James Sharp wrote a proposal in 1773 for a new canal from Waltham Abbey to Moorfields in the City. He explained the disadvantages of river transport mentioning the "wretched state of the Thames Navigation upwards" (meaning further away from London and the sea). Transcript - easier to read

The main points he is making are:

• Locks and dams in a river cause it to become shallower because silt builds up
• Engineering works can make a river navigable but pulling boats against the flow will always be hard

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