B O O K
V I I .
This canal forms part o f a plan, long projected by the
Swedes, to unite the Baltick and the German Ocean by an inland
navigation, as well for the purpofe o f improving the
interior trade of the provinces, as o f preventing the interruption
o f their foreign commerce, which is always the confe-
quence o f a war with Denmark. For as all veflels failing out
o f the Baltick muft neceffarily pafs through the Sound, they
are expofed to the Daniih privateers, who ihelter themfelves
under the batteries o f Eliinoor, which command the paffage
of that ftrait, unlefs a Swedifh fleet ihould ride miftrefs o f
the Gulf.
Guftavus Vafa was the firft fovereign who faw the utility
o f fuch an inland navigation, when he made Lodefe (now
Gotheborg) a ftaple town of trade, that the merchant fhips
coming to Sweden might not be obliged to fail through the
Sound; and he conceived hopes, that, in fome future period,
the merchandize might be tranfported from thence to Stockholm,
by means o f the Wenner, Hielmar, and Maeler, when
the rivers and lakes uniting with them ihould be rendered
navigable *.
Eric XIV. defirous to carry his father’s deiigns into execution,
gave orders for furveying the waters communicating
with thefe lakes, and directed plans to be formed for joining
them by artificial canals +. But the execution o f his great
fchemes was fruftrated by the turbulence and misfortunes of
his reign.
Several fucceeding fovereigns had this great objedt in view.
Charles IX. promoted it by the Carlfgraf canal; and Charles
XI. by that o f Arboga. The undertaking, however, o f
forming a water communication acrofs the whole country,
was always confidered as a work o f extreme difficulty. Mo-
* D a b lin , V o l . IIT. p . j i j . f H ift. d ’ E r ic X IV .
4 traye
traye fays, that Guftavus Adolphus was inclined to encourage chap.
the defign, but that no perfon could be found in Sweden« *
bold enough to engage in the enterprize: he adds, that
Charles XL fent for fome Dutch engineers, who, after they
had meafured the fall o f the waters between the Wenner and
the Hielmar, declared it to be impracticable. Difficulties,
however, infurmountable as they might appear to perfons o f
more fober: underftanding, were no barrier to the genius o f '
Charles XII. The fame author informs us, that the celebrated
engineer, Polheim, laid before that king a propofal for rendering
the cataradts o f Trolhsetta navigable; and for opening
a-communication, not only between Gotheborg and Stock- -
holm, but alfo with the Wenner, the Vetter, and Nordkio-
ping, fuffieient for the paffage o f very large veflels rK Pol-
heim’s plan was immediately approved, and begun by Charles, ,
fond of extraordinary projects; and, though interrupted for
fome time by the king’s death, was again revived with
frefh vigour under the late fovereign Adolphus Frederick.
This plan may be divided into three principal parts. -
1. The jundtion o f the Maeler and the Hielmar. 2. Of the
Hielmar with the Wenner. 3. Of the Wenner with the
German Ofcean.
1. Of the jundtion o f the Maeler with the Hielmar. Thefe
two lakes are united by the fmall river Ulvifon,,and the canal -
of Arboga. T h e former rifes to the weft o f Arboga, flows
through the town, and falls into the Maeler at Kungfaer. The
canal o f Arboga is cut from the Hielmar, and continued to
the Ulvifon about half a mile to the eaft o f the town. It was
begun in the reign o f Chriftina; but being only calculated •
for fmall veflels, was widened and deepened by order of
Charles XI. and completed under his fuccefibr Charles XII.
* V o y a g e s d e Motra ye., v o l. I I . p . 282*. 30.6.
it.