One of the many things I did learn from the guided tour is about the canal that ran under the huge dock, bisecting the large peninsula of the Isle of Dogs.
The canal was dug, owned and operated by a company, completely independent of the West India Company. It went bust.
In theory, a canal makes perfect sense, as it saves sailing ships (entirely dependent on the wind and tides) rounding the peninsula. But it had a simple fault. Canals require locks. Locks and canals are slow; the ships didn’t use it. The West India Company bought the canal in a fire sale and used it for themselves.
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