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CAN ATL NAVIGATION
IN BELGIUM.
BY
AºoBERT.
—i.
TRANSLATED AND ABSTRACTED BY
ALFRED BACHE, B.A., ASSOC. INST. C.E.
By permission of the Couneil.
Excerpt Minutes of Proceedings of The Institution of Civil Engineers.
Wol. lxviii. Session 1881–82. Part ii.
Edited by JAMES FORREST, Secretary.
~~~~~~~~~...~~~~~~~~~~
L ON DO N :
3}ublished by the institution,
25, GREAT GEORGE STREET, WESTMINSTER, S.W.
1882.
[The right of Publication and of Translation is reserved.]
ADWERTISEMENT.
The Institution as a body is not responsible for the facts and
opinions advanced in the following pages.
LONDON : PRINTED BY WM. CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS,
f
ºº
s
:
§
i
THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.
SECT. II.—OTHER SELECTED PAPERS.
*-m-m-m-
(Paper No. 1868.)
“Canal Navigation in Belgium.”
By A. GOBERT.
(Translated and abstracted by Alfred Bache, B.A., Assoc. Inst. C.E.)
THE first portion of this Paper deals with the improvements
recently proposed for what the Author calls canals of mean section,
in which the depth of water is not less than two metres nor more
than three (say from 6% to 10 feet). The second portion treats of
maritime canals, defined as having not less than five metres (say
16% feet) depth of water; and investigates the various plans lately
brought forwards in Belgium for canals of this class. The expres-
sion “average annual traffic * is taken to denote the tonnage
arrived at as the quotient when the total ton-miles resulting from
a year's traffic in both directions are divided by the length of the
canal. “Freight” includes all expenses pertaining to towing,
boats, boatmen, and return of empties. Interest on capital, main-
tenance of works, and working of locks, together make up the
“tolls.”
I.—CANALS OF MEAN SECTION.
In reports on the improvement of canals of this class in France,
drawn up in 1872–74 by M. Krantz, and in 1878 by the minister of
public works, M. de Freycinet, the conclusion arrived at by both
authorities was that in any country it was highly important, alike
for agriculture and for other industries, that there should be a net-
work of canals, running somewhat parallel to that of the railways,
wheresoever there was altogether traffic enough to pay the interest
on both the canal and the railway capital : to which the Author
adds that, in order to ensure co-operation instead of competition,
both modes of carriage ought to be under one and the same man-
agement, which he considers ought to be controlled by the govern-
* This Paper (appearing in the “Revue universelle des Mines,” 1881, vol. ix.,
pp. 356–400, 469-490; and vol. X., pp. 95–134), formed part of a competitive
essay, which was written in 1880, on the Development of Belgian Commerce, and
which was adjudicated a work of more than ordinary merit: eliciting the
comment that, in dealing with the question of canal navigation, the accuracy of
the calculations employed and the fairness of the views advanced were evidence
of a thoroughly sound acquaintance with the subject.
B 2
4 GOBERT ON CANAL NAVIGATION IN BELGIUM. [Selected
ment. The chief aim of improvements should be to bring about
uniformity of section, which is sadly wanting in the present canals
in France and elsewhere, as pointed out both by M. Krantz and by
M. Théophile Finet, a Belgian engineer. French canals are classed
as “main" and “secondary,” the former being under government
administration, while the latter are leased with or without subsidy.
The main canals are required to have 2 metres = 6% feet depth of
water, with locks 5 - 2 metres = 17 feet wide and 38° 5 metres
= 126 feet long. The administration of the main canals by the
government is understood to imply their maintenance by the State,
and the working of the locks, subject to the tolls; the option of
the tractive power to be employed is also reserved to the govern-
ment, which however undertakes no responsibilities of any kind in
regard to the actual conveyance of the traffic. For the working of
the canals it is considered essential in France that the bargees with
their families should continue, as hitherto, to live in their boats.
In Belgiumviews have latterly been advanced which are altogether
contrary to those current in France. In his book of 1878, M. Finet
recommended single-width canals worked on a similar plan to rail-
ways, doing away with the bargees, and making up a train of
barges with a tug in front and a steering barge in rear, all the
intermediate barges having flat vertical ends, slightly rounded
below water-line, instead of anything like prow and stern. Since
the power required to tow a boat is independent of its length, the
expense of towing would thereby be reduced to a minimum. The
whole train might carry 1000 tons, in five to ten barges containing
200 to 100 tons each; its total length would be about 140 metres
or 460 feet, and it would want only two men on the tug and either
one or two men on the rear barge. The locks would have to be
150 metres or 490 feet long, in order to avoid breaking up a train.
Cost of Carriage by Canal and by Rail.—In advocating his own
ideas, M. Finet charged railways and bargee-canals with not being
able to carry goods cheaply enough. The Author proceeds therefore
to examine the net cost of carrying heavy goods by the best ordi-
nary canals on the bargee system, and by railway: and to show
that M. Finet's single-width and long-lock scheme with train of
barges would not carry more cheaply than could be done by the pre-
sent system when improved as it ought to be. In his report of 1874,
M. Krantz assumed that canal traffic, like that of railways, ought
to pay, including interest and redemption, 5' 65 per cent. on
the capital sunk, which averages for canals 180,000 francs per
kilometre (£11,500 per mile); it must also pay maintenance of
works, and working of locks, which together are taken to average
yearly 1450 francs per kilometre (£93 per mile); and further it
Papers.] GOBERT ON CANAL NAVIGATION IN BELGIUM. 5
must pay “freight” (as already defined), which he assumes as an
invariable charge of 1 : 5 centime per tonne-kilom. = 0.234 penny
per ton per mile. On these assumptions it is readily shown in a
tabular form how largely the net cost of canal carriage is affected
by the total amount of the traffic: thus, with an average annual
traffic of only 50,000 tonnes-kilom. (say 30,000 ton-miles) the net cost
would rise to as much as 24' 74 centimes per tonne-kilom. = 3' 853
pence per ton per mile, which is as high as carting by road would
be; whilst twenty times as much traffic, or 1,000,000 tonnes-kilom.
(say 600,000 ton-miles), would bring the net cost down to only
one-ninth, or 2' 66 centimes per tonne-kilom. = 0:414 penny per
ton per mile. To the freight charge of 1 : 5 centime per tonne-
kilom. = 0.234 penny per ton per mile, derived by M. Krantz from
the canals in the north of France, exception is taken by the Author,
who examines separately the several items that go to make up the
freight—towing, boats, boatmen, and return of empties.
Steam Towing.— On the Willebroeck canal, which runs north
from Brussels past Willebroeck and enters the river Rupel opposite
Boom, all boats except steamers are towed by a steam tug working
on a chain. The length of the canal is 28 kilom. = 17% miles,
divided into five levels; and the locks are large enough to take in
six or seven boats at a time, along with their tug. The towing is
done by a company, from whose scale of charges and year's balance-
sheet the Author deduces 5 millimes' per tonne-kilom. = 0.078
penny per ton per mile as the actual price paid for towing, the
total annual traffic amounting to 25,200,000 tonnes-kilom. (say
15,400,000 ton-miles). But if the actual dividends were reduced
to the rate of 4 per cent., which prevails for Belgian government
securities, and if certain economies were effected which he believes
to be practicable, the Author considers the charge for towing might
be brought down to 3 millimes per tonne-kilom. = 0.047 penny
per ton per mile, including empties free.
Horse Towing.—On two Belgian canals, the Louvain and the
Charleroi, horses are employed for towing. The Louvain canal is
semi-maritime, with 34 metres = 11% feet depth of water, and runs
north-west from Louvain to the river Senne, which flows into the
Rupel about 1 kilom. or 3 mile further north-west. Its length is
30 kilom. = 18% miles, divided into five levels; the total tonnage
of the boats and ships passing through it in 1878 is estimated by
the Author at 273,000 tons, and the charge for towing averages
6 millimes per tonne-kilom. = 0.093 penny per ton per mile. The
Charleroi canal, winding northwards from Charleroi to Brussels by
* That is the one-thousandth part of a franc.
