WHITWORTH, Robert.

A Report and Survey of the Canal, Proposed to be made on one Level, from Waltham-Abbey to Moorfields. Also a Report and Survey, of a Line, which may be continued from Marybone to the said proposed Canal, in case any future Design of Navigation to that Place or the North Side of London, from the Rivers Thames or Coln, should ever take Place...To which is subjoin'd, An Address...on the Importance and great Utility of Canals in General...

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by James Sharp. Two folding engraved maps (one quite long & large). 1 p.l., 8 pp.; 1 p.l., 16 pp. Two parts in one vol. Small folio, later red boards. [London: 1773]. First edition. "Towards the end of the 18th century, London's transport links with the burgeoning Midland industrial centres were increasingly inadequate involving heavily-locked and circuitous routes to the Thames near Oxford and thence downstream via several navigation weirs to London. The canal proposed by Robert Whitworth at the instigation of the City authorities represents an early effort to remedy this. Encircling North London and so avoiding the Thames, it was intended to run from the Lee Navigation at Waltham Abbey to a basin at Moorfields. A further line would leave this basin for Marylebone to form a connection with another canal joining the Colne Navigation at Drayton. For much of its route Whitworth's canal followed the contour and thus avoided locks. Although it was not to be built it was prophetic of the Regent's Canal (built 1812-20) which in part followed a similar line and connected North London with the Grand Junction Canal to Birmingham... "Whitworth's fine report gives a detailed account of the canal giving reasons for his choice of route and providing an estimate of construction costs. It is accompanied by a forceful letter by James Sharp, a member of the Common Council, pointing out the beneficial effects upon trade of canal transport and urging the construction of Whitworth's canal to maintain the Port of London's superiority over world trade. Whitworth himself was one of the most distinguished of the 18thcentury canal engineers. He was Brindley's chief assistant and after Brindley's death developed a substantial practice of his own building many major projects including the Thames & Severn Canal and a substantial part of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal."­Elton, Cat. 11, 109. Very good copy. Ex Bibliotheca Mechanica. Skempton 1798.

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