RETURN to Two ORDERS of the Honourable The House of Commons, dated respectively 7 & 30 July 1845;—for, COPIES" of all Memorials, Correspondence, Surveys, Valuations, and Reports, in relation to the Extension of CANAL or RIVER NAVIGATION between LOUGH ERNE and The RIVER SHANNON." (Mr. Morgan John O'Connell.) RETURN" of PAYMENT on account of COMMISSION for IMPROVEMENT of the RIVER SHANNON, and for Works under their Direction, whether by Grant or Loan (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper, No. 459, of Session 1844):" "SIMILAR RETURN of the Amount and Periods of PAYMENT for WORKS; from what Quarter issued; whether by Grant or Loan; also, of the Amount, whether by Grant or Loan, that the Treasury have still to pay in Advance for the same Works." (Colonel Sibthorp.) Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be Printed, 633. [2] SCHEDULE. 3 August 1844.-Letter from Henry Porter, Esq. Secretary of the Ulster Canal Company, to Henry R. Paine, Esq. 12 August 1844.-Letter from Henry R. Paine, Esq. in reply thereto 12 August 1844-Letter to Lord Eliot from Sir John Burgoyne • p. 3 P. 3 P. 4 9 October 1844.-Letter from H. Porter, Esq. Secretary of the Ulster Canal Company, to W. T. Mulvany, Esq, with Memorial from that Company - P. 5 14 October 1844.-Letter from Henry R. Paine, Esq. to Henry Porter, Esq. 15 October 1844.-Letter from Henry R. Paine, Esq. to James Perry, Esq. 2 November 1844.-Letter from Henry R. Paine, Esq. to John MacMahon, Esq. c.E. 9 November 1844.-Letter from Henry R. Paine, Esq. to Francis La Touche, Esq. 26 March 1845-Letter from Henry R. Paine, Esq. to the Secretary of the Ulster Canal Company - P.. 7 5 April 1845.-Letter from Henry R. Paine, Esq. to the Secretary of the Ulster Canal Company P. 7 - 30 May 1845. Report of John MacMahon, c. E. p. 8 25 June 1845.-Letters from Mr. Paine to the Ulster Canal Company, Francis La Touche, Esq. and William Enery, Esq. P. 31 27 June 1845.-Letters from Mr. Paine to the Secretaries to the Grand Jury of Cavan, Fermanagh, and Leitrim - p. 31 28 June 1845.-Letters from Mr. Paine to the Secretaries to the Grand Jury of Roscommon, Londonderry, Armagh, Antrim, Down, Monaghan, King's County, Lor.gford, Tipperary, Galway, and Tyrone P. 32 28 June 1845.-Circular, signed by Mr. Paine, to all Proprietors and Persons interested Abstract of Valuation Return of Sums paid on Account of the Commissioners appointed under the Act 2 & 3 Vict. c. 61, for the Improvement of the River Shannon COPIES of all Memorials, Correspondence, Surveys, Valuations, and Reports, in relation to the Extension of CANAL or RIVER NAVIGATION between LOUGH ERNE and The RIVER SHANNON. LETTER from Henry Porter, Esq. Secretary of the Ulster Canal Company, to Henry R. Paine, Esq. Sir, Ulster Canal Office, Austin Friars, Letter from Henry 3 August 1844. THE Directors of the Ulster Canal Company being deeply impressed with the Esq. importance of extending their navigation between Lough Erne and the River Shannon, in connexion with the works now in progress for the improvement of the Woodford River, have desired me respectfully to request to be furnished with an estimate of the probable expense of surveys, sufficient for the purpose of the Company, of the navigation of that river. The Directors will feel grateful to your Board, if, as the object is one of such great importance, you will favour them with any information in your power relating to the line of navigation between Lough Erne and the Shannon, and especially with your views as to the best point of junction with the latter. As the directors have reason to believe that your Board are in possession of estimates of the probable cost of making the navigation complete between Lough Erne and the Shannon, the directors will feel themselves further obliged if you will favour them with the result of such estimates. LETTER from Henry R. Paine, Esq. in Reply thereto. Sir, Office of Public Works, 12 August 1844. THE Commissioners have had before them your letter of the 3d instant, requesting, by desire of the Ulster Canal Company, to be furnished with a statement of the expense that would be requisite for surveys, &c. for a project to connect Lough Erne and the Shannon, in connexion with the improvements to be made by this Board, in Woodford River, for the Ballinamore drainage; and also to have the opinion of the Commissioners as to the best point at which a canal from the lake might join the river. No works are yet in progress by the Board on the Woodford River, but the Commissioners have received a memorial, under the provisions of the Drainage Act, 5 & 6 Vict. c. 89, and a deposit of funds for the detailed surveys, estimates, and preliminary proceedings required for the drainage of lands along the river from Ballinamore, nearly to Lough Erne. The river extends beyond Ballinamore to Lough Scur, on the summit of the country, within five statute miles of the Shannon, at Leitrim, to which a small stream flows directly from the summit referred to. As yet the Commissioners have not received any application for the drainage of the lands along this portion of the line, but they are led to understand that the proprietors of this district contemplate doing so. It is right that the Ulster Canal Company shall be aware of the circumstances, and that any application to this Board should be made under the provisions, and subject to the conditions of the Drainage Act, which gives all the requisite powers, upon the application, and at the expense either of the counties. benefited, or any person or company, for the formation or improve:nent of navigation in conjunction with drainage, and for the subsequent maintenance of the navigation so made, and allocation of the tolls, &c. With reference to the probable expense of the surveys and other preliminary proceedings, under the Act, respecting the navigation part of the inquiry, it is, under the foregoing circumstances, difficult to form an estimate; the most economical course for all parties would be, that the surveys and inquiries, both as to the navigation and drainage, should be effected, in their full detail, together; and 633. Letter from Henry 12 August 1844. R. Paine, Esq. this can of course be done if the parties interested in the navigation now forward their memorial, under the Act, and the necessary funds. In conjunction with the complete drainage inquiry a sum of 350 l. would probably be sufficient for the detailed surveys and preliminary proceedings regarding the navigation from Lough Erne to the Shannon at Leitrim. If not aided by the two inquiries, the expense would, of course, be greater. The chief information as to this project possessed by the Board, is that contained in Mr. Mulvany's report on this subject, presented to Parliament in 1839, from which and from any subsequent information the Board have obtained, it appears that Leitrim, which will be the terminus of the steam navigation of the Shannon, is the best point of junction with that river. It also appears from a recent cursory examination of the country, for the purposes of the drainage measures along the Woodford River, that by combining the objects of drainage and navigation, and making available (by connecting them) the several small lakes and navigable portions of the Woodford River, believed to be nearly 19 miles in length in the aggregate, a very great saving may be effected in the cost of the navigation part of the measure, when compared with the estimate for an artificial canal for the whole distance, as stated in the report referred to, perhaps even from 153,000l. to 80,000l.; but the Commissioners are not in possession of any precise estimate on the subject, no survey for the purpose having yet been made. I have, &c. (signed) Henry R. Paine. Letter to Lord LETTER to Lord Eliot from Sir John Burgoyne. Dear Lord Eliot, Office of Public Works, 12 August 1844. I RETURN the printed paper on the project for uniting the navigations of Lough Erne and the Shannon, and thereby nearly all other navigations of Ireland, pre 12 August 1844. sented to you by Mr. Pierce Mahoney. The importance of such an undertaking can scarcely be over-estimated, and will be more clearly explained by a report drawn up by Mr. Mulvany in 1839, of which I enclose a copy. It would, in fact, afford outlets from the Shannon and surrounding districts direct to two new ports, viz. Belfast and Newry. Since that report was made, measures of drainage are in contemplation under the new Drainage Act, which, if carried out, would very greatly facilitate the effecting of a navigation, by adapting the works (without increasing the cost to the parties seeking the drainage) so as best to meet both objects. So great an effect will be produced, that Mr. Mulvany's estimate for the navigation will be reduced from 153,000l. to perhaps not much exceeding 80,000 l. The alteration in the project, arising out of the combination of drainage with the navigation, is described in manuscript on the plan annexed to the report. With respect to the manner of carrying such a measure out, so far as is connected with drainage (which is for four-fifths or more of the whole distance), it should be under the provisions of the Drainage Act, in which every necessary power is contained, and by which, whoever provides the funds, the navigation would remain in the hands of the Commissioners, and the allocation of the tolls is provided for. With reference to the degree of support to be granted by Government towards it, I am not prepared at present to give an opinion; much must depend upon the general principle which the Government and Parliament would take, in the matter of aid to such public undertakings, and a great deal as to the parties who would remain in possession, and the prospect of return in the shape of tolls, &c., on which at present we have little precise information. If Government should be willing to grant aid towards such an undertaking (and I believe it would be excellent policy to do so), the more direct the manner of affording it, I should think the better. As yet no official application under the Act has been made to the Commissioners of Drainage, nor funds provided to extend their inquiries as regards this district to the question of navigation; but when parties interested provide the means for so doing, as from some preliminary correspondence it is anticipated may be the case, we shall be enabled to give the fullest information, and be better able to express an opinion upon the prospects of such a measure. I have, &c. LETTER from H. Porter, Esq. Secretary of the Ulster Canal Company, to Dear Sir, Ulster Canal Office, Austin Friars, when I BEG to forward enclosed a memorial from the committee of the Ulster Canal I shall remit, by to-morrow's post, with a request that it may be handed to you, the sum of 150 l., in part of the deposit required by the Commissioners; and I am authorized by the committee to say, with reference to the conversation which passed between us, that the remainder of the deposit, not exceeding 200 l., shall be paid when required by your Board. I am, &c. (signed) Henry Porter, Secretary. To the Commissioners appointed for the execution of the Act 5 & 6 Vict. c. 89, intituled "An Act to promote the Drainage of Lands, and Improvement of Navigation and Water Power, in connexion with such Drainage, in Ireland." Showeth, The Memorial of the Undersigned, That your Memorialists are proprietors of the Ulster Canal, in the counties of Armagh, Monaghan, and Fermanagh. That they are desirous of having the same connected with the Shannon at Leitrim, by a navigation along the Woodford River and lakes, through the counties of Cavan, Fermanagh, and Leitrim. That your Memorialists are desirous of availing themselves of the provisions of the Drainage Act above referred to, for the purpose of having such navigation made, in conjunction with relieving the lands along the same, and such others as your Board shall consider may be relieved by the necessary works, from flood and other injury by water. That your Memorialists are ready and willing to deposit such sums as your Board shall deem necessary and sufficient for the several preliminary proceedings required to be taken. And your Memorialists therefore pray that such navigation shall be made in conjunction with the drainage of all the lands so injured, under the provisions of the aforesaid Act. Dated this 9th day of October 1844. By Order of the Committee of Management of the Ulster Canal Company. (signed) Henry Porter, Secretary. LETTER from Henry R. Paine, Esq. to Henry Porter, Esq. Sir, I AM directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, enclosing a memorial from the committee of the Ulster Canal Company for the connexion of that canal with the Shannon at Leitrim, by a navigation along the Woodford River and lakes, through the counties of Cavan, Fermanagh, and Leitrim, and stating that you will remit to Mr. James Perry, to be handed to the Board, the sum of 150/. in part of the deposit required by the Commissioners, and that you are authorized to say that the remainder of the deposit, not exceeding 200l., shall be paid when required by the Board. Office of Public Works, 14 October 1844. And I am to acquaint you that the money has not yet been received, but the Commissioners, on the undertaking given in your letter, to pay the further sum of 2001. when called on, will now direct the inquiry as to the navigation to be proceeded with. Letter from H. Porter, Esq. to W. T. Mulvany, Esq. 9 October 1844. Letter from Henry 14 October 1844. I am, &c. (signed) Henry R. Paine, Secretary. |