1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Caledonian Canal

CALEDONIAN CANAL. The chain of fresh-water lakes—Lochs Ness, Oich and Lochy—which stretch along the line of the Great Glen of Scotland in a S.W. direction from Inverness early suggested the idea of connecting the east and west coasts of Scotland by a canal which would save ships about 400 m. of coasting voyage round the north of Great Britain through the stormy Pentland Firth. In 1773 James Watt was employed by the government to make a survey for such a canal, which again was the subject of an official report by Thomas Telford in 1801. In 1803 an act of parliament was passed authorizing the construction of the canal, which was begun forthwith under Telford’s direction, and traffic was started in 1822. From the northern entrance on Beauly Firth to the southern, near Fort William, the total length is about 60 m., that of the artificial portion being about 22 m. The number of locks is 28, and their standard dimensions are:—length 160 ft, breadth 38 ft., water-depth 15 ft. Their lift is in general about 8 ft., but some of them are for regulating purposes only. A flight of 8 at Corpach, with a total lift of 64 ft., is known as “Neptune’s Staircase.” The navigation is vested in and managed by the commissioners of the Caledonian Canal, of whom the speaker of the House of Commons is ex officio chairman. Usually the income is between £7000 and £8000 annually, and exceeds the expenditure by a few hundred pounds; but the commissioners are not entitled to make a profit, and the credit balances, though sometimes allowed to accumulate, must be expended on renewals and improvements of the canal. They have not, however, always proved sufficient for their purposes, and parliament is occasionally called upon to make special grants. In the commissioners is also vested the Crinan Canal, which extends from Ardrishaig on Loch Gilp to Crinan on Loch Crinan. This canal was made by a company incorporated by act of parliament in 1793, and was opened for traffic in 1801. At various times it received grants of public money, and ultimately in respect of these it passed into the hands of the government. In 1848 it was vested by parliament in the commissioners of the Caledonian Canal (who had in fact administered it for many years previously); the act contained a proviso that the company might take back the undertaking on repayment of the debt within 20 years, but the power was not exercised. The length of the canal is 9 m., and it saves vessels sailing from the Clyde a distance of about 85 m. as compared with the alternative route round the Mull of Kintyre. Its highest reach is 64 ft. above sea level, and its locks, 15 in number, are 96 ft. long, by 24 ft. wide, the depth of water being such as to admit vessels up to a draught of 91/2 ft. The revenue is over £6000 a year, and there is usually a small credit balance which, as with the Caledonian Canal, must be applied to the purposes of the undertaking.