Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/262

 among them, which made them fare the better.

For the Security of thoſe Northern Traders, the Coal Ships were order’d by my Lord Mayor, not to come up into the Pool above a certain Number at a Time, and order’d Lighters, and other Veſſels, ſuch as the Wood-mongers, that is the Wharf Keepers, or Coal-Sellers furniſhed, to go down, and take out the Coals as low as Deptford and Greenwich, and ſome farther down.

Others deliver’d great Quantities of Coals in particular Places, where the Ships cou’d come to the Shoar, as at Greenwich, Blackwal, and other Places, in vaſt Heaps, as if to be kept for Sale; but were then fetch’d away, after the Ships which brought them were gone; ſo that the Seamen had no Communication with the River-Men, nor ſo much as came near one another.

Yet all this Caution, could not effectually prevent the Diſtemper getting among the Colliery, that is to ſay, among the Ships, by which a great many Seamen died of it; and that which was ſtill worſe, was, that they carried it down to Ipſwich, and Yarmouth, to Newcaſtle upon Tyne, and other Places on the Coaſt; where, eſpecially at Newcaſtle and at Sunderland, it carried off a great Number of People.

The making ſo many Fires as above, did indeed conſume an unuſual Quantity of Coals; and that upon one or two ſtops of the Ships coming up, whether by contrary Weather, or by the Interruption of Enemies, I do not remember, but the Price of Coals was exceeding dear, even as high as 4 l. a Chalder, but it ſoon abated when the Ships came in, and as afterwards they had a freer Paſſage, the Price was very reaſonable all the reſt of that Year.

The publick Fires which were made on theſe Occaſions, as I have calculated it, muſt