Why steam and railways overtook a mid-Scotland ship canal

Would a mid-Scotland ship canal have changed trade or naval operations?

Its case was strongest before widespread steam navigation and railways, which progressively reduced the danger and expense of the route around northern Scotland.

Sailing ships risked being driven ashore by the currents and winds around northern Scotland, giving an inland shortcut a safety advantage. Steam power made that passage easier to navigate. As engine power, bunkerage, and water capacity improved, ships could remain under steam longer and cope more reliably with those waters. The expansion of Scottish railways by the middle of the nineteenth century further weakened the canal's transport case. A shorter route alone no longer provided a convincing financial advantage.