Editing Barge (section)

==== 18th century ====
[[File:Watercolour_of_Barton_aqueduct_by_G.F._Yates_1793.jpg|thumb|River barge below [[Barton Aqueduct]] {{circa|1793}}]]

In [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]], a merchant barge was originally a flat bottomed merchant vessel for use on navigable rivers.{{sfn|A Society of Gentlemen|1763|p=261}} Most of these barges had sails. For traffic on the [[River Severn]], the barge was described thus: "The lesser sort are called barges and frigates, being from forty to sixty feet in length, having a single mast and square sail, and carrying from twenty to forty tons burthen." The larger vessels were called trows.{{sfn|Phillips|1792|p=218}} On the [[River Irwell]], there was reference to barges passing below Barton Aqueduct with their mast and sails standing.{{sfn|Phillips|1792|p=75}} Early barges on the [[River Thames|Thames]] were called west country barges.{{sfn|A Society of Gentlemen|1763|p=261}}