Caledonian Canal

Caledonian Canal, a chain of natural lakes united by artificial canals, running straight across the north of Scotland in a south-westerly line from the North Sea to the Atlantic, through Glenmore, or the Great Glen of Albin, in Inverness-shire, and touching Argyllshire at its southern extremity. The sea and fresh-water lochs in this line are the Moray Firth and Lochs Dochfour, Ness, Oich, Lochy, and Linnhe. The canal was formed to avoid the dangerous and tedious navigation of ships, especially coasting-vessels, round by the Pentland Firth, Cape Wrath, and the Hebrides; the distance between Kinnaird's Head and the Sound of Mull by this route being 500 miles, but by the canal only 250, with an average saving of 9½ days for sailing-vessels. From the head of the Moray Firth to that of Loch Linnhe, the length of the canal is 60½ miles, 37½ miles being through natural lochs or lakes, and 23 miles by artificial cuts. Each cut is 120 feet broad at surface, and 50 at bottom, and 17 deep. The highest part is Loch Oich, 105 feet above sea-level; and there are in all 28 locks. The practicability of this great work was first shown by James Watt's government survey in 1773; but it was not till 1803 that it was begun under Telford. The whole line was opened for ships in 1823; and after three years of repair, it was reopened in 1847, the total cost up to 1849 being £1,311,270. Ships of 500 to 600 tons can pass through the canal. The annual expenditure exceeds as a rule the income, each ranging between £6000 and £11,000. The scenery is romantic on both sides of the canal, and has many other objects of interest, such as Fort William, Ben Nevis, Inverlochy Castle, Tor Castle (the ancient seat of Cameron of Locheil), Glen Spean, Glen Roy with its Parallel Roads, Fort Angus with its monastery, the Fall of Foyers, and Inverness.