Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/643

 Limehouse, on the opposite side of the river, communicates with the Regent's Canal; as well as with the River Lea, a little further down, by the Limehouse Cut.

Proceeding in an easterly direction, it reaches the Isle of Dogs, round which it snakes a winding and circuitous course by Deptford and Greenwich; but a canal having been cut across the Isle of Dogs, connecting the river and cutting off a large bend, the distance is greatly shortened. It passes the East and West India Docks at Blackwall, and the Commercial Docks on the south side near the Deptford Road, and at Bow Creek receiving the River Lea, continues its course by Woolwich, where a canal is cut up to the Arsenal, a little below which, on the north side, the River Roding falls into it. Passing on to Purfleet, it is joined on its south side by the River Darent; and about five miles lower down is a short railway to Gray's Thurrock Lime Works; thence it flows on to Gravesend, where the Thames and Medway Canal unites with it; continuing its course eastward, it reaches Sheerness, where the River Medway and others join it, and where it forms a large estuary, called the mouth of the Thames.

The acts of parliament relating to this river are so numerous, (as will be seen by referring to the head of this article) that we shall only avail ourselves of those parts of them which we consider necessary as a matter of reference, touching the navigation of this river. The first, therefore, from which we shall make any extract is that passed in 1730, and entitled, 'An Act for reviving and amending an Act made in the Sixth and Seventh Years of time Reign of his late Majesty King William the Third, entitled, An Act to prevent Exactions of the Occupiers of Locks and Weirs upon the River of Thames, westward, and for ascertaining the Rates of Water Carriage upon the said River;' which states that the act of the 7th of King William III. therein referred to, having long since expired, and in consequence of which, the occupiers of locks and weirs on the River Thames, from the city of London, westward, to Cricklade; in the county of Wilts, being in the habit of exacting such exorbitant sums for the passage of barges and other vessels, as greatly to discourage navigation, and increase the rates of water carriage upon the river; and that tolls are now demanded from men haling barges and other vessels on