Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/390

 by and in the large works of the county of Ayr. The act for executing it was passed in 1808, and has for title, 'An Act for making a Railway from or near to the town of Kilmarnock, in the county of Ayr, to a Place called the Troon, in the said county.' By this act the proprietors are incorporated under the style of " The Company of Proprietors of the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway," and are empowered to raise in shares of £500 each, the sum of £40,000, for the purposes of the act; and should need be, they may raise a further sum of £15,000 amongst themselves, or by borrowing on security of the undertaking. The following are also directed to be paid as

TONNAGE RATES.
Fifty Cubic Feet of Round, and Forty Cubic Feet of Square Oak, Ash, Elm or Beech Timber, and Fifty Cubic Feet of Fir or Deal, Balk, Poplar, Birch or other Timber or Wood not cut into Scantlings, to be considered as One Ton Weight. One Hundred and Twelve Pounds Avoirdupois of Coal, Coke, Lime and all other Goods, Commodities, Matters or Things to be rated as One Hundred Weight; and Two Thousand Two Hundred and Forty Pounds Weight as one Ton.

Fractions of a Ton to be reckoned as the Numbers of Quarters in it, and of a Quarter as a Quarter.

Fractions of a Mile as the Quarters in it, and of a Quarter as a Quarter.

If the yearly dividends exceed £20 per cent, on the sums expended, for three years, the rates may be reduced by order of two justices of the peace; and if, after such reduction, the dividends for any two years shall not amount to £20 per cent, per annum on the sums expended, the rates may be raised to their former amount, by order of two justices as aforesaid.

Owners of land on the line may erect wharfs and warehouses, but if they refuse after twelve months' notice, the company may erect such wharfs, &amp;c. and demand a rate for all goods left on their wharfs or in their warehouses above twenty-four hours; such rate to be regulated at a quarter sessions of the county.

The line of this useful undertaking was laid down by Mr. William Jessop, who estimated the expense of making the same at £38,167, l0s. The whole length is, as we have before stated, nine miles and six furlongs. At a distance of seven miles, two furlongs and five chains, there is a branch to Sir William Cunningham's Coal Works at Peatland, which is four furlongs and five chains in length. There were originally only four subscribers to the work, who took shares as follow, viz.