Yarrantonwasnosooneratlibertythanwefindhimagainoccupiedwithhisplansofimprovedinlandnavigation。HisfirstschemewastodeepenthesmallriverSalwarp，soastoconnectDroitwichwiththeSevernbyawatercommunication，andthusfacilitatethetransportofthesaltsoabundantlyyieldedbythebrinespringsnearthattown。
In1665，theburgessesofDroitwichagreedtogivehim750L。andeightsaltvatsinUpwich，valuedat80L。perannum，withthree-quartersofavatinNorthwich，fortwenty-oneyears，inpaymentforthework。Butthetimeswerestillunsettled，andYarrantonandhispartnerWallnotbeingrich，theschemewasnotthencarriedintoeffect。*
[footnote……
NASH’SWorcestershire，i。306。
InthefollowingyearwefindhimoccupiedwithasimilarschemetoopenupthenavigationoftheriverStour，passingbyStourportandKidderminster，andconnectitbyanartificialcutwiththeriverTrent。Someprogresswasmadewiththisundertaking，sofarinadvanceoftheage，but，liketheother，itcametoastandstillforwantofmoney，andmorethanahundredyearspassedbeforeitwascarriedoutbyakindredgenius——JamesBrindley，thegreatcanalmaker。Mr。ChamberssaysthatwhenYarranton’sschemewasfirstbroughtforward，itmetwithviolentoppositionandridicule。Theundertakingwasthoughtwonderfullybold，and，joinedtoitsgreatextent，thesandy，spongynatureoftheground，thehighbanksnecessarytopreventtheinundationoftheStouronthecanal，furnisheditsopponents，ifnotwithsoundargument，atleastwithveryspecioustopicsforoppositionandlaughter。*