authorised to raife 160,000l. the firft 35,000l. in 125. hares; on the extenfion of the canal in 1794, the company were required to purchase the shares of certain difcontented proprietors: the new fhares are 100/. each.

302. YARE RIVER. The direction of this river is nearly W. by a bending course of about 22 miles in the county of Norfolk, its objects are the import of coals, deals, &c. and the export of agricultural products: at Yarmouth this river is joined by the Thryn river, and at Burgh by Waveney river. In 1785, and in

1802, the London, Lynn, and Norwich, or North London canal, was propofed to join this river at Norwich.

303. YORE RIVER. Act 7 Geo. III.--This river, fometimes called the Ure-river, has nearly a N.W. direction for about 8 miles in the weft, and fkirting the North Riding of Yorkshire; its objects are the fupply of Borough bridge and Ripon, and the export of agricultural products: at Myton it is joined by the Swale river.

INSURANCE. The fecurity of poffeffion, and the power of averting a total lofs by prudent precaution is of great impor tance in domeftic as well as in foreign commerce. The infurances which under this head it is most neceflary to confider are thofe against fire, and on lives.

FIRE. By this contract the infurer, in confideration of a certain premium received by him, either in a grofs fum, or by annual payments, undertakes to indemnify the infured againtt all lofs or damage which he may fuftain in his houfes or other buildings, goods and merchandize, by fire, during a limited term. The period at which this practice was introduced in England is not afcertained; but it certainly has been in ufe confiderably more than a century.

BENEFITS. As every public undertaking has fome obvious defects, it is obferved with refpect to infurance against fires, that many wife and intelligent perfons have doubted whether, in a general, and national point of view, the benefits refulting from it are not more than counterbalanced by the mischiefs it occafions. Not to mention the careleffnefs and inattention which fecurity naturally creates; every perfon who has a concern in any of the fire-offices, or who has attended the courts at Westminister for any length of time, muft own, that infurance has been the original cause of many fires in London, with all their train of mifchievous confequences. But on the other hand, ferjeant Marfhall obferves, the advocates for this fpecies of infurance, though they admit it to have been fometimes the caufe of intentional fires; infift, that, even as a national concern, the benefits vaftly outweigh the mifchiefs which proceed from it. And when we recollect the precautions used by the different infurance companies, to prevent the fpreading of conflagration by providing a number of fire-engines, which are kept in conftant repair, and fit for immediate ufe, not only in all parts of the metropolis, but in every other confiderable town in the kingdom; by keeping in conftant pay, a number of engi neers and firemen, expert in extinguifhing fires, and porters for the removal of goods; by employing a number of thefe in patrolling the flreet at all hours of the night, in conftant readinefs to fly to the fpot from whence any alarm of fire may pro

ceed: