1822.

EARLY HISTORY OF CANALS.

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Upon the 31st of January, the Ohio Assembly passed a law 1822.] " authorizing an examination into the practicability of connecting Lake Erie with the Ohio river, by a canal."

This act grew out of events, a sketch of which it may be worth while to present to the reader of these pages.

One of the earliest of modern navigable canals was made in Lom-bardy, in 1271; it connected Milan with the Tesino. About the same time, or perhaps earlier, similar works were commenced in Holland. It was not, however, till 1755, that any enterprise of the kind was undertaken in England; this was followed, three years later, by the Duke of Bridgewater's first canal, constructed by Brindley.

In 1765, an act of Parliament authorized the great work by which Brindley and his patron proposed to unite Hull and Liverpool   the Trent and the Mersey. This great undertaking was completed in 1777. The idea thus carried into effect in Great Britain was soon borne across the Atlantic.

The great New York canal was suggested by Governeur Morris, in 1777; but, as early as 1774, Washington said he had thought of a system of improvements by which to connect the Atlantic with the Ohio; which system, ten years later, be tried mostperseveringly to induce Virginia to act upon with energy.

In a letter to Governor Harrison, written October 10th, 1784, he also su