THE CASE For Making the Rivers air and CALDER, in the County of YORK, Navigable to LEEDS and WAKEFIELD.  
THAT there now is, and for many Years past has been, a very great Trade carried on in the Manufacture of Woollen Cloth, and other merchandises and Commodities, from the Towns of Leeds and Wakefield, Hallifax, Ealand, Keighley, Burstal, Bradford Bingley, Otley, Skipton, Huddersfield, Peninston, Houley, Horbury, Almondbury, Dewsbury, Mirfield, and many other Towns in the West Riding of the County of York, and Ratchdale and Colne in the County of Lancaster; which Trade is very Advantageous to His Majesty's Customs, and very Beneficial to His Majesty's Subjects, many Thousands of Families being thereby maintained, who without it are not able to subsist.  
BUT, by reason the Traders from the said Places are forced to carry their Commodities, some Twenty, some Thirty, and others Forty Miles, before they come to a Navigable River, which is extremely Expensive, and attended with very great Damages to the Goods sent down. This Trade is much hindered, and the High-ways mightily damaged, and the Country put to a great expense to Repair the same, and notwithstanding such Repairs, yet the Ways are made altogether impassable in Winter-time for ordinary Country Carts and Carriages, by reason of the great number of Carriages, to the great Prejudice of that Country.  
THAT the making of these Rivers Navigable, which are proposed to be done no otherwise than by a Voluntary Contribution of the Neighbouring Towns, Gentlemen and Freeholders, will not only mightily Encourage and Increase Trade in the Northern Parts, and especially that of the Woollen Manufacture, by a more easy and cheap conveyance of wool, and all other Commodities that are made use of in the said Manufacture.  
BUT will also preserve the High-ways, and keep them from being at any time impassable, and save much Money laid out in Repairing the same.  
IT will likewise advance His Majesty's Customs, and increase Watermen and Boatmen, and consequently Seamen.  
IT will Employ a great many Persons in making the same Navigable, and when made, a great number of Men, Boats, and Horses.  
WHEREFORE it is Humbly hoped, That this Undertaking will have the Assistance and Encouragement of this Honourable House, for the Effecting of so good a Work, and which so highly conduces to the Benefit of the public; And to the removing of those great Inconveniencies which the said Country and Traders in the Woollen Manufacture labour under, by reason of their great Distance from a Navigable River.