Harbours Act 1814
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1814 c. 159 |
| Year | 1814 |
(54 Geo. 3) C A P. CLIX.
[29th July 1814]
'WHEREAS an Actpassed in the Nineteenth Year of the Reign of His late Majesty KingGeorge the Second, intituled An Act for the better Preservation of Havens, Roads, Channels and Navigable Rivers, within that Part of Great Britain called England: And Whereas another Act passed in the NinthYear of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituledAn Act for repealing so much of an Act, passed in the Tenth Year of Her late Majesty Queen Anne, as relates to the Harbour Moorings of the Royal Navy, and for the more effectual Preservation of such Harbour Moorings, and Punishment of Persons guilty of stealing or embezzling His Majesty's Naval Stores; or of Forgery or Perjury in relation to Seamen's Wages: And Whereas another Act passed in the Fifty first Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled An Act for the better Security of His Majesty's Naval Arsenals in the RiverMedway,and Portsmouth and Hamoaze Harbours, and of His Majesty's Ships and Vessels lying at and resorting to the same: And Whereas the Provisions of the said several recited Acts have not been found adequate to the Purposes for which the same were made; and therefore it is expedient that so much of the said recited Act of the Ninth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, as relates to the Harbour Moorings, of the Royal Navy, and also so much of the said Act of the Tenth Year of the Reign of Her late Majesty QueenAnne , as relates to the said Harbour Moorings, should be repealed, and other and more effectual Provisions made in lieu thereof; and also, that the said recited Act of the Nineteenth Year of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Second should be extended as hereinafter mentioned; and also, that the said recited Act of the Fifty first Year of the Reign of His present Majesty should be repealed; and that such further and other Provisions should be made as hereinafter mentioned, for the better Regulation and Protection of the several Ports, Harbours, Havens, Roads, Roadsteads, Sounds, Channels, Creeks, Bays and Navigable Rivers in the United Kingdom, and of His Majesty's Docks, Dock Yards, Arsenals, Wharfs, Moorings and Stores therein;' May it therefore please Your Majesty that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by The King's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That, from and after the passing of this Act, so much of the said recited Actof the Ninth Year of the Reign of His Majesty, as relates to the Harbour Moorings of the Royal Navy; and also so much of the said Act of the Tenth Year of the Reignof Her late Majesty QueenAnne (a), as relates to the said Harbour Moorings; and also that the said recited Act of the Fifty first Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, shall be and the same are hereby respectively repealed.
II Admiralty may establish Regulations for Preservation of King's Moorings, and for mooring Merchant Ships.
II. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the Lord High Admiral, or Three or more of the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom ofGreat Britain and Ireland for the time being, and he and they is and are hereby authorized and empowered, from time to time as Occasion shall require, to make such Rules, Orders and Regulations, in Writing under his or their respective Hand or Hands, or the Hand of his or their Secretary, as he or they shall think proper for the Preservation of His Majesty's Moorings, and for the mooring, anchoring and placing of all Private Ships of War, Transports, and all other Private and Merchant Ships and Vessels, Lighters, Barges, Boats and other Craft whatsoever, in all the Ports, Harbours, Havens, Roads, Roadsteads, Sounds, Channels, Creeks, Bays and Navigable Rivers of the United Kingdom, so far as the Tide flows and reflows, where or near to which His Majesty now hath, or where His Majesty, His Heirs or Successors may at any time or times hereafter have any Docks, Dock Yards, Arsenals, Wharfs or Moorings; and Harbour Masters to be appointed as hereinafter mentioned, for superintending the same for the Purpose of insuring free and sase Ingress, Egress and Regress unto, into, to and from the said Ports, Harbours, Havens, Roads, Roadsteads, Sounds, Channels, Creeks, Bays and Navigable Rivers, and to and from His Majesty's said Docks, Dock Yards, Arsenals, Wharfs and Moorings therein; and for that Purpose to order and direct such Spaces along the Sides of, over, against or near to such Docks, Dock Yards, Arsenals, Wharfs and Moorings, as they shall judge necessary to be kept free and open, and