Thames, Navigation Act 1776
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1776 c. 18 |
(17 Geo. 3) C A P. XVIII.
'W H E R E A S by an Act of Parliament, made in the fourteenth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, intituled,An Act more effectually to improve and complete the Navigation of the River Thames, Westward of London-bridge, within the Liberties of the City of London, and to prevent any Vessel or Barge from being moored in Taplow-mill Stream, in the County of Bucks; the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, of the City of London , in Common Council assembled, were and are authorised and impowered to improve and complete the Navigation of the said River, between the City of London and the City Stone above Staines bridge , in the County of Middlesex : And whereas the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, of the City of London , have proceeded to carry the said Act into Execution, and several necessary and expensive Works have been performed within their Jurisdiction, between the City of London and the City Stone above Staines-bridge , whereby the Navigation hath been greatly improved, the Passage for Boats and Barges rendered more expeditious, and the Expenses of navigating considerably reduced: And whereas the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, of the City of London , have already applied near ten thousand Pounds in this Service, out of their own Estates, but find that, notwithstanding so large a Sum has been expended by them, other Works, very necessary for completing the Improvement of the said Navigation, still remain to be done, the probable Expence of which will, as the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, of the City of London , have been informed, amount to the additional Sum of near eight thousand Pounds, over and above a considerable Expence that will annually be incurred in repairing and supporting the Works: And whereas the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, of the City of London , are desirous of being enabled to purchase the several Tolls and Duties or other Sums of Money now collected and taken for Barges and other Vessels navigating, and for Horses drawing such Barges and Vessels, within the Limits before-mentioned; and propose that the said Tolls and Duties, or other Sums of Money so purchased by them, shall cease and be no longer paid; as they apprehend, from the Circumstances and Nature of the said Tolls and Duties, and other Sums of Money, that they are attended with great Inconveniencies to the Navigation, and to the Public: And the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, in order to carry the good Purposes of the said former Act into Execution, and to enable them to purchase the present Tolls and Duties, and Payments, and to complete the said Navigation, are also desirous that they should be impowered to lay a small Toll, in lieu of the present Tolls and Duties, and Payments, upon the several Barges, Boats, and other Vessels, navigating the said River, betweenLondon-bridge and the City Stone above Staines-bridge , according to the Quantity of Tonnage: But, as the same cannot be done without the Aid and Authority of Parliament,' 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 Authorityof the same, That it shall and may be lawful for the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, in Common Council assembled, and they are hereby impowered to treat and agree with the Owners and Occupiers of, and other Persons interested in, the several Tolls and Duties and Payments, now collected and taken for Barges and other Vessels navigating, and for Horses drawing such Barges and Vessels, between the City ofLondon and the City Stone above Staines-bridge , for the Purchase of such Tolls and Duties; and with the Owners and Occupiers of, and other Persons interested in, such Lands or Grounds as they shall judge fit to be purchased for the Purpose of erecting Toll-houses and Toll-gates, or other the Purposes of this Act.
II Bodies Politick, Trustees, &c. impowered to sell and convey Tolls, Duties, and Lands.
