Mon 12 Feb 1776
Minutes relating to Stroudwater Navigation Bill
Luna, 12o die Febrii, 1776
Further hearing of Counsel on Stroudwater Navigation Bill.
Counsel on both Sides called in.
Daniel Chance, again called in.
How many Persons employed?
About 5000 actually employed - & 5000 more whose Bread depend on the others.
Can the Canal receive any Water but from the Stream that Supplies Stroudwater, or Stroudwater itself?
No - Knows the Country well - No Water can be spared without Injury to the Mills on the Stroudwater.
Do the Mills now lie Idle?
From 3 to 6 Months in the year, from a Shortness of the Water, according to the Season - In dry Seasons lie Idle for one 3d to 1/2 the Time - We want all the Water we can get - but can't speak to the quantity - no judge of Canals - Water runs by on a Sunday but does not call it Waste Water - if some Mills stop working, other Mills are benefited - People who live above Wallbridge would be benefited.
Who are the petitioners for the Bill?
Chiefly People above Wallbridge, only one Proprietors of Mills - Mill below Wallbridge are well employed seldom Idle but for want of Water.
Are not Cloth & Sph Wool brought to & carried from London by Letchlade Canal?
Yes - They might be carried from Lechlade on Navigation to London i.e. 3 parts of the Way to London.
If Canal made would these commodities by carried Coastwise?
Not probable, on account of the distance, delay and hazard - Produce of the Country about Stroud, not more than sufficient for the Consumption of the Country - No Manf or wares for Bristol ? - Cloth is the Staple commodity - the poor were never better employed than at present - if new manufactures would rais prive of Labour and Commodities.
What is the price of Land Carriage from Stroudwater to Wallbridge?
From 6s to ts 6d - Coals are delivered to all parts of Stroud for 6s & 6d.
In what Season is Coals laid in?
In the Summer Months - there is an additional Toll of 2s 6d in Winter - the Poor are supplied by Horse Loads in Winter. Horses are exempt from the 2s & 6d winter Toll - Expence in carrying Coals from Wallbridge to Stroud 2s or 2s & 6d to the Middle of the Town
Withdrew,
John Dymmock
Is acquainted with the River and Mills - 19 St Mills 42 Stocks - Have more trade now than 20 or 30 years past - We could do more if we had more water - In Winder Season it last from 3 to 5 or 6 Months - are Idel from ⅓d to ½ of the Time.
Near 5000 Persons are employed - Mills can;t be suppied with water but what runs in the River Stroudwater - No water can be taken from Stroudwater without doing damage.
In dry months Stroudwater supplied by Streams that must be used for the Canal - The Water runs by the upper Mills on Sunday, or the lower Mills would be dry on Monday.
Don't you know that the Waste Water runs into the Severn on a Sunday?
Knows nothing of it. Last Summer was a Wet Season, and we did not lie by 3 Months.
Withdrew,
William Foley - Clerk to Purnell & Co.
They have 2 Setts of Mills on Stroudwater - they are constantly employed frequently short of Water - could do more if had more water - obliged to lie by for 3 to 6 months - we have not sufficient Supply of water - no water but from Stroudwater - these Works were created at the Expencs of about 7000£. - These will be affected in proportion to the loss of water - These are the last Mills on the Stream - our water comes a day later than the upper Mills - all Stop in dry Seasons - We have a great and flourishing Trade - more orders than we can execute - They have lately erected new Brass Works - in dry Season can only work part of the Mills - this lasts some times 8 Months - not above 4 Months all our Wheels are going - Sometimes 2 out of 6, and one out of 3 lie idle.
Is the Stream rapid or Gentle?
Not very much of a Current - therefore require more water for our Wheels..
How long does the Water run from Stroud to the Severn on a Sunday?
That depends on the penning it - On Sunday Gates are drawn up.
How long without impediment would it be running 9 or 10 Miles from Stourbridge to Severn?
Twice 3 hours - All my Judgement is, In Summer, on Monday we Stop for want of Water.
Question repeated?
Thinks about 6 Hours.
Did you set up New Wheels for Brass Works?
No - added one Wheel, which is not made use of but when there is plenty of Water.
Withdrew.
Joseph Clowes - to the quantity of Water requisite for the Canal - I am Engineer - well acquainted with Nature of Canals, - worked 9 years last past at them.
What Quantity of Water is requisite to keep up a Canal 42 feet wide, 6 deep and 8 Miles long?
It ,depends on the Nature of the Land.
What Land wastes most water?
Generally Sand & Stone.
If that is a gravelly Soil, what quantity of Water is necessary.?
The more Locks the less water will be expended out of the head.
How much water will each lock take?
Suppose the Locks are 10 Feet - 10.000 Square feet of Water.
What proportion will this bear to the Water in the River to the Water requisite for the Canal?
It will depend on the Feeder - the Canal can't be supplied without taking a great deal of Water from the Stroud River, or the Stream that flows in - not possible to make a Bank that will not ouze - Gravelly Soil will let out more than other Soils. Thinks the canal joining the River Severn will be inconvenient, as the Canal may draw Mill Ponds dry, in those places where it joins the River, and this can't be prevented - the Canal must dray much water from the Mill heads every time a Boat passes.
When did you See the Place?
Saw the River last Saturday - never there before - Saw a great deal of the Soil - was there from Saturday noon till Sunday 10 of the Clock - the Land between the Canal and the River will be mush hurt by cutting into Slips.
Withdraw.
Act 32 Geo 2d & 3d Geo 2d read relating to making Stroudwater Navigable.