to cause the same to be marked out by Piles, Buoys or other sufficient Marks, and to order and direct what Spaces and Distances shall be appropriated to and for the sole Use and Purpose of Moorings, for His Majesty's Ships and Vessels of War and hired armed Ships or Vessels in His Majesty's Service; and also to specify the Distances from His Majesty's Docks, Dock Yards, Arsenals, Wharfs, Moorings, Ships and Hulks, within which no Private Ship of War, Transport, or any other Private or Merchant Ship or Vessel, Lighter, Barge, Boat or other Craft whatever, shall be moored, anchored or placed, and for all and every or any other the Purposes hereinafter mentioned; and from time to time to vary and alter such Rules, Orders and Regulations, as Occasion shall require for the Purposes aforesaid; and also from time to time to appoint proper Persons, to be called The King's Harbour Masters , to superintend such Ports, Harbours, Havens, Roads, Roadsteads, Sounds, Channels, Creeks, Bays and Navigable Rivers, for the Purposes aforesaid, and to enforce Obedience to all such Rules, Orders and Regulations; all which said Rules, Orders and Regulations, shall upon the making thereof, and also from time to time whenever the same shall in any manner be varied or altered, be forthwith printed and published in The London Gazette , and being also printed and put upon Pasteboard shall be constantly kept hung up in some open and conspicuous Part of the Custom House, or other Place of Public Resort for Business in the Port, Harbour or Haven, for which the same shall be made or where the same shall be directed to be in force, to the Intent that the same may be seen and read, and Copies or Extracts taken therefrom by all Persons interested therein.
III No private Ship of War, &c. to fasten to His Majesty's Moorings.
III. And be it further enacted, That if any Private Ship of War, Transport or other Private or Merchant Ship or Vessel, Lighter, Barge, Boat or other Craft whatsoever, for which no Licence so to do shall have been first obtained in Writing under the Hand of any Commissioner of the Navy, Port Admiral or other Person who shall be duly authorized by the said Lord High Admiral, or Three or more of the said Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral aforesaid, to grant such Licences, for the Time and Purpose to be therein particularly specified, shall, unless forced thereto by Stress of Weather or other unavoidable Accident, be moored or fastened to any of His Majesty's Moorings, Chains, Anchors, Buoys, Piles, Ships or Hulks, or shall in any manner be moored, anchored or placed within any such Distances so to be appropriated as aforesaid to and for the sole Use and Purpose of Moorings for His Majesty's Ships or Vessels of War, or hired armed Ships or Vessels in His Majesty's Service, or within any such Distance, so to be specified as aforesaid, from His Majesty's Docks, Dock Yards, Arsenals, Wharfs, Moorings, Ships or Hulks, or within any such Spaces so to be directed to be kept open as aforesaid, or in the fair Way or Channel or across the Stream in any such Port, Harbour, Haven or Navigable River, so as to obstruct the Passage or Entrance into the same; the Master or other Person then on board, and having the Charge or Command of any such Ship or Vessel, Lighter, Barge, Boat or other Craft; and in case the proper Master of any such Ship or Vessel, Lighter, Barge, Boat or other Craft so being moored, fastened, anchored or placed, shall not happen to be then on board the same, then the Owner or Owners thereof, whether he, she or they shall happen to be then on board the same or not, shall forfeit and
(a) [Previously repealed , 9 G. 3. c. 30. ∥ 1.]
pay a Sum not exceeding the Sum of Ten Pounds, for each and every Tide which such Ship or Vessel, Lighter,Barge, Boat or other Craft, shall stay and remain so moored, anchored or placed.
IV. And, for the Prevention of any Damage which might otherwise be occasioned to His Majesty's Moorings, Chains, Anchors, Buoys, Piles, Ships or Hulks, and also for the Prevention of Delay in the Public Service, be it enacted, That in case the Owner, Master, or other Personon board, for the time being having the Charge or Command of any Private Ship of War, Transport or other Private or Merchant Ship or Vessel, Lighter, Barge, Boat or other Craft, which shall be moored or fastened to any of His Majesty's Moorings, Chains, Anchors, Buoys, Ships or Hulks, or which shall in any manner be moored, anchored or placed within any such Distance as aforesaid, so to be appropriated to and for the sole Use and Purpose of Moorings for His Majesty's Ships or Vessels of War, or hired armed Ships or Vessels in...
To continue reading
Request your trial