Thu 8 Feb 1776
House of Commons Minutes
Mr Selwyn, For the Corporation of Gloucester.
Mr Lee for the Bill.
Bill read a 2d Time.
The Three Petitions against the Bill - and the Six Petitions for the Bill -- Read.
Mr Beancroft, Mr Morgan, Mr Selwyn } Heard for the Petrs.
To prove Number of Acres, and value of Michief done.
John Merritt -- measured the Land from Framiload to Ryeford -- 6 Miles from Wallbridge. Has measured it. The Towing Paths will take up 36 Acres in 6 Miles.
What will be the whole Quantity of Land taken up by the Canal?
18 Acres - Breadth of Canal 42 feet - Soil thrown upon it will take up 8 Acres per Mile - 64 in the whole - which added to 48 will be 102 Acres in the whole.
Will the 64 Acres be made useless?
For a trifle - the Clay is uppermost - Don't know what Damages will be, by throwing Soil thereon.
Withdrew,
To prove the Nature of the Land.
John Taylor
Knows the Land - Nature of the Land Rich and good - worth from 30s to £3 per acre - the Pasture - Has set his name to a petition on Paper against the Bill 0 not for the Bill - last Spring.
What is the Rent of Land?
From 30s to £3 per Acre - Some arable Land not worth so much - Some let for more than £3 per Acre - a third pat let for 40s per Acre - Remembers what was done by Hand.
What was the Mischief?
They brought the water above the Level - the Bank did not keep the water in - It came out from the bottom of the Bank, and made the Land like a Morass - It spoiled the path, a good many ? lost by that - 39 or 40 acres in a Piece of Meadow damaged - The Canal that Kennet finished when 3 or 4 Miles.
What would be the consequence of that plan, if carried into Execution?
According to that Sample, it would be worse than the other - The Soil is gravelly, some coarse and Leakage generally takes place in such Soil.
What Quantity of Acres would be damaged by the other 4 Miles?
A great deal of Land between the Canal and the Old River.
Question repeated?
Can't judge, but a great deal.
What is the price of Land Carriage from Framiload to Wallbridge.
It's 11s a Load of Two Ton, Turnpike included - of 13½ Pence.
Does it run thro' large or Small Plots?
Both - and a great many small Divisions.
Will that left in the small Divisions be of any Value?
The Value of the small pieces of Land will be very much reduced by cutting thro' it.
What Number of Bridges will be required?
16 in all - 9 or 10 over Roads.
To a Farmer - never had any Hand in making Navigations - Rents Land bu not in the plan, a little way off - had some in Mr Kennets Canal - Some of the Arable Land not so valuable - some of 20 Shillings - others in common Fields not so much, in little parcels - Saw the Mischief in Kennets Canal.
Was not the cause of the Damage in not taking up the Flood Gates?
It arose by omitting to open the Flood gates & by keeping the Water so high - It came thro' or under the Banks.
Is 11s the Summer prive of Land Carriage?
I speak of the Winter prive, but I know of no difference - the Roads are bad in Wet Seasons, It's a low deep country.
Don't you know that the Difference between Summer and Winter Toll is half a Crown?
Yes - from Octobr to March.
Were there any defects in the Banks of the Canal?
Can' tell - there was Damage by Kennets Canal.
What is the price of Carriage from Gloucester to Stroud?
Can't tell - knows the Country about Stroud - knows many of the Inhabitants of that Country.
Whether the Inhabitants on the North Side will not have coal & corn brought cheaper than by the Canal?
Yes, those who are at a distance from the Canal.
What distance from Framiload to Wallbridge by Land?
Can't say - it is shorter by Water that by Land.
Is the present Canal full of Water?
Very little - in the bottom only.
How is the Land on each Side now?
The water has never been high enough, Land not affected - Some of the Land thro' which the Canal is now Cut for a Mile, some good some bad.
What price was paid for that Land?
Never heard - Many Carriages carry Coals between Framiload and Wallbridge, very few ? for that purpose, if any.
Withdrew,
James Chambers - Knows the greater part of the Land thro' which the Canal is to be Cut between Framiload & Wallbridge - Arable Land worth on average from 20 to 30s per Acre and Pasture from 30s to £3 per Acre - there is more Pasture than Arable, but don't know the average. It will go mostly thro' small grounds - some of 10 or 12 Acres, some of 4 or 5. Small parcels of Ground will be very much injured - Nature of Soil - good, 4½ Miles on a Gravel - the Land of the intended Canal is higher than the Old River in most places - Thinks cana can't be made without Leakage, which will affect the Land and make it Boggy and of little value - Land near the Old River - very much Damaged by Leakage of Water - Don;t understand making of Banks, great Quantity of Land between the canal & River, which will be injured, if the Canal should Leak - Some part of the Std ? lie t the North, pretty near equal between Stroud & Gloucester - Roads from Framiload to Wallbridge in Winter generally bad - they fetch their Coals at their leisure - Knows the Rye Ford - the Canal will go near it, the Land there will be affected and greatly injured by the Canal. - not a great quantity of Mr ? - Eight Bridges has heard will be wanting.
Does the Canal go thro' the Land of the Corporation of Gloucester.
Canal will go thro' Mr Turners Land very good meadows and pasture - About 150 yards,
Withdrew
John Bestwick - Surveyor. Knows proposed Canal - was over it last Week in bad Weather - a great deal oozes out of it, as they informed me - its a gravelly Soil - It might overflow, and have regulating Wires at every Lock to the pound below.
What will be the Damage to the Land?
When th Water Ouzes thro' it will hurt the Land, Cant form a Judgment of the Acres - I was there in Snowy Weather, and could not tr the Land - It will take a great deal of Water from the River - There are several Mills.
Is there not water to spare?
Was there in bad weather.
Withdrew
To prove it will hurt the Mills.
Daniel Chance - Knows Stroudwater - 19 mills below Wallbridge - the greater part Cloth Mills - some Iron Mills - a manufactory of Brass now erecting - 42 pairs of Stocks - 16 Gig Mills - 8 or 9 pair of Mill Stones for Corn - 1 Stack of Mills for Iron, but dont know how many Engines - there is Barziers.
Is there water enough thro' the year to supply them at present?
No - they are obliged to lie by from 3 to 6 months according to the Season.
Counsel & Witness Withdrew.
