Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/185

 receiver general of these duties, and for the payment of which no legal discharges could be given, that the only lock upon this navigation, together with other of the works, had necessarily fallen into decay; fresh powers are, therefore, indispensable; accordingly, an act received the royal assent on the 12th of April, 1750, entitled, An Act for making more effectual several Acts of Parliament passed for cleansing and making more navigable the Channel from The Hythe, at Colchester, to Wivenhoe, in the County of Essex, and for repairing and cleansing the Streets and Lanes of the Town of Colchester. By this act an additional duty of three-pence per chaldron is levied on sea coal for thirty years, from the 1st of May, 1750, the collection of which is placed in the hands of a number of gentlemen, who are entitled, "The Commissioners for putting in Execution the several Acts of Parliament made for cleansing and making navigable the Channel from The Hythe, at Colchester, to Wivenhoe."

The last act relating to this navigation was passed in 1781, and is entitled, An Act for continuing, and making more effectual,several Acts of Parliament passed for cleansing and making navigable the Channelfroni The Hythe, at Colchester, to Wivenhoe, in the County of Essex; and for repairing and cleansing the Streets of the Town of Colchester; and also for lighting the Streets and Lanes, and for preventing Annoyances in the said Town, by which the powers of the above-recited acts are extended to the further term of forty years, and from thence to the end of the then next session of parliament. Commissioners are appointed for putting the acts in execution, who are directed to apply for and dispose of the sum of £2,000, which was vested in the fund called The South Sea Annuities, for the purpose of keeping this navigation in sufficient repair.

The chief objects of this navigable river are the import of coal, deals, and groceries, and the export of farming produce, and Colchester Oysters from the banks below Wivenhoe.