Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/486

  'one of them passed in the Twelfth Year of her late Majesty Queen Anne, for making the River Nyne, or Nen, running from Northampton to Peterborough, navigable; and the other made in the Eleventh Year of his late Majesty King George the First, for making more effectual the said former Act.' In this act it is recited that that part of the river between Peterborough and Thrapston Bridge has been made navigable, and distinguished by the name of "The Eastern Division of the Nyne or Nen Navigation;" in our map it is called "The Lower District;" and the other part of the navigation, that is, from Thrapston Bridge to Northampton, is distinguished in the act as "The Western Division;" in our map as "The Upper District;" and it appearing that the completion of this Upper District would be highly beneficial to the towns of Peterborough and Northampton, and to other places, commissioners are appointed for carrying the same into effect, and the clauses of the former acts are for this purpose extended and enlarged. It is required that the navigation be commenced in the first instance at Thrapston Bridge, and not in any other part of the river, and shall proceed upwards from that place towards Northampton. Locks are to be built, where required, and rates for passing them to be settled by a majority of the commissioners, who are to proportion the same according to the distance from Thrapston Bridge and to the expense of building the locks; and they are authorized to borrow money on security of such rates, in order to the more speedy completion of the work; the lenders of such money to be nominated proprietors of the navigation. Interest of the money borrowed is not to exceed four per cent, and when the tolls, after the interest is paid on all monies borrowed, shall exceed the expenditure, then the residue is to be applied towards paying off the principal.

Some difficulties still occurring, another act was obtained in 1794, as 'An Act to remove certain Difficulties in the Execution of the Powers vested in the Commissioners appointed by Two Acts, passed in the Twelfth of Anne and Eleventh of George the First, for making the River Nyne, or Nen, running from Northampton to Peterborough, navigable, so far as the same relates to the Navigation between Peterborough and Thrapston Bridge.' At this time it appears that the work from Peterborough to Oundle