II And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful to and for all Bodies Politick, Corporate, or Collegiate, or Corporations Aggregate or Sole, Trustees and Feoffees in Trust, Guardians and Committees for Lunaticks and Idiots, Executors, Administrators, and Guardians whatsoever, not only for or on Behalf of themselves, their Heirs and Successors, but also for and on Behalf of theirCestuique Trusts, whether Infants or Issue unborn, Lunaticks, Idiots, Femes-covert, or other Persons whatsoever; and to and for all Femes-cover who are or shall be seized in their own Right, and to and for all and every Person and Persons whomsoever who are or shall be seized or possessed of, or interested in, any of the Tolls or Duties or Payments, now collected and taken, for Barges and other Vessels navigating, or for Horses drawing such Barges and Vessels, within the Limits herein-before mentioned, or any Lands or Grounds, which by the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, in Common Council assembled, or Committee to be by them appointed, shall be thought necessary to be purchased for the Purposes of this Act, to sell and convey all or any such Tolls, Duties, Lands, and Grounds, or any Part thereof, to the said Mayorand Commonalty, and Citizens; and that all Contracts, Agreements, Bargains, Sales, and Conveyances, which shall be made by such Persons as aforesaid, shall be good and valid in Law, to all Intents and Purposes, not only to convey the Estate and Interest of the Person and Persons conveying, but also to convey all Right, Estate, Interest, Use, Property, Claim, and Demand whatsoever, of their several and respectiveCestuique Trusts, whether Infants or Issue unborn, Lunaticks, Idiots, Femes-covert, or other Persons whomsoever, and all claiming, or to claim, by, from, or under them; any Law, Statute, Usage, or any other Matter or Thing whatsoever, to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding: And that all such Persons so conveying as aforesaid, are and shall be indemnified for what they shall do, by virtue of, or in pursuance of this Act, notwithstanding any Omission or Mistake of Matter of Form whatsoever. Andif it shall happen that any Person or Persons, Body or Bodies Politick, Corporate or Collegiate, or other Person or Persons seised or possessed of, or interested in, any such Tolls, Duties, Lands, or Grounds, as aforesaid, shall refuse to treat or agree for the Sale and Conveyance of their respective Estates and Interests therein, with the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, in Common Council assembled, or with any Person or Persons authorised by them, or shall not produce and evince a clear Title to the Premises they are in Possession of, or to the Interest they claim, to the Satisfaction of the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, in Common Council assembled, or to the Person or Persons so authorised by them; then, and in every such Case, it shall and may be lawful to and for the Court of Mayor and Aldermen of the said City, to be holden in the outer Chamber of the Guildhall of the said City, according to the Custom of the said City; and the said Court is hereby impowered and authorised, to issue a Warrant or Warrants, Precept or Precepts, directed to the Sheriffs of the City ofLondon , or the Sheriff of the County of Middlesex , or the Sheriff of the County of Surry , as the Case shall require, who are, and each of them is hereby authorised, directed, and required, accordingly, to impanel and return a competent Number of substantial and disinterested Persons qualified to serve on Juries, not less than forty-eight, nor more than seventy-two, and out of such Persons so to be impanelled, summoned, and returned, a Jury of twelve Persons shall be drawn by some Person to be by the said Court appointed, in such Manner as Juries for the Trial of Issues joined in his Majesty's Courts at Westminster (by an Act, made in the third Year of the Reign of his late Majesty King George the Second, intituled, An Act for the better Regulation of Juries ), are directed to be drawn; which Persons so to be impannelled, summoned, and returned, as aforesaid, are hereby required to come and appear before the said Court of Mayor and Aldermen, if the Tolls, Duties, Lands or Grounds in question, are collected and taken, or lie in the said City of London , or the Liberties thereof, at such Time and Place, as in such Warrant or Warrants, Precept or Precepts, shall be directed and appointed; and if the Tolls, Duties, Lands or Grounds in question, are collected and taken, or lie in either of the Counties of Middlesex or Surry , to come and appear before the Justices of the Peace for the County where the Tolls or Duties are collected, or the Lands or Grounds in question lie, at some General Quarter Sessions of the Peace, to be holden for the same County, or some Adjournment thereof; and to attend the said Courtsrespectively, from Day to Day, until discharged by the said Courts respectively; and all Parties concerned shall and may have their lawful Challenges against any of the said Jurymen, but shall not be at Liberty to challenge the Array: And the said Court of Mayor and Aldermen, or Justices as aforesaid, respectively, are hereby authorised and impowered, by Precept or Precepts, from Time to Time, as Occasion shall require, to call before them all and every Person and Persons whomsoever, who shall be thought...
To continue reading
Request your trial