6 GOBERT ON CANAL NAVIGATION IN BELGIUM. [Selected
a circuitous route of 75 kilom. = 47 miles, is of small section, and
its boats all alike carry only 70 tons; hence the charge for towing
is higher, amounting to 8 millimes per tonne-kilom. = 0: 125 penny
per ton per mile. Including return of empties, the Author esti-
mates that horse towing might be done on government canals for
5 millimes per tonne-kilom. = 0.078 penny per ton per mile; while
Dr. Meitzen, a German authority, has arrived at an estimate of
from 4: 2 to 5.1 millimes = 0.065 to 0.079 penny.
Boats, Boatmen, and Empties.—The 110-ton boats in general use by
the carriers on the Willebroeck canal make weekly the double journey
from Brussels to Antwerp and back; the distance by the canal,
the Rupel, and the Scheldt, is 45 × 2 = 90 kilom. = 56 miles there
and back. The boatman gets 70 francs = 56s. per week for him-
self and his boat. With a full load both ways, this would give
7 millimes per tonne-kilom. = 0: 109 penny per ton per mile. When
the Charleroi canal is enlarged, the Author anticipates a large
traffic right through from Charleroi to Antwerp, a distance of
120 kilom. = 75 miles; a single journey per week would then
bring the cost down to 5.2 millimes = 0.081 penny. German
estimates by Dr. Meitzen range from 4-8 to 6.4 millimes = 0.075
to 0-100 penny. Whence the Author takes 5 millimes per tonne-
kilom. = 0.078 penny per ton per mile as the cost of boats and
boatmen, with a full load both ways, travelling 17 kilom. Or
11 miles per day, including all stoppages. One empty return in
two double journeys is as much as occurs in Belgium; this is
equivalent to making every journey with three-quarters of a full
load, whereby the above figures would be increased one-third, giving
6' 6 millimes per tonne-kilom. = 0: 103 penny per ton per mile.
Net Cost of Canal Carriage.—Applying the foregoing estimates
to an assumed average annual traffic of 1,000,000 tonnes-kilom.
(say 600,000 ton-miles), the Author arrives at 18:2 and 20:2
millimes per tonne-kilom. = 0: 284 and 0.315 penny per ton per
mile as the net cost of canal carriage, with steam and horse towing
respectively. These amounts are made up as follows:–
Millimes. Penny.
TOLLS Interest and redemption, at 4 per cent. . . 7-2 0 - 112
tºº, and locking . . . . . . 1'4 # ()' 022
e- | dº
ar, ºr, , , rn (Steam towing . . . . . 3-0 # # 0.047
FREIGHT (i. boatmen, and empties 6 6 i. # 0-103
&==== g 9- —
Totals, with Steam towing 18-2 3 | # 0284
Horse towing, excess over steam 2-0 # 3 0.031
* — = | 24 —
Totals, with Horse towing 20-2 # 0.315
Papers.] GOBERT ON CANAL NAVIGATION IN BELGIUM. 7
Net Cost of Carriage by Rail.--From French statistics of 1867
M. Krantz arrived at 38 millimes per tonne-kilom. = 0: 592 penny
per ton per mile as the actual minimum charge for the carriage of
heavy goods by rail, which he considered might be subdivided
nearly as follows:—
Millimes. Penny.
Locomotive power . tº t e º e º a He as 0° 140
Rolling stock . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 ° ‘ā 0.078
Wages and maintenance . . . . . . . . . 5 g 35 0.078
Interest and general charges . . . . . . . . 19 5 à 0°296
— ;, 5
Totals . . . 88 5 || || 0:592
— = | # —
Subsequently he gave 35 millimes = 0 , 545 penny as the mini-
mum charge practicable. At this rate he argued that a canal
could not compete with a railway, unless it could secure a traffic
averaging yearly at least 600,000 tonnes per kilom. (say 370,000
tons per mile). But in the absence of railway communication a
canal would pay with only one-quarter to one-sixth of that amount
of traffic.
In Belgium, where interest on capital is about all the profit the
State railways are expected to earn, the net cost of carriage comes
nearer to the charge made for it. The lowest charge is stated by
M. Sainctelette, the Minister of Public Works, to have occurred in
1878, and to have amounted to 31 millimes per tonne-kilom. =
0.483 penny per ton per mile. The coal traffic from the province
of Hainault to Paris was charged in the same year 35.8 millimes
per tonne-kilom. = 0:558 penny per ton per mile by the Northern
Railway of France; notwithstanding this competition, the canal
navigation of 283 kilom. = 177 miles from Belgium towards Paris
had a coal ton-mileage amounting to nearly half as much as that
by rail. M. Sainctelette concludes that, in spite of new or improved
canals, the railways will continue to carry large quantities of coal
and to earn an important revenue for the State; while at the same
time, however low be the charge for carriage by rail, the freight
by water can be made lower still. That 31 millimes = 0 °483 penny
is about the lowest charge practicable for goods traffic on the
Belgian railways is confirmed, in the Author's opinion, by the fact
that their passenger fares have lately had to be raised 5 per cent.
in order to yield the required revenue. The canal charges, already
arrived at, of 18.2 or 20.2 millimes = 0.284 or 0.315 penny, are
therefore seen to be fully one-third less than the minimum charge
for carriage by rail.
M. Finet's scheme of Single-width Canals.-The tempting prospect
of towing a train of ten 100-ton barges with scarcely any more
8 GOBERT ON CANAL NAVIGATION IN BELGIUM. [Selected
power than would be required to tow only one of them, and the
alluring advantages of speedily loading each separate barge, and
of detaching and attaching barges at intermediate wharves along
the canal's course, are considered by the Author to disappear when
looked into practically. A single-width canal would lose the great
advantage which the ordinary double-width canals now possess
over railways, of allowing boats to stop at any spot whatsoever,
for loading or discharging cargo. A regular time-table would have
to be strictly enforced; all boats would have to be made up into
trains, involving loss of time at starting; there would be delays at
the turn-outs, where the canal was widened for allowing the return
trains to pass; and steamers could no longer go where and when
they pleased. Bridges and locks, being already of single width,
could be built no cheaper; while the proposed long locks of 150
metres = 490 feet length, to take a train of barges, would cost
vastly more than the present French locks of 38.5 metres = 126
feet length. Even with very few locks, a single-width canal would
not come more than one-ninth cheaper than the ordinary canals of
double width; at the outside therefore it would not take off more
than 1 millime per tonne-kilom. = 0, 016 penny per ton per mile
from the tolls. Under the head of towing, the only possible saving
would be in consumption of coal in the steam tugs, which on the
Willebroeck canal costs about $ millime per tonne-kilom. = 0.008
penny per ton per mile ; if half this were saved on a single-width
canal, 4 millime = 0:004 penny would be all the economy thereby
effected. As for dispensing with bargees on all except the tug and
the rear barge of a train, the Author considers it would be prac-
tically impossible to work a train of rudderless barges round the
bends of a canal, and a most tedious and difficult job to handle the
barges separately at the wharves and docks where the train has to
be made up or dispersed; moreover the cargoes would not get pro-
perly watched, with so few men to look after them. The total
saving possible on a single-width canal, of 14 millime per tonne-
kilom. = 0.020 penny per ton per mile, would be swallowed up,
the Author believes, by the extra management expenses consequent
upon having to organise the canal service on a similar plan to that
of railways. He points out also that interest on original capital
has been omitted from M. Finet's estimated cost of canal carriage,
which is charged only with the interest on capital expended in im-
proving the existing canals, thereby vitiating the comparison with
carriage by rail ; while the unexplained assertion that 1 millime
would cover the “freight” on a single-width canal is met by
the Author's foregoing analysis, which shows 9.6 millimes per
Papers.] GOBERT ON CANAL NAVIGATION IN BELGIUM, 9
tonne-kilom. = 0: 150 penny per ton per mile to be about the
actual minimum. In preference to any such scheme as that of single-
width canals, the Author recommends the plan of navigation
already carried out upon the Willebroeck canal, where boats and
boatmen are hired yearly by carrier firms, and goods are conveyed
as safely and punctually (except in frosts) as by rail. This plan
he expects will undergo a vast extension, as soon as ever there is a
good system of canals reaching from Antwerp to Charleroi, Mons,
and Paris, and from Antwerp to Ruhrort on the Rhine.
Canal carriage compared with Sea.—While long sea voyages, in
which thousands of tons are carried thousands of miles, offer too
great a contrast to canal navigation, the latter may very fairly be
compared with short sea passages and coasting trips, in which a
few hundred tons are carried only a few hundred miles. From
London to Antwerp, a distance of about 350 kilometres or Say
220 miles, the freight by steamer is 21.5 millimes per tonne-kilom.
