0 ▁from ▁the ▁Pel ican ▁Life ▁Ass urance ▁Company . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 1 ▁the ▁last ▁of ▁the ▁deb ts ▁in cur red ▁in ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁fund ing ▁the ▁canal ▁including ▁the ▁Pel ican ▁loan ▁were ▁paid ▁off . ▁Where ▁the ▁Se vern ▁Railway ▁Bridge ▁( comple ted ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 9 ) ▁passed ▁over ▁the ▁canal , ▁a ▁swing ▁section ▁was ▁constructed ▁to ▁avoid ▁restrict ing ▁head room . ▁ ▁Early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁traffic ▁exceed ed ▁ 1   mill ion ▁tons ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁O il ▁was ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁list ▁of ▁cargo es ▁carried ▁by ▁the ▁canal , ▁with ▁bulk ▁oil ▁carri ers ▁taking ▁fuel ▁to ▁storage ▁t anks ▁s ited ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁of ▁Gl ouc ester . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁the ▁canal ▁was ▁navig ated ▁by ▁the ▁sub mar ines ▁ ▁and ▁. ▁ ▁The ▁canal ▁was ▁national ized ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁the ▁Sh arp ness ▁D ock ▁Police ▁which ▁had ▁pol iced ▁the ▁dock ▁since ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁were ▁absor bed ▁into ▁the ▁British ▁Transport ▁Police . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Survey ▁of ▁Can als ▁and ▁In land ▁Water ways ▁released ▁a ▁report ▁that , ▁among ▁other ▁things , ▁described ▁the ▁Gl ouc ester ▁and ▁Sh arp ness ▁Canal ▁as ▁carrying ▁substantial ▁traffic ▁and ▁offering ▁scope ▁for ▁commercial ▁development . ▁