Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/405



The next act obtained was passed in 1779, under the title of 'An Act for preserving the Navigation of the River Lea, in the counties of Hertford, Essex and Middlesex.' This act states that the trustees under the powers of the former enactments, from the amount of the principal money already advanced for the prosecution of the work, and from the sums to be paid yearly as annuities, compensations and other purposes authorized by the acts before granted, cannot liquidate the charges upon them without an advance of the rates to meet the same, they are therefore empowered to demand in future, the following

ADDITIONAL RATES.
Every Load of Wood to be reckoned as Five Tons.

The tolls to be reduced as the annuities fall in, and when the tonnage payable to Sir William Wake and Mr. Floyer shall not amount in any year to £160, the deficiency shall be made up by the trustees; other regulations as to the height of water in Various parts are made by the said act, but as they are not of general importance, it is unnecessary to quote them.

Another act was obtained in 1805, entitled, 'An Act for the better Preservation and further Improvement of the Navigation of the River Lea, in the counties of Hertford, Essex and Middlesex.' This act applies chiefly to the regulations of the depth of water, the prevention of its waste and other particulars of a similar nature. It also enacts that in future no vessel using this navigation, shall carry at any one time more than forty tons of goods, &amp;c.