A. D. 1733. Anno fexto Georgii II. C. 29, 137
- Matters and Owners of Ships and Veflels ufing fuch Ballafting, the ufual Rates and Prices following,
c videlicet, Nine Pence for every Tun of Ballaft furnifhed to Ships employed in the Coal Trade, and
- twelve Pence a Tun from all other Britijl) Ships and Veflels, and fixteen Pence a Tun from all foreign
' Ships and Veflels; and the Net Profits arifing and produced from the faid Rates and Duties arc appli-
- ed and difpofed of towards the Maintenance and Relief of many Hundreds of decayed Seamen, their
' Widows and Orphans : And whereas of late Years great Frauds have been committed by the Pallaft ' Men, in not delivering due Tunnage of Ballaft to Mafters and Commanders of Ships : And whereas
- the Ballaft Men and Owners of Lighters have reprefented and complained, that the Price of Provifions
' and Labour in general is greatly advanced, and the River is much deeper than formerly, and the ' Ballaft more difficult to be raifed, and farther to be fetched, and the Lighters obliged to be ffronger ' built, and fitted with Marts, Sails and other Rigging ; and that unlefs the Wages and Hire of the ' Ballaft Men and Lighters be raifed, the faid Lighters cannot be made ferviceable for the Purpofes in-
- tended, nor the Ballaft Men maintain themfelves and Families : And the faid Ballaft Men have entred
' into a Combination, refuting to work and fupply Ships with Ballaft at the ufual and accuftomed Rates ' and Prices, and have demanded and received, of feveral Mafters of Ships and Veflels, an advanced ' Price of three Pence per Tun for Ballaft delivered to them refpectively : And whereas the faid Mafter, ' Wardens and Afliftants are defirous that all Frauds and Abufes in Ballaftage may be effectually reme - ' died and prevented ; and although feveral Merchants and Owners of Ships are willing arid defirous ' to advance the Rates and Duties of Ballaftage, yet as the faid Matter, Wardens and Afliftants are not
- warranted or authorized to take more than the Rates and Prices accuftomed, the fame cannot be efta-
- blifhed without the Authority of Parliament : ' Wherefore for the remedying and preventing fuch
Frauds and Abufes as aforefaid, and preferving the Navigation of the River Thames, and promoting and encouraging the Trade of this Kingdom, be it enacted by the King's moft Excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That from and after the firft Day of June in the Year of our Lord one thoufand feven hundred and thirty-three, all Mafters and Owners of Ships and Veflels lying in .the River of Thames, having Occafion for any Ballaft on Board any fuch Ship or Veffel, (hall pay to the faid Corporation of Trinity Houfe, for all fuch Ballaft demanded and entered at the Ballaft Office of the faid Corporation, the Rates and Prices following, (that is to fay) For every Tun of Ballaft confifting of twenty hundred Weight, carried to any Ship or VeiTel employed in the Prices to he paid Coal Trade, the Sum of twelve Pence, and no more, and for every fuch Tun of Ballaft carried to any for Ballad after other Britijb Ship or Veflel the Sum of fifteen Pence, and no more, and for every fuch Tun of Ballaft to^BaiiaiYilen carried to any foreign Ship or Veflel, the Sum of nineteen Pence, and no more ; and that from and after the faid firft Day ot June one thoufand feven hundred and thirty-three, the faid Corporation of Trinity Houfe fhall pay for the railing and carrying every Tun of Ballaft confifting of twenty hundred Weight, lb to be carried to any fuch Ship or Ships, Veflel or Veflels refpectively, the Sum of nine Pence, where- of the Sum of fix Pence fhall be paid to the two Ballaft Men for their Labour, and the Sum of three Pence for the Ufe of the Ballaft Lighters employed in that Service ; and no greater or higher Rates or Prices fhall be paid to or demanded by the faid Corporation for the Ballaft to be fo raifed and carried to any fuch Ship or Veflel, nor any greater or higher Wages paid to or demanded by the Ballaft Men or Owners of Lighters for the raifing and carrying the fame, than the refpective Rates, Prices, Wages and Hire above mentioned. II. Provided always, That nothing in this Act contained fhall extend to alter the Price of wafiied ™^ p ^ e °| Ballaft ufed by or delivered to any Ship or Veffel refpectively. ^ to'be akcr- III. And it is hereby further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That if any working Ballaft Man ed. fhall, from and after the faid firft Day of June one thoufand feven hundred and thirty-three, deliver or T^ffl d n P ' a! " caule to be delivered to any Ship or Veflel "any Ballaft which fhall fall (hort of the Quantity or Tunnage ing ihort Quan- at and for which the fame lhall be delivered, or fhall neglect or refufe to deliver to any Ship or Veffel titles, fuch Quantity of Ballaft as the Rulers of the Ballaft Office of the laid Corporation fhall, by their ufual Orders 9 ^'"* Notes or Tickets for the Purpofe, order or direct ; or fhall deliver to any Ship or Veflel any more or other Ballaft than fhall be ordered or directed by the faid Rulers to be delivered to any fuch Ship or Veflel refpectively ; then and in fuch Cafe, every Ballaft Man fo offending, and Oath be- ing made of the Fait within ten Days after the Offence committed, or within Ten Days after the next Return of fuch Ship or Veffel into the River of Thames, by the Mafter, Mate or other Officer of any fuch Ship or Veffel, before any Supervifor of the Ballaft Office of the faid Corporation, being an Elder Brother (and which Oath any fuch Supervifor is hereby authorized and required to adminifter without Fee or Reward) fhall, for every Tun which the Ballaft fo delivered fhall appear, upon Oath as aforefaid, to fall lhort of the Tunnage or Quantity the fame was delivered for, and alio for every Tun ' of Ballaft fo ordered and directed by the Ballaft Rulers on board any Ship or Veffel, which fuch Ballaft Man fhall neglect or refufe to deliver as aforefaid, and for every Tun of Ballaft fo delivered without or contrary to the Orders and Directions of the faid Rulers as aforefaid, forfeit and pay the Sum of two Shillings and fix Pence. IV. And it is hereby further declared and enacted, That the faid Mafter, Wardens and Afliftants Mafter and fhall, from Time to Time, pay, fatisfy and make good to the Mafter or Owner of fuch Ship or Veffel, Wardens to the Quantity or Value of the Ballaft which upon fuch Proof as aforefaid (hall be found deficient, and not Defidencie! in delivered as aforefaid, either by delivering the like Quantity of Ballaft or paying the Value thereof jn Ballaft deli- Money, at the refpective Rates and Prices aforefaid, at the Option of the Party aggrieved : And in cafe vered > fuch Recompenfe, Payment and Satisfaction be refufed to be made, or fhall not be made within ten Days after the fame fhall be demanded, then the faid Corporation in every fuch Cafe lhall forfeit and Vol. VI. T pay
