WILTS & BERKS CANAL TRUST

The Bristol post says - "We understand that a project is on foot for developing the carrying facilities of the extensive canal system which exists between this city and several of the inland counties and a company has been promoted, chiefly by merchants and others interested in the Avonmouth dock, to be called the Bristol Port and channel warehousing and canal carrying company.

Arrangements have already been made with the Directors of the Wilts and Berks company for the lease of that undertaking. The intention is to improve the means of transit by canal and to offer increased facilities not only for the general carrying trade, but for the distribution throughout the country of large stocks of American produce which are now received at Avonmouth and in the old port.

Carrying by water can be conducted so much more cheaply than by railway that the new scheme promises to be a very formidable rival of the Great Western Railway, which serves the district traversed by the canal. The Wilts and Berks is 66 miles in length and extends from Semington, near Melksham to Abingdon, where it meets the Thames, and the junction with Bristol is formed by the Kennet and Avon Canal. That canal carrying can be carried out at a profit has been shown by the vigorous management of the Wilts and Berks canal by its present directorate.

When they assumed its control about six years ago it was earning no dividend for its then proprietors, but ever since that time the shareholders have received dividends varying from four to five per cent per annum. The traffic further up the Kennet and Avon canal is also being developed by Messrs Gerrish and Co, limited and doubtless the water highway will be used a good deal more freely by tradesmen in the locality.

Swindon Advertiser - April 29th 1882