Portsmouth and Arundel Canal

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The Portsmouth and Arundel Canal is a canal in the south of England. First conceived in 1815, it was constructed between Portsmouth and Arundel. Actual construction didn't start until 1818 and the canal wasn't finished until 1823, at a cost of £170,000. From day one, the canal was plagued with various problems and in 1827 the Portsea section of the canal had to be drained, due to complaints about salt water contamination in some of Portsmouth's wells. The canal was unable to compete with the sea routes and by 1832 the canal company was being forced to do the carrying itself. By 1836 the canal, with the exception of the Chichester arm, had ceased to be navigable. The Chichester arm was transferred to the Chichester corporation in 1892, the same year in which the canal company was wound up (the winding up order having been applied for in 1888).

[edit] See also

• Canals of the United Kingdom
• Wey and Arun Canal - the two canals together being intended to give secure inland waterway access between London and the naval base at Portsmouth.