gling houses; and, if there was due encouragement, by the removal of a few inferior streets that are intersected with gardens and with rope-walks, there would be room for several docks of large dimensions, with every accommodation for wharfs and warehouses, &c. and be capable of being insulated by walls and surrounded by roads, and the whole tending towards the city.

The depth of water in the adjoining part of the river is equal to ships of any burthen that pass Deptford. If necessary, however, a small projection might be made on the banks of the river (which are always dry at low water). This projection would not intercept the navigation of the river, which is generally limited to mid-channel; and within this projection a passage might be dug, leading from the river to the docks. Bell-Dock, and places adjacent, would afford considerable depth of water for the passage; and (except by cutting through Wapping-street at right angles) Wapping would only be disturbed by the sacrifice of a few small and retired houses.

Perhaps another entrance might be practicable at no great expense into the Thames from Blackwall, through the Isle of Dogs. It would save a long and troublesome navigation round the Isle of Dogs, which is now accompanied with delays from wind and tides. It would also avoid the Pool, and leave the river freer for navigation and mooring; lessen accidents, save the expense of chains, the wear and tear of anchors and cables, and prevent robberies from river-pirates. This cut might be so made, as even to aid the navigation of those ships that intend to moor in the river.

Docks and Warehouses might be extended according to wants and funds. Particular lines of commerce might be kept as much as possible together; and warehouses and vaults might also, for convenience and safety, be subdivided for the reception of bonded commodities, &c. under the same regulations as at present.

Large and commodious docks and warehouses might be further made also at the Hermitage and at St. Catharine's, having communications with the Wet Dock and with the river. The lands lie low, having every accommodation for quays, warehouses, and cranes, on an extensive scale; and are equally capable of insulation to prevent fires and plunder. In these two districts, also, are many waste spots, gardens, and squares; the whole, comparatively speaking, having but a very few intervening houses, or small streets and courts,

and

and those mostly bad in fame and condition, and of little value. There are already there two inlets from the river. At spring-tides, ships of any size might be made to enter through at St. Catharine's and at the Hermitage; and at neaptides it would be open for the reception of vessels and craft of 100 and 150 tons.* *

As the East-India Company has warehouses of their own in different parts of London, and only want cranes and quays to land and to ship, permission might be granted them to build wharfs, within a circuit of walling, subject to the same management and control as at present. As the Company cart away and warehouse their goods at their own premises under the lock of customs and excise, and never pay duties but on delivery of their goods, after their public sales, such a measure would give great relief to the legal quays. The Company took up, in 1792, forty-three ships of above 37,500 tonnage; and, in consequence of the renewal of their charter, are extending their commerce: they have already taken up forty-four ships of 39,527 tonnage for 1793, and more are expected to be engaged.

THERE are two other plans for docks, which are in themselves respectable, and are accompanied with many natural advantages for the immediate reception of ships, and the discharge of their cargoes, viz. the Isle of Dogs and Rotherhithe; but they are subject to some difficulties on account of distance, risk, expenses and delay of aftercartage and river-navigation; and these are independent of powerful opposing interests. Either or both these spots might be made the receptacle for colliers, timberships, whalers, and light vessels, &c. The three first. might discharge their cargoes with no other expense than dock-duties, without waiting for craft, and without the necessity of warehouses, or at least of expensive ones. -These docks would also give to London a constant and steady supply of coal, and lessen the necessity of store-craft, which so frequently impede and interrupt the navigation of the river, both above and below bridge. They would also ease the pool of a perpetual fleet of colliers, and leave the river freer for navigation and mooring. The annual

These two spots are already made use of as warehouses and sufferancewharfs, for the reception of a considerable portion of the trade of London. They are nearer to the Tower than some of the legal quays are to the Customhouse and Tower.

importation

importation of coal to London is about 800,000 chaldrons, forming about 3,500 cargoes.

A SUMMARY OF THE GENERAL ADVAN

THES

TAGES.

HESE docks would treble the present dispatch given at the legal quays, and all the conveniences flowing from thence.

They would be central to the city, to the customs, to the excise; to merchants, tradesman, brokers, and coopers; also to inspection, sale, delivery, and consumption; they would not disturb the present seat of commerce as to residences and employments dependent upon shipping; or the situation of manufactures established near the landing of those merchandizes that are large and bulky; such as rope-walks and sugar-houses, lying on the east side of London, which compose more than one-half of those houses in London.

