Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/182

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NEW HARBOUR AND QUAY DUTIES CONTINUED.

The Shed Duties for every Article are particularly specified, but as the enumeration of them would far exceed the Limits of our Publication, we refer the Reader to the Act. The highest Rates are Two-pence per Toii, and the lowest One Penny; and if those Duties shall, on an Average of Three Years, exceed fifteen per Cent, of the Cost of Erection, the Duties to be reduced until the Annual Revenue be fifteen per Cent.

For the Navigation of the River above The Broomielaw, a River Duty of Two-pence per Ton upon all Articles; but when the Annual Revenue, thus derived, exceeds £600, then the Duty to be reduced to One Penny per Ton; and, again raised to Two-pence per Ton if the Revenue should be below £600, or, the Proprietors may, at their option, take the full Produce of the One Penny Rate.

For the further Purpose of improving the Clyde Navigation, above the Harbour of Broomielaw, from and after the opening of the Communication, they are entitled to a further Duty of from Three-pence to One Shilling per Ton, as the Trustees shall determine, on all Wares and Merchandize whatever, navigating the said proposed Extension.

Coal brought downwards and unshipped at the Harbour of Broomielaw are exempt from the above Duty if not re-shipped.

Vessels and Goods passing up the River to the Quays of Glasgow are not liable to the Charges on the Extension to the East of the City.

For the more equitable Payment of the River Duties, the Clyde is again divided into Three Stages. The First Stage comprehends the space between the Harbour of Broomielaw and the Old Ferry of Renfrew; the Second Stage is between the last-mentioned Place and the Mouth of Dalmuir Burn; and the last extends to the Castle of Dumbarton; and the Rates and River Duties are to be paid on these Stages in the Proportion recited in the preceding Act.

None of the New or Additional Duties shall be paid on any Goods, Wares, or Merchandize, which shall pass from the Forth and Clyