Canal from Lewes to Brighton

Bevendean History Project

Canal from Brighton to Lewes Prospectus

Report, Estimate,

AND
PROSPECTUS
of
A PROPOSED CANAL
from
LEWES TO BRIGHTON,

In the County of Sussex

For the double Purpose of carrying Goods at a cheaper than the present Rate; and supplying both Towns with uncontaminated Running Spring Water, at a moderate Rent per Annum.

BRIGHTON
PRINTED BY J. CUMMINS, NORTH-STREET,
OPPOSITE THE NEW ROAD.
1826.

The high rate of carriage at which heavy goods are obtained at Brighton, and the impure quality of the water with the difficulty of procuring it both at Brighton and Lewes, having suggested the idea of forming a Canal between them, for the double purpose of conveying goods at a cheaper than the present rate, and supplying the inhabitants of both towns with pure spring water at a moderate annual rent, I commenced a Survey on the 1st of November last, in order to ascertain the practicability of the project, and the method and expense of accomplishing it.

On entering on the Survey, my first object of course was directed to find a source from which a supply of water might be obtained in quality and quantity sufficient for the aforesaid purposes; and, after a minute examination of the Cockshut and Spring-ditch springs near Southover, I found that they would jointly afford all that was requisite both in point of quantity and quality.

My first object being thus attained, I commenced the Survey of the Canal line, and the plan and section will shew that I propose to form a junction with the River Ouse, nearly opposite the Gas Manufactory below the Bridge at Lewes, by means of an entrance-lock 18 feet wide in the clear, so as to admit the largest craft that now trade between Newhaven and Lewes into an intended basin, to be formed nearly opposite St. Mary’s Lane, which leads into the central part of Lewes. The communication-lock of this basin is intended to be of the same dimensions us the last, in order that any barge which now navigates the Ouse may enter the basin and land her cargo, or put it on board the canal barges for Brighton, which are not to exceed 25 tons burthen. The basin is to contain 1½ acres of surface water, and to have convenient wharfs, &c. constructed around it for the landing or loading of all kinds of goods likely to be conveyed by Canal.

After leaving the basin, the plan and section will shew that the intended line inclines a little to the southwest, clearing the Tan-yard, crossing the road near a bend in it, and coming again into the bottom a short distance westward of Mrs. Newton’s garden wall. It then keeps on the south side of the rivulet, and nearly parallel with it (crossing St. Pancras’ Lane and the road at Winterbourne Bridge) until it passes the site of the Old Barracks. It then crosses the rivulet, in order to cut off a crooked part of the valley, and afterwards re-crosses and keeps on the south side of the brook to its source. Still keeping due west, the line crosses the Kingston-road near Ashcombe Turnpike-gate, and the present road to Brighton near a cottage a short distance west of the gale. It then keeps between the present and a piece of road now forming, until it re-crosses the former near the spot where the latter commences ; and it preserves the same direction, keeping a little on the south side of the road until it reaches Mr. Woodman’s cottage. The line then takes a south-west course, and runs up nearly to the top of the valley called Cranedean, where the summit level is obtained at an elevation of 174 feet above the Cockshut and Spring-ditch. At this elevation the ground rises rapidly, and a Tunnel of one mile and a half is intended to be drove to carry the line under the Downs, which will bring it out a short distance east of Bevingdean Farm. After leaving the west end of the tunnel, the line crosses the valley near Bevingdean by an embankment, keeps on the side of the hill nearly in level cutting, and crosses the Bevingdean road below the wind-mill. It then crosses a valley, and proceeds westward, crossing another small valley at Kemp Farm, and keeping on the hill until it reaches a small flat valley nearly opposite the New Church at Brighton, above a stone fence-wall of some garden ground, where another basin of 1½ acres is intended to be constructed with suitable wharfs, &c. From this basin, it is intended to carry the line westward about 25 chains, for the better accommodation of the centre part and west end of the town; and it is also intended either to carry a heading under the hill for the conveyance of water, or a tunnel for the conveyance of water and goods together, to a basin to be formed on the Kemp Town side.

Having described the line, I shall next state the dimensions I propose the Canal should be, which are as follow:—Width in the bottom, 14 feet in the clear of the slopes; width at top water when at the regular standard height, 29 feet; width at top bank, 32 feet 4 inches; depth on the lockage line, 4 feet 0 inches above the level of the pointing cills of the locks; ditto on the summit line, 5 feet 6 inches, which will in consequence become an immense reservoir containing an abundance of water, at an elevation to meet every emergency that may arise, either from the engine being out of repair, or from an extra quantity being required in cases of fire or otherwise. The general bottom of the Canal is to be 4 inches under, in order to allow for mudding up. The locks are to be 6 feet lifts each.

In order to save water, which of course is an object of the utmost importance, where it has to be raised to so great an altitude as 174 feet, I propose to attach a side pond to each of the locks, which will save one-third of the lockful of water requisite to pass a boat either up or down without losing time.

The whole length of the Tunnel will be in a strong bed of chalk, and in all probability a considerable part of it, after getting in some distance at each end, will stand of itself, without the support of brick arching ; but I have made no direct deduction in the estimate on this ground, least arching should be necessary.

There will be a considerable length of deep cutting at each end of the Tunnel. The embankment at Bevingdean will take a large portion of the earth at that end, so that little or any land will be required there for spoil bank, but as there is no valley to cross at the other end, the same advantage will not be had, and land consequently will have to be got there for the purpose. There will be another embankment at the west end of the line, across a valley near-the wind-mill on the Bevingdean road, but it is short, and materials for filling it up can be had adjacent on each side, so that the expense of it will be little more than the cost of regular cutting.

I now come to explain the manner in which both the Canal and the towns of Brighton and Lewes are to be supplied with water. I propose to form a basin, into which the waters of the Cockshut, Spring-ditch, and other adjoining springs are to be collected, between Lewes and Southover near the entrance-basin before mentioned, which will be raised by engine-power, and sent thence in the following manner:— A line of cast-iron pipe will be laid from the engine along the Canal-bank to the summit level, to convey water thither for supplying the lockage of the Canal and the town of Brighton, to the basin at which, it will be carried at an elevation of 174 feet above high water mark ; or if it should be deemed preferable, the water for Brighton may be conveyed in pipes the whole way. A branch pipe is intended to be joined to the main a short distance westward of the engine, to supply the town of Lewes. From the basin at Brighton, and the branch-pipe at Lewes, the water will be conducted by street pipes in the usual way.
I shall next give an estimate of the expense at which contracts I am satisfied can be obtained for the execution of the work.

ESTIMATED EXPENSE OF THE WORK.
Excavation	£20,048	2	0
Tunnelling*	£18,942	0	0
Lining	£11,935	2	0
Collecting Springs, Coffre Dam, and Locks	£32,470	0	0
Engines, Cast-iron Pipes, &c. &c	£35,845	0	0
Land and Houses	£3,000	0	0
Bridges and Culverts	£1,910	0	0
Towing Path, Rail Fencing, and Back Draining	£773	17	0
	£125,531	0	0
Superintendance and contingent Expenses	£4,409	0	0
	£130,000	0	0
ALEXANDER CLARK, Engineer, Mill Wall, London.

PROSPECTUS.
It is well known that the danger and expense of landing Cargoes on Brighton Beach, and the greater distance down Channel, and higher port charges of Shoreham, give an advantage to Newhaven Harbour of about 4s. per ton, on the price of all seaborne goods—in other words, that Coals, &c. are at all times to be had there for 4s. less per ton than on the Beach of Brighton, or at the Harbour of Shoreham. This advantage even now, notwithstanding the high cost of carriage between Newhaven and Brighton, occasions a large portion of the Coals, &c. that are required for the consumption of the latter town to be brought from the former, and, were the rate of carriage reduced as it would be by canal conveyance to 3 or 4s. per ton, instead of being 9 or 10s. as at present, the greater part, if not the whole of the Coals, and other seaborne goods that are necessary for the consumption of Brighton, would be carried to it from Newhaven, and produce to the Canal Proprietors a handsome revenue for their carriage; and in consequence of the reduced rate thereof, a very large annual saving to the inhabitants, both of Brighton, and of other places, even to a considerable distance on the London side of it, to which it would then become a depot and market for Coals, Timber, Iron, Sugar, Wine, Spirits, Salt, and other heavy articles; and advantages of equal or greater magnitude in both respects would accrue from the carriage, by Canal, of Flour, Barley, Malt, Oats, Peas, Beans, Potatoes, Hay, Straw, Lime, Bricks, and other Materials, that are now carried to Brighton from Lewes, or the eastward, which, including the quantity of seaborne goods, that would come by way of Newhaven, may, at the lowest estimation, be calculated (considering that about 60,000 Tons of Coals alone, are consumed in Brighton every year,) at 120,000 Tons per Annum.

There are now nearly 10,000 houses in Brighton and Lewes, all of which, excepting the smaller tenements, obtain their supplies of water for domestic and other purposes from wells on the premises, which, after being sunk at a great expense, are sometimes dry for a considerable period, which with many of them was the case last summer. The houses in both towns, but in Brighton in particular, have cess-pools for the reception of their waste water, &c. instead of drains and sewers to take it away as in other towns ; and in consequence of the open nature of the Chalk Strata, in which the wells and cess-pools are formed, and their close adjacency in general, the liquid impurities of the latter frequently find their way into the former, and render the water at various seasons of the year, not only obnoxious to the taste, but injurious to the health of those who use it; a convincing proof of which was lately published in a most respectable medical work, entitled, “ The Gazette of Health,” and from it copied into several of the London and Provincial Journals. In large establishments, the labour of pumping and carrying water is very great, and frequently occasions no inconsiderable additional item in the annual amount of servants’ wages. In cases of fire, it is with great delay and difficulty that water can be procured: and never in sufficient quantity, or without great expense, for watering the streets in hot or dusty weather.

The impure quality of the water, and the difficulty and expense of procuring it, together with the high rate of carriage at which heavy goods arc conveyed to Brighton as aforesaid, occasioned a Survey to be undertaken in November last, to ascertain the practicability and expense of forming a Canal between Lewes and Brighton, which might answer the double purpose of conveying goods at a cheaper rate, and supplying both towns with uncontaminated spring water at a moderate annual rent. The practicability of the project was soon ascertained by Mr. Clark, of Mill Wall, near London, an engineer of very considerable experience in Canal business, and the method and expense of carrying it into effect are fully and satisfactorily detailed in the preceding report and estimate. The statement which follows, is intended to show the revenue and advantages which may reasonably be calculated would result from the work, and the way in which it is proposed to raise the capital necessary to accomplish it.

It has been stated that the quantity of goods to be conveyed annually by Canal to Brighton, would at least amount to 120,000 Tons, and this even at the low Tonnage of 2d. per mile, would annually produce ............................................	£7,500.
It has also been stated that there are already 10,000 houses in Brighton and Lewes. There scarcely can be a doubt that almost every housekeeper in both towns would become a renter of the Company’s Water, on account of the advantages he would have in so doing, as will hereafter be stated; but in order that the anticipated revenue may in every way be under rather than over rated, let 5,000 only, or half the number of houses in Brighton and Lewes be reckoned on as water-renters, and that at an average rate of 30s. per annum, and if it be considered that in this average rate, even houses of the first class, manufacturing and other large establishments are included, 30s must be a very low annual charge indeed. Hence however ….......................................	£7,500.
The revenue which it may be calculated would arise from wharfs, yards, &c. at the basins; from the Insurance Companies for Water, for the safety of their interests against fire; from the bodies corporate of both towns for water for the use of the streets in hot or dusty weather; from a track-boat for the conveyance of parcels and passengers; and from the exaction of a small toll from foot passengers visiting or passing through the Tunnel, would at least amount to ……………………....	£1,500
Total Revenue	£10,500

the annual charge on which would be as follows :
Expense of Engines in fuel, attendance, & wear & tear	£2,000
Ditto of Lock-keepers, and general repairs ................	£500
Management .......................................................	£1,000	£3,500
		£13,000

This calculation shews, that the nett annual revenue of the proposed Work would be equal to 10 per cent on the Capital necessary to carry it into execution; or in other terms, that those who take shares in the concern, may reasonably and confidently calculate on being paid interest at the rate of 10 per cent per annum on every share they may hold, and participate besides, or enable others to participate in the following advantages, which must result from the concern, viz.:

1st.—A considerable reduction in the rate of carriage to Brighton, and consequently in their price there and in the Country to some distance on the London side of it as already explained, of Coals, Flour, Barley, Malt, Oats, Peas, Beans, Potatoes, Wine, Spirits, Sugar, Salt, Hay, Straw, Iron, Timber, Bricks, Lime, &c. &c.

2nd.—A constant supply to the towns of Brighton and Lewes, of excellent running Pure Spring Water, at a mere trifle of expense to the inhabitants, without trouble, in any part of their premises, and in abundance at all seasons, not only for domestic purposes, but for the use of Stables, Brew-houses, Gardens, the Streets, and Market; and for the protection of property in cases of fire, in which dreadful event both towns are now destitute, in consequence of not having an adequate supply of water to render the fire engines useful, as recent calamities have proved ; whereas by the proposed plan, every street in Brighton and Lewes would at all times command any quantity of water, that could in such cases be required ; and not only this/but every pipe would become, simply by the affixture of a hose to it, a powerful engine, capable, on account of the altitude of the reservoirs, of throwing water in torrents to the tops of the highest houses in either town:

3rd.—The improvement of the greater part of the land through which the Canal is intended to pass on account of the facility it will afford to the conveyance of produce to market and the bringing home of manure :

4th.—An increased commerce to the port of Newhaven and the town of Lewes, in consequence of the increased quantity of goods which would come to, and be conveyed from them to Brighton, by means of the Canal, which would of course occasion an increased income to the Ouse lower navigation :

5th.—And lastly, the removal of every objection that can possibly be urged against Brighton as a sea coast residence, by the introduction to it of an abundant, cheap, and conveniently obtained, supply of as pure and excellent spring water as shall be found in any part of the Kingdom.

In order therefore that an undertaking in every point of view so beneficial as that proposed may be carried into effect, it is intended to form a Company, to be called “The Brighton and Lewes Canal and Water Works Company,” and to raise a capital of £130,000 by 5,200 transferable shares of £25# each, for the purpose, in the first place, of applying for an Act of Parliament next Session (the necessary notices for which are given), and in the second, of accomplishing the work. The affairs of the Company will be conducted in the usual manner, by Directors, &c. elected by the Shareholders at General Meetings. The Subscribers to the first 2000 shares will be entitled to double their number of shares in preference to new Subscribers, at any time they may think proper to do so before the list be complete. As soon as 1000 shares are subscribed, a Meeting will be called, and a Provisional Committee appointed. A deposit of Ten shillings per share will have to be paid at the time of subscribing, to defray the expense of the Survey, Plans, &c. and provide for the application to Parliament, but no further sum will he called for until the Act. shall be obtained, and a General Meeting of the Subscribers held, at one of which all calls, both as to amount and time of payment, will be regulated.

APPLICATIONS FOR SHARES WILL BE RECEIVED
By Messrs. WIGNEYS and Co.; Messrs. HALL, WEST, and BORRER, Bankers, Brighton; and Messrs. HURLY, MOLINEUX, WH1TFELD, and DICKER, Bankers, Lewes.
It is necessary to add, that this Undertaking has no connexion whatever with the recently proposed Newhaven and Chatham Ship Canal, nor with any party or parties therewith connected.

* If the Tunnel should stand without brick arching, as I expect it will do, the cost of driving it will be very considerably less; and I feel quite confident that the saving which will arise under this head, and the produce of the flints that will be found in forming the Canal, will together amount to a sum sufficient to defray the expense of erecting proper wharfs and warehouses at each end of it, and carrying a heading or tunnel from the basin at Brighton to the Kemp Town side, should this last addition to the work be deemed necessary.

# The Shares are made of so low amount as £25. in order that the Proprietors or Occupiers even of the smaller Houses may be enabled to participate not only in the general advantages, but in the profits to result from the concern. It is calculated that a dividend of £2. 10s. per year will be derived from each share, and that the average water-rent for houses will be 30s. only. It is therefore evident that any Occupier of a house in Brighton or Lewes, who holds a single share in the undertaking, will have an abundant supply of excellent water for his premises, gratis, and 4 per cent for the use of his money over and above.

CUMMINS, PRINTER, BRIGHTON.