If the docks were insulated with walls, and under regulations, they would give convenience and security to property; control and convenience to the revenue and its officers, owing to their compactness; and they would at once strike at the root of all those illicit practices which plunder the proprietor and defraud the revenue; and also greatly check those receiving-houses and cellars up and down the river, which form so great a part of our riverplunderage.

They would give room and dispatch for the coastingtraders, and also invite coasters to frequent the London, or north, side of the river; and, as commerce increased, coasters would multiply. The docks would also but little derange the internal intercourse of the traffic of London, Westminster, or Southwark, or the land-carriage into the country. In many cases, the town-cartage would be even nearer than at present, and the increase of it to distant parts, would scarcely, on an average, increase the rate above six-pence or a shilling per load.

They would be near the seat of commerce and business; and, as such, would rather have a tendency to combine leading interests to favour these improvements than to oppose

them.

The spots first-mentioned for docks are inland and healthy, and free from the fogs and exhalations of the river. They

are

are surrounded by habitations, where fires would add dryness to the atmosphere, and in some measure lessen the humidity accompanying colder and damper situations. Exclusive of health, damp situations also greatly influence the appearance, value, and condition of several species of merchandize, and particularly those that easily dissolve; a loss which cannot be estimated; but which is so great, as to be inconceivable to persons unexperienced in the fact.

From ships and craft moving only with the ebbing and flowing of the tide, one half of the working-hours on the river are in a manner lost; and night-tides are frequently useless for this purpose. From the loss of time during daylight, craft, when in the act of transit, are either thrown greatly into the time of the night-tides, or cause delays at night at the quays, as landing of goods can only happen at legal hours. Those who are the best-informed about the rivercommerce, know how much dark nights favour dark deeds.

As no lights would be permitted in the docks or surrounding warehouses, fewer fires would happen there than on each side the river; where fires at times have spread at low water, from warehouses to ships, and from ships to warehouses, or to other ships. These losses by fire, upon and along the river, are annually to a very great extent. surances of craft, and of merchandizes from the ship to the quay, are also expensive, from the risk being great from accidents and losses.

In

These docks and warehouses would create a fair competition with the legal quays, destroy combinations, lessen rents and charges, and all those evils consequent to limited situations.

THE NECESSITY OF AN EXTENSION OF THE LEGAL QUAYS AND WAREHOUSES.

T

HE want of room at the legal quays creates delays and expenses to shipping: lighters are also frequently detained at the quays during a month or six weeks, before they are discharged.

Accidents and losses frequently happen to ships, craft, and merchandizes, from these delays; and property is thus lost without recompense to the sufferer, and with detriment to the revenue. In case of losses, contests also frequently arise about the payment of duties.

Merchan

Merchandize also frequently meets with greater waste and plunder on-board of ships, and in the craft, and until housed, than is occasioned by the whole voyage. It is further subjected to all kinds of weather and damage. Lighters should be made close, as formerly, to guard against weather and plunderage.

Wars increase these impediments, by throwing commerce into fleets, which crowd the river so much, as not only to clash with each other, as to landing and markets, but to occasion additional delays, accidents, and losses.

As seamen and landsmen become impressed, hands grow scarce, ships lose their petty officers, confidence lessens, and wages advance. Cargoes cannot be delivered, but with delay, by a gang of lumpers, at 3s. 6d. per day; though frequently fed, they always plunder. In peace, the labour of a seaman, or common man, would be 1s. 6d. and 2s. per day.

SEIZURES frequently arise from delays, though the merchandize has been duly entered, and duties in part paid; as the merchandize, for want of room on the quays, cannot be landed within the time limited by law, which for wines is twenty-one days, and for rums, coffee, &c. thirty days; while ships, from the pressure of the times, cannot discharge their cargoes in two months, and many cannot within three months.*

There is a general complaint of the decrease of lighters on the river. The coal-barges are now made for that trade alone, and form floating-warehouses; and the barges of the Company of Wharfingers are wearing out, and not to be replaced. Wharfingers are declining lighterage, and lighters are falling into a few hands, and these can at any time, as at present, create a combination. There are but few lighter-builders on the river, and the craft fit for the sugar-trade are very limited.+

Combinations or disagreements between wharfingers and lightermen, landwaiters and merchants, are equally productive of delays and losses. A late contest in 1791, about post-entries, occasioned 1500 hhds of sugar to blockade the legal quays for a month or six weeks.

Above five thousand puncheons of rum were in this situation, and liable too seizure, if Government had not granted the indulgence that was necessary.

From the growing scarcity of timber, it is incumbent to preserve it as much as possible for building ships for our external commerce.

§ Vide Appendix E. page 20.

If