Mon 18 Aug 1913
To Sharpness Dock Co (A J Cullis)
Gloucester
Mr F Wood, owner and captain of the barge Finis reports that on 14 August he had great difficulty in navigating the canal between 'Walk Bridge' and the 'Shallow Lock' and states that there was only about 3ft 6in of water in the pound at noon on that day and that it took 8 hours to navigate his barge between the points named. He had a load of stone for Dudbridge Wharf and to enable him to get on he was obliged to discharge about 20 tons of his cargo. He was drawing 4ft 7in'. His ropes were damaged. This stone was for Stroud Urban District Council and we obtained the contract for water carried stone in competition with Tytherington stone. You will agree this trade should be encouraged. Unfortunately the Stroud Gas Company barge Reliance was also detained for three hours in the same place on the same day. The ropes of this barge were also damaged. This is a serious matter as Mr Fredericks will explain. The Chairman of the Gas Company informed me that the Committee threatened that if these delays occur they will take their trade off the Canal - we are doing all we can to help them.