Daniel Jenner - his Master is Steward to the Corporation of Gloucester, and Rents Mills of the Corporation - 2 Grist Mills, 3 pairs of Stocks &anda Gigg Mill - sometimes wants ⅓ of water, & has known ½ wanting in dry Seasons - no continuance to get more water - must Stop 3, 4 or 5 months in Dry Seasons for wand to Water, sometimes 6 months - obliged to Stop 12 Hour in a Day for Water.
Withdrew,
Mr Selwyn, examined a Witness on behalf of the Corporation of Gloucester.
Mr Mansfield and Mr Lee heard for the Bill.
Mr Yeomans examined - he Surveyed the Lands where the intended Canal is to go - It is a very practicable Scheme - Estimate of Expence is 20.000£ - believes it may be done for that Sum - apprehends it will be of advantage to the Trade of the Country - the Reason for his believing so is the Badness of the Roads never saw worse Turnpike Roads - Water Carriage will make Goods come much cheaper.
Will it do harm to the Mills?
It would have done harm, if care had not been taken to supply the loss of Water which the Navigation might take - Care has been taken to Supply Water to the Mills, and is abundantly sufficient in my opinion to supply the defect, by making the upper canal nest to Stroud 3 feet deeper than necessary for Navigation in order to receive Sundays Water for Supply of the Navigation - can't speak to the past of Waste Water - have Surveyed the River 3 several Times in 1755, 1774 and 1775 - had particular attention to the Quantity of Water that runs down - I always saw a considerable Quantity of Water run waste on Sunday - I was there in different kinds of Weather but did not make my observations on that, but give it as my opinion.
Will the Mills be as valuable after the Navigation is made as now?
Very clear they will have nothing to apprehend - I took different appertures at Mr Cooks Mill whose the 1st Reservoir st to be, and the last Mill but one, and from these appertures, different observations have been made on Sunday of the Waste Water - The Result I have which I calculated myself.
8th October 1775 Mr Cooks waste at 2 o'Clock ran at the rate of 37,990 Tons in 24 Hours, or 255 Locks full of Water - There is an additional Stream - comes in Woodchr Stream - In 24 Hours that was ?, but Reservoir will contain 90 Locks Full - There will be 3 or 4 times as mush Water run to Waste as will fill Reserr.
How many Locks per Day will the Navigation want?
3 Locks full per day will supply the Trade - Surveyed the Ground through which the Canal will pass - the most favourable I ever saw in my Life.
Can it be made without making the Land Boggy?
Not if executed as it ought to be, and it will take up much lese here to execute it properly - Is not the Projector or Undertaker of their Business.
Do you take into the Estimate the Land that is covered by the Soil thrown out of the Canal?
8th October 1775 - Was that a Wet Season?
I only took the apertures
What kind of Soil is it?
3 Miles gravelly - in general not gravelly - the places had dug holes in the ground, by which I discovered the Soil - In general it is not gravelly.
What is your contrivance to replace the Water?
I have mentioned only one Reservoir, but now make mentn of another - a Canal from Mr Turners Mills is to be made 2 feet deeper than need - that will hold 74 Locks full of Water, will Supply Navigation, & afford some for Mills, and the rest will run waste - the Water now runs waste on Sunday.
Is not the that always used on Monday?
All Fulling Mills on Saturday Night draw up their Gates, and the Waters runs to Waste - sometimes the Water runs too long - If there was a Regulation there would be abundantly sufficient - It is proposed to go into the River Twice - it is possible to make it without, but better to go into it - the chief purpose is not to get the Water out of the River, but for the convenience of the Navigation - Is both a calculator and practical Engineer.
Have you known a Canal made where there has been so many Mills?
The River Nene was made Navigable, under his Management and Inspection - a great many Mills from Northampton to Thrapston - form Nortn to Poth 50 Miles - I live in London - Knows a great deal about fulling & Cloathing Mills - Never was at Stroudwater but 3 times - the Mills from Nortn & Poth all under Shot -
How many Cubical Feet in a Ton of Water?
36 Feet.
Can the Mills below Wallbridge be secured from want of Water?
Yes - and Banks from Ouzing - 3 miles is Gravel and, the other is Clay and Loom - Knows Froombridge and the Turnpike Road - I have seen it when flood very high - It was not over the Road - Turnpike is higher than River by 6 Feet - Knows Houghton Bridge where the Canal falls into the River - Soil there is Loom - The Banks there will be raised with Earth out of the Canal,, to keep towing path out of Flood Water - there might be back drains to carry off the Water that would remain on Lande - at a flood Water will lie on the Lands, but can answer for the Banks that they will stand.
How many Roads are there?
10 Carriage Bridges, besides Bridges for Communication.
What is the Dimention of Bridges?
About 18 Feet wide - wide enough to admit a Vessel of 70 Tons - Canal will be lower by the Turnpike Road, and no great rise or descent on the Upper side or the lower Side - The abutments of Bridges to be of Stone - all put into the Calculation of Expences
What Quantity of Water discharges at the Mouth of the River?
Don't know.
Would you undertake it for 20.000£?
Yes
To prove actual Waste of Water
Joseph Grace
What Quantity of Water Water at the lower Mills.
It runs 190.000 in 24 Hours in the dryest Seasons i.e. 700 Locks in a Day - on 27th Augt - there had been dry Weather and at the Time.
Withdrew
Act 3 Geo 2 read
Mr Bearcroft & Mr Selwyn heard by way of reply.
Counsel withdrew.
