themselves into the river Brufna, and others into the river Inny, both of which fall with copious ftreams into the Shannon, that it is not at all improbable, that a fecond interfection of the province of Leinster may, at fome future period, be made through this line, to the grand artery of the kingdom, The RIVER SHANNON. In fo cursory a review of the principal rivers of Ireland, as I have here taken, it is next to impoffible that I fhould not have overlooked many that are capable of being made navigable at a moderate expence; but as this publication is only intended to call the attention of the men of landed property in Ireland, to the most effential of all internal im provements, it is to be hoped, that in the course of the enfuing year, every river of magnitude or extent in this kingdom, will be furveyed, and its levels taken, by which means the public may be able to judge, to what extent Inland Navigation may be carried, and at what expence. The reader may be enabled to form fome idea of the great advantages refulting to the nation from opening the navigation of the principal rivers of Ireland, by the following calculation of the number of fquare miles and acres that will be improved by the completion of the GRAND CANAL to the RIVER SHANNON; the RIVER SHANNON from LIMERICK to LOUGH ALLEN; the RIVER BOYNE from EdenDERRY to DROGHEDA; the RIVER BARROW from ATHY to Ross; the RIVER SUIR up to CLONMELL; and the RIVER NORE as far as KILKENNY. From Dublin to Hazle-Hatch 7 miles, I From Sallins to Robertstown 5 miles, 5 20 miles, 10 miles on each fide ditto In the neighbourhood of Rofcrea, &c. 18 miles, 10 miles on each fide ditto From Robertstown to Athy 23 miles, 8 on each fide, and 14miles by 8 on the other ditto The River Shannon 180 miles, 15 on each fide ditto The River Boyne 50 miles, 5 on each fide ditto The River Barrow 55 miles, 10 on each fide ditto The River Nore 15 miles, 5 on each fide ditto 150 The River Suir 30 miles, 8 on each fide ditto 480 Total fquare miles will be improved 9,112 Say 9000 square miles, which contain 5,760,000 Irish acres (or upwards of 9,330,000 English acres.) It might be clearly proved, that the whole of this land land would be encreased in value, by the above navigable extenfion, from 75. to 10s. per acre; but fay only 45. per Irish acre, and the amount of the 'encreased national wealth will be 1,152,cool. per annum; which, at twenty years purchase, would be an increase of national wealth, amounting to upwards of TWENTY-THREE MILLIONS OF POUNDS STERLING! After the bright example which China, Holland, and England furnish, it will hardly be denied, that every country is more or lefs capable of improvement, according to the number, the nature, and the disposition of her navigable rivers.-If this be true, we may look forward with a well founded hope of seeing Ireland, at no diftant period, vie with the richest and beft cultivated parts of South Britain; for certain it is, that taking into confideration the form and comparative extent of our island, no part of thatfortunate country is fuperior to Ireland in general, in the number, extent and distribution of rivers, capable, at a fmall national expence, of being rendered permanently navigable. Let us for a moment dwell on the pleasing picture; let us behold an united, induftrious, and contented people, extending the healthful arts of agriculture, reclaiming bogs, fencing, planting and ma nuring every fpot.-No dreary waftes, no deferted villages to be feen; no fqualid and half-naked peafantry,no famished children robbing for bread! But competence smiling on industry; women, with their infant train, plying the bufy loom; decency, order and morals every where, establishing their empire over their former inveterate foe, cruel and imperious necef. fity!-Whoever reflects for a moment, on the certain effects produced by an extenfive Inland Navigation in a fertile country, terminated by good ports and harbours, will not think this picture overcharged; fince, “*as trade encreases, it continually draws fupplies of commodities and manufactures from the "adjacent country, and in the fpace of a few years, equally changes the fpirit of the people " and the appearance of the places which they in"habit, plenty and neatnefs, being the immediate "defcendants of industry, wealth and magnifi 66 cence, in process of time, fpringing from the "fame stock, and thefe very frequently in places "that have been for a long time difregarded, decayed and neglected,-Truths, which however plain and obvious of themselves, can never be "too feriously and too frequently confidered.† "Hence it is, that in a country bleffed with the "advantages herein alluded to, the inhabitants "can with fo much ease, bring fo great a part of "it into cultivation, which furnishing in plenty the "materials for trade and commerce, lead men "there, to what they are driven in another country. "Hence art attracts art, one manufacture begets "another, and diligence fpreads on every fide; for industry, as well as idlenefs, may be communi All the great manufactures in Lancashire are to be chiefly afcribed to the extensive Inland Navigation in that county, and to the improvement of the port and harbour of Liverpool by the magnificent docks erected there. Campbell's Political Survey of Britain, Vol. I-167. + Political Survey of Great Britain, vol. I. page 159. cated. "cated. It is owing to this fpirit, and to the profperity "that naturally attends it, that in fome places, Inland Navigation and foreign commerce in South Britain, "have been pushed fo far, that there is more bufiness "done and more feamen employed IN A SINGLE PORT, THAN IN A WHOLE COUNTRY AND BY A WHOLE "NATION, who have fome trade and commerce too. too.” That fingle port, is LIVERPOOL, and that whole country alluded to, is IRELAND! How long, alas! fhall this reproach be applicable to a country, fo happily endowed with every requifite for internal improvement! To be able to convey troops and artillery, with celerity, from one part of a kingdom to another; or in cafe of any unforeseen emergency, to concentre the military force in any particular place, are objects of the greatest importance to the internal defence and ftrength of a Nation. Inland Navigation alone, is the mean by which fuch advantages are attainable. When the river Shannon fhall be made navigable, and the junction perfected between it and the Grand Canal, ten thoufand troops with their baggage, artillery, ammunition and ftores, might be carried within three days from Dublin to Limerick, which journey could not be performed over land by fuch an army, in lefs than ten days or a fortnight, according to the ordinary rate at which fuch large bodies move.-And if conveyed by water, they would arrive fresh and fit for action the moment after their debarkation, instead of being harraffed and difabled by a long and fatiguing march. Or fhould it be the object of government to |