Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/231



TONNAGE RATES CONTINUED.
There is a clause in this act which restrains the Dudley Canal Company from reducing the rates on any goods passing out of the Stourbridge Canal into this navigation, without first obtaining consent from the Worcester and Birmingham Canal Company, which company have, in return, agreed that when any reduction of the customary rates for navigating their canal shall take place, a similar reduction shall be made on all goods passing from the Dudley Canal, except such as go towards Birmingham; and they further agree to take such rates only as will be found particularly described under the head, 'Worcester and Birmingham Canal.'

A stop lock is, by this act, directed to be made within five hundred yards of the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, to prevent loss of water; and if the two canals are not kept on one level, the passage may be stopped. It is also enacted, that if by reason of making this canal, the profits of the Stourbridge Navigation shall be reduced below £12 on each share, the Dudley Canal Company shall make up the deficiency, provided it does not amount to more than £3 per share, and provided the last-mentioned company shall, in the same year, have received by their rates £5 on each share.

The Worcester and Birmingham Canal Company are also, by this act, exonerated from the operations of that clause which rendered them liable to make up deficiencies to the Dudley Canal Company.

The last parliamentary enactment relating to this canal, occurs in the 37th of George III. and is entitled, An Act to enable the Company of Proprietors of the Dudley Canal Navigation, to raise a further Sum of Money for completing the said Navigation; and for amending the several Acts relating thereto; in the preamble