= 0 335 penny per ton per mile, which agrees very closely with
the Author's estimate of 18- 2 to 20 - 2 millimes = 0: 284 to 0 - 315
penny for canal carriage. The canal charge covers maintenance of
waterway and interest &c. on construction; the sea charge, while
free from both of these, includes other costs not incident upon
canals.
II.-MARITIME CANALS.
Terneuzen Canal.—Referring to the powerful advocacy of MM.
Colson, De Maere-Limnander, and De Grandvoir, in favour of con-
structing ship canals in the provinces of Brabant, Flanders, and
Liége, the Author points out that their arguments are altogether
of a general character, and are not backed up with detailed
estimates of profit and loss, such as ought to be made out before-
hand in connection with each of the several projects. He recom-
mends watching the results that will ensue from the deepening
just commenced of the existing Terneuzen ship canal, constructed
in 1824–7, which runs northwards 34 kilom. = 21 miles from
Ghent to Terneuzen in the estuary of the Scheldt. The upper
level of this canal, extending 20.854 kilom. Say 13 miles north
from Ghent to Sas-de-Gant (Ghent Lock), has only 4-4 metres or
14; feet depth of water, so that no vessels of more than 4 metres
or 13 feet draught can get up to Ghent; while in the lower or
northern level of 13, 187 kilom. Say 8 miles length, the depth in-
creases from 4'32 metres or 144 feet at Sas-de-Gant to 5’ 66 metres
or 18% feet at the sea-lock at Terneuzen, where vessels of 5-3
metres or 174 feet draught can accordingly enter at the lowest
tides. The bottom is now to be deepened throughout the canal’s
10 GOBERT ON CANAL NAVIGATION IN BELGIUM. [Selected
entire length from Terneuzen to Ghent, to a uniform depth of
4.02 metres = 13.2 feet below Dutch datum A.P.," so as to give
6' 5 metres = 21 3 feet depth of water in the upper level, and
6 - 05 metres = 19.8 feet in the lower; the two locks, at Ghent
and at Sas-de-Gant, are to be made 0° 25 metre = 10 inches deeper
still than the new bottom, with a view to the canal being further
deepened to that extent whensoever the time may come for a new
sea-lock to be constructed at Terneuzen.
Competing Ports.-Six general considerations are advanced by
the Author in respect to the question of constructing maritime
canals. In the first place, the advantage of competing ports is
illustrated by the virtual monopoly at present held by Antwerp,
where all traffic (except rails and ores) that does not come in river
boats has to be carted at a cost per ton of 1% franc = 144 pence and
upwards; the consequence is that certain large works in the Liége
district avoid Antwerp by making Terneuzen their port instead.
Avoidance of Transhipment.—Secondly, the minimum charge of
1} franc = 14} pence per ton for transhipment at Antwerp would
carry the goods by rail a distance of 48 kilom. = 30 miles, taking
the railway rate previously arrived at of 31 millimes per tonne-
kilom. = 0: 483 penny per ton per mile. The saving of tranship-
ment will benefit any canal in the inverse ratio of its length.
Propinquity of ea;isting Canals.--Thirdly, it will not pay to make
a ship canal through a district already served by an ordinary
canal, unless there be traffic enough to ensure a profit after
debiting the ship canal with the loss it will entail upon the
existing canal, which is certain to be thrown idle.
Travelling night and day.—Fourthly, the present custom in
Belgium is for canal boats to travel by day only ; but they
might safely do so by night also, provided it were arranged that
the up and down traffic should go on alternate nights. In that
way, for instance, the present six days’ journey from Charleroi to
Brussels would be completed in only four days, the boats travel-
ling two alternate nights and stopping the other two. More men
would then be wanted for the ordinary canal-boats, as well as for
the locks; but ships have of course an ample crew already.
Sea-borne Commerce.—Fifthly, ship canals attract to sea-borne
commerce capital which would not otherwise be so embarked.
The importance of capital in this connection is illustrated by the
success which has attended the Amsterdam ship canal, and which
Flushing, despite her quays and cranes, so signally lacks. Had
* Wide Minutes of Proceedings Inst. C.E., vol. lxii., pp. 4 and 32.
