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Trade
In the 1800s the main route for transporting goods between London and Portsmouth was by coaster. Coastal transport was very cheap but suffered from dangerous conditions and the possibility of capture. The London to Portsmouth canal route offered an inland route which cut 100 miles of the journey. Unfortunately, although the distance was shorter it actually took longer than by coast. As barges did not travel at night the journey took at least four days. Adverse weather causing flooding, fog and water shortages were common and increased journey times.
During the first six months of operation 1500 tons of goods arrived in Portsmouth and Chichester from the canal (Vine, 1973).. Although this figure was below the aim of 550,000 tons a year the proprietors where confident of an increase in the following year. Nevertheless 1824 yielded only 3650 tons (Vine, 1973). This was mainly due to a lack of heavily laden return traffic from Portsmouth and Chichester. Although some goods where sent from the South Coast to London it was not nearly enough to balance the cost of transporting goods to the South Coast. Hence, the barge operators costs where increased because they had to make the return jurney to London with a light load.
The canal trade was still of benefit to Portsmouth and Chichester providing Chichester with its first gas lighting system. The Bank of England also made use of the canals safe passage to transfer gold bullion guarded by redcoats. Furthermore, the Arun Navigation benefited from the opening of the Portsmouth to Arundel Navigation with an increase in tolls of 47% (Vine, 1973).
By 1824 the canal had begun to run aground. Thirty six residents of Portsea Island had lodged complaints that sea water which supplied the canal was entering fresh water supplies through wells. A public meeting was called to try and get compensation and prevent further pollution. The swing bridges were also discussed as they had become highly dangerous. The proprietors called a meeting and some compensation was allocated.
It is conceived, by competent authority, that the bridges across the Portsmouth Canal are in a most inefficient state, and that something should be immediately done to them, or in case of any accidental crowd, or heavy weight, crossing them, before the winter is over, a similar occurance may result to the recent catastrophe in the Dock-Yard 
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By 1825 London to Portsmouth trade fell
by one half (Vine, 1973). Lord Egremont finally decided to end his involvement
in 1826 by
surrendering his shares in the company. He also agreed to pay the company's forty thousand pound debt in exchange for making the canal efficient.
In an attempt to resurrect the flagging canal the company obtained an additional Act to get a further £50,000 capital through shares or mortgage. To increase traffic tolls were reduced on navigations between Portsmouth and London. Efforts were also being made to improve the canal's image by offering a cruise to the great and the good of Guildford.
In 1830 construction had begun to create the Cosham cut in accordance with John Rennie's initial plan. This would allow the Portsbridge canal to be closed. The Cosham cut was opened in June 1831 rendering the Portsbridge canal useless. Nevertheless traffic was still advanceing at a trickle with only four barges going to London in the winter of 1831. In an attempt to increase traffic operators on the London to Portsmouth route were asked to allow barges to travel for free. With the exception of the Wey and Thames goods could now pass toll free. Although traffic did improve passage to Lodon was still extremely sluggish. One venture that did provide freight to London was egg imports. The company imported eggs from France to Portsmouth and then tranferred them by barge to London. In 1832 eggs accounted for 254 tons or 38% of trade to London. By 1838 trade had fallen to a mere 750 tons. By the 1840s trade on the canal ended.
surrendering his shares in the company. He also agreed to pay the company's forty thousand pound debt in exchange for making the canal efficient.
In an attempt to resurrect the flagging canal the company obtained an additional Act to get a further £50,000 capital through shares or mortgage. To increase traffic tolls were reduced on navigations between Portsmouth and London. Efforts were also being made to improve the canal's image by offering a cruise to the great and the good of Guildford.
In 1830 construction had begun to create the Cosham cut in accordance with John Rennie's initial plan. This would allow the Portsbridge canal to be closed. The Cosham cut was opened in June 1831 rendering the Portsbridge canal useless. Nevertheless traffic was still advanceing at a trickle with only four barges going to London in the winter of 1831. In an attempt to increase traffic operators on the London to Portsmouth route were asked to allow barges to travel for free. With the exception of the Wey and Thames goods could now pass toll free. Although traffic did improve passage to Lodon was still extremely sluggish. One venture that did provide freight to London was egg imports. The company imported eggs from France to Portsmouth and then tranferred them by barge to London. In 1832 eggs accounted for 254 tons or 38% of trade to London. By 1838 trade had fallen to a mere 750 tons. By the 1840s trade on the canal ended.
data from (Vine, 1973).