The Worcester Canal

Was opened for the passage of boats, by forming a junction with the Birmingham canal, on the 21st of July, 1815, by means of which goods may be conveyed from the upper part of this town, to London, one whole day sooner than they can by steering immediately into the Warwick canal.  At King’s-Norton, this canal is conveyed under ground, by means of a tunnel, two miles in length, which is in width 16 feet and in height 18 feet, yet it is so admirably constructed, that any person by looking in at one end, may perceive day-light at the other extremity.  The pound of water extends on a level for the space of fourteen miles, when it descends into the river Severn by means of fifty-eight locks.

The Warwick Canal

Was opened for the passage of boats, by forming a junction with the
Birmingham canal, in the year 1800.

A communication being opened between the Birmingham and Worcester canals, in the year 1815, there are now two different routes by which goods may be conveyed from this town to London, by water; one of them is, by an immediate junction of the Birmingham canal with the Warwick, which is accomplished by means of nineteen locks; the other is, by passing into the Worcester canal, on the same level; from thence into the Stratford canal, which is also on the same level, and from thence into the Warwick canal.

Boats from the wharfs within the town; Bird’s, White-house’s, Robinson’s, and Crowley’s, are capable of delivering goods in London one whole day sooner by the latter route than they can do by the other, and the merchants and ironmongers in the metropolis are hereby informed of that circumstance.  The boat-owners by proceeding on this route, are necessitated to advance a small sum of immediate money, for tonnage, more than they do on the other route; to counterbalance that, the boats are exempt from the wear and tear of passing through twelve locks, and an extra day’s expense; therefore, when both circumstances are taken into consideration, the expenses cannot vary much either way, and to the London merchant one day is, at times, of the utmost importance.—­On that account, there is no doubt that those who are apprised of this circumstance, will order their goods to be conveyed by way of the Stratford canal.

The trade of this town has within the last fifteen years increased in an astonishing manner; for in the year 1803, six weekly boats were sufficient to convey all the merchandize to and from this town to Manchester and Liverpool, but at the present time, there are at least twenty boats weekly employed in that trade.

At the same period, the competition was so great between the carriers to London, that they procured a number of boats, but it was with difficulty they could find lading for five or six in a week; whereas, at the present time, there are at least eighteen boats per week, constantly employed at the different wharfs in that traffic.