Papers.] GOBERT ON CANAL NAVIGATION IN BELGIUM. 11
Brussels, out of her redundancy of capital, dowered Antwerp with
adequate means of warehousing cotton and corn, the Author believes
a highly lucrative trade in both these commodities might already
have been secured to Belgium; and he looks forwards to the
advantages which will accrue from rendering Brussels a large
sea-port through the projected ship canal of 30 kilom. = 19 miles
to the Scheldt.
Net Cost of Carriage by Ship Canal.—Sixthly, taking a 1000-ton
steamer to burn coals to the value of 225 francs = £9 per day
when doing her 360 kilom. = 225 miles in 24 hours at sea, this is
equivalent to 62- 5 centimes per kilom. =9 58 pence per mile. On
the Erie canal, with locks 8 kilom. = 5 miles apart, the goods
steamers do 64 kilom. = 40 miles per 24 hours. Assuming only
60 kilom. = 37% miles per 24 hours on ship canals in Belgium, and
the same consumption for this lower speed as for the higher speed
at sea, the coal burnt on the ship canal will cost 37' 5 francs =
£1 10s. per day. Interest, redemption, insurance, and wages, may
be taken to make up a fixed charge of 400 francs = £16 per day.
Hence the freight is altogether 437' 5 francs = £17 10s. per day, or
7 3 millimes per tonne-kilom. = 0: 114 penny per ton per mile;
and adding one-third as before to allow for empties, the actual
freight becomes 9-7 millimes per tonne-kilom. = 0: 151 penny per
ton per mile, or very closely the same as the freight previously
arrived at for the ordinary canal-boats. According to their size,
the proposed ship canals in Belgium would cost for construction
and maintenance, some of them about twice and others about three
times as much as the ordinary canals; their depths of water would
be 5 metres or 164 feet and 6% metres or 22 feet respectively, and
they would be large enough for steamers up to 1000 tons and
3000 tons respectively. The tolls previously ascertained, of 8-6
millimes per tonne-kilom. = 0: 134 penny per ton per mile on the
ordinary canals, with an average annual traffic of 1,000,000
tonnes-kilom. (say 600,000 ton-miles), would therefore become
17.2 millimes = 0.268 penny, and 25.8 millimes = 0.402 penny
for the same amount of traffic on the smaller and larger maritime
canals respectively. The net cost of carriage on the two sizes of
ship canals would accordingly stand as follows, in millimes per
tonne-kilom. and pence per ton per mile:—
th of *
º * wº 5' 00 metres = 16*4 feet. 6.75 metres = 22° 1 feet.
Tolls . . . . I7-2 millimes = 0.268 penny 25.8 millimes = 0.402 penny.
Freight . . . 9.7 32 = 0: 151 , 9.7 , = 0: 151 ,
Totals . 26' 9 22 = 0:419 , || 35' 5 22 = 0 , 553 ,

12 GOBERT ON CANAL NAVIGATION IN BELGIUM. [Selected
As examples of the advantages resulting from ships being able
to make their way up to inland ports at a distance from the sea,
the Author refers to the large amount of traffic passing up the
Seine in sea-going vessels to Rouen, a distance of 124 kilom. = 77
miles inland from Havre. On the Terneuzen canal the tonnage
going up to Ghentin ships was trebled from 1870 to 1878; while in
the same period that going up the Scheldt to Antwerp was only
doubled. The Amsterdam ship canal, of 28 kilom. = 17% miles
length and 7 metres = 23 feet depth of water, has already, since
its opening at the end of 1876, caused a rapid increase in the com-
mercial importance of Amsterdam. From official statistics com-
piled for the Belgian Parliament" in 1878 by the late Baron Jacques
Behr, the seven Belgian ports rank in the following order of com-
mercial importance :-Antwerp, Ostend, Ghent, Louvain, Brussels,
Bruges, Nieuport. Antwerp alone takes 85 per cent. of the entire sea
tonnage of Belgium, leaving only 15 per cent. for the six secondary
ports together. In the British Isles the proportions are 40 per cent.
for London and Liverpool jointly, and 60 per cent. for the one
hundred and twenty-two secondary ports. In France also the same
proportions obtain : Marseilles and Havre together absorb 40 per
cent., leaving 60 per cent. for the seventy-three secondary ports.
The inference is that, if Belgium had secondary ports easily acces-
sible for large ships, these secondary ports would enjoy a share of
traffic corresponding with that of similar ports in other countries.
The traffic at Antwerp by ships, railways, and river and canal-
boats, is analysed by the Author; and the physical geography of
the Belgian sea-coast and of the Scheldt estuary is described,
which clearly points out the Scheldt as the great highway to the
sea for Belgium.
Proposed Maritime Canals.-The Author examines in detail the
commercial and engineering aspects of the several ship canals pro-
posed within the last eight years for the provinces of Flanders,
Brabant, and Liége. The Flanders project”—for the construction
of a harbour and sea-lock on the coast at Heyst, and thence of two
ship canals with 7 metres = 23 feet depth of water, one of 12 kilom.
= 7% miles to Bruges, and the other of 50 kilom. = 314 miles to
* Wide “Travaux Hydrauliques,” No. 174 of Belgian Parliamentary Papers,
dated 24 May, 1878, containing detailed descriptions and illustrative plans of
the projects for extending the sea commerce of Belgium; Plate 3 represents
graphically the statistics here referred to.
* Wide “Travaux Hydrauliques,” section 1.
Papers.] GOBERT ON CANAL NAVIGATION IN BELGIUM. 13
Ghent, as proposed by M. de Maere-Limmander—is shown to hold
out no prospect of financial success.
M. Colson's plan for maritime canals in Brabant'—from the
Scheldt to Brussels, Malines, and Louvain—would alter and utilise
the existing Willebroeck and Louvain canals, enlarging them to
63 metres or 22 feet depth of water, with 20 metres = 65% feet
width at bottom and 53% metres = 176% feet at surface, so as every-
where to allow two vessels to pass. Instead of both canals falling
into the Rupel as at present, the Willebroeck or Brussels canal
would be prolonged to enter the Scheldt just above the confluence
of the Rupel, opposite Rupelmonde; the Louvain canal would join
the Brussels canal at a little more than 8 kilom. = 5 miles from
Brussels; and a branch of 8.8 kilom. = 5% miles would connect
Malines with the Brussels canal. The distances from Antwerp
would be 45 kilom. = 28 miles to Brussels, 61 kilom. = 38 miles
to Louvain, and 34 kilom. = 214 miles to Malines. There
would be five levels, as at present, for the total fall of 10- 78
metres = 35% feet from Brussels to the Scheldt ; and the locks
would be 14 metres = 46 feet wide, with a clear length of 120
metres = 394 feet. A lengthened investigation respecting traffic
leads the Author to the conclusion that the Brabant plan, besides
being easy of execution, will prove from the very first a profitable
undertaking, and will largely aid the development of Belgian
COIſlTylerCé.
A maritime canal from Liége to the Scheldt, with 5 metres=16%|
feet depth of water, is proposed by M. de Grandvoir, passing
through Tongres, Diest, and Aerschot, and joining the present
Louvain canal near Campenhout lock. Below this lock both the
present canal and the Rupel would want deepening. The distance
would be 127 kilom. = 79% miles by the new canal from Liége to
Sennegat, the outlet of the Senne into the Rupel; and from Senne-
gat to Antwerp 28 kilom. = 17% miles by river: making a total of
155 kilom. = 97 miles from Liége to Antwerp by water, against the
railway route of only 108 kilom. = 674 miles. The existing Cam-
pine canal from Liége to Antwerp, which takes a longer course
northwards of the proposed route, would be laid idle by the ship
canal. From traffic considerations which he investigates, the
Author believes the carrying out of the Liége project could not
result otherwise than in loss.
Conclusion.—While engineering talent has for half a century
past been brought to bear upon the development of the railway
—i-
* Wide “Travaux Hydrauliques,” section 3.
14 GOBERT ON CANAL NAVIGATION IN BELGIUM. [...]
apers.
system, canals have been almost neglected. The Author has aimed
at showing the importance of their now receiving very careful
attention; he recommends examining the present state of canal
navigation in other countries, and watching closely the Canadian
ship canals, as well as the ordinary canals in America, particularly
the Erie canal. Great results may yet be achieved, he is confident,
by the scientific study of canal navigation.
LONDON :
PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED,
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