Whilst researching original documents relating to the Staffs and Worcs Canal in Stafford Record Office, I came across an "Abstract of Cutting of Canal above Dunsley Rocks Page 27". I don't think I'm allowed to post the image but it is divided into four sections: First Depth, Second Depth, Third Depth and Fourth Depth. The left hand column appears to be headed "Stations" (difficult to decipher) under which the numbers 1-23 appear giving 23 lines across the document. Each 'Depth' has a number of columns: First Depth has 'Soil', 'Gravel', 'Rock at 1d' and 'Rock at 3d'; Second Depth has 'Soil', 'Gravel', 'Sand (?) Rock', 'Rock at 1d', 'Rock at 2d', 'Rock at 3d', 'Gravel Rock at 3d' and 'Rock at 4d'; Third Depth has 'Soil', 'Marl', 'Sand' Rock', 'Soft Rock at 1d', 'Gravel Rock' at 3d, 'Gravel Rock at 4d' and 'Rock at 6d'; Fourth Depth has 'Soil', 'Marl', 'Sand Rock', 'Soft Rock at 2' (no 'd') and 'Soft Rocks at 2d'. Various figures are entered into the boxes although most of them are blank. The First Depth has figures in all 23 lines under 'Soil'; the same is true for the Second Depth apart from line 18. Other figures are dotted around the boxes. Along the bottom each column is totalled eg First Depth Soil is 7479.8.
Can anyone help me to decipher what this is all about? What are the Depths? What are the Stations? What units are assumed for the various materials? Why do the Depths have different headings/materials? Why are there so many blank boxes? (For example, there is only one entry under Gravel in the First Depth (Line 22: 109.7))