me of far less note, not
been too apparent; then, perhaps, this project, commendable as it is,
would have shared the same fate, during a season of sickness, which it
did twenty years ago.

But since these falls of water do exist, and are always ready to lend
their willing aid to turn the ponderous wheels which impart motion to
many mill-stones and many thousand spindles, beyond the possibility of
denial;--and since the great landed proprietors have expressed nothing
unfriendly to the project, but, if any thing, the reverse, at this moment
of national difficulties and distress, highly to their credit and
understanding;--and since the all-wise hand of Providence hath permitted
an unceasing demand in one place, and a never-failing supply in another,
at distances perhaps the most suitable and interesting for a work of this
kind; {vi}--and, considering the necessity which the commerce of this
district so evidently requires in an improved mode of transporting, from
place to place, its heavy weights, with despatch and cheapness; then
there can be no doubt of the propriety of prosecuting a scheme of this
kind, so long, as we believe, on substantial data, that the completion of
it will reward the shareholder, and give to this place what it once
possessed, and be the means of rendering it again the first district in
the kingdom for the manufacture of linens.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.

At a meeting held the 16th day of March, 1818, in the Town's-Hall, at
Knaresbro', your Committee were authorised to appoint a suitable person
to take a survey of the country, in order to point out the most eligible
line for a Canal to Knaresbro'.

After various correspondence with different engineers, the choice of your
Committee fell upon Thomas Telford, Esq. a gentleman of long experience,
and of whose abilities, as a civil engineer, every reliance was placed.
About the latter end of May following, this gentleman visited Knaresbro',
viewed the localities of the place, took running and comparative levels
over the shortest and most convenient ground, to the higher side of
Linton-lock, and also towards Tadcaster. In the latter direction, as
being a more direct communication with the port of Hull, he fully
recommended a close survey to be made, for which purpose he sent his
assistant Mr. Palmer, who commenced the survey with such other assistance
as he required, about the latter end of June, and continued surveying and
levelling in variou