All Canal Traffic held up.

Owing to the excess of wet, a tremendous volume of land water has been flowing down the Brent of late. This culminated in the Weir near Col. Clitherow’s property bursting on Sunday afternoon.

It was about two o’clock when a swift rush of water broke the weir down, the effect of which has been to empty the canal between the two sets of locks over a distance of about a mile.

All traffic on the canal from Brentford to the north has been held up and as a consequence it is very doubtful if many barge workers who reside in the Midlands will reach their homes in time to spend Christmas as they seek to do whenever possible.

So much land water has been coming down that repair works are necessarily delayed until the flood abates. It is hoped however to commence the repair today (Wednesday). Everything was got in readiness for the work to be commenced within a few hours of the occurrence thanks to the prompt action taken by the Grand Junction Canal Officials but of course they are impotent before the swift rush of waters.

It was fortunate that the canal officials were so early apprised of the untoward event and were able to take prompt measures, otherwise it is almost certain much of the craft must have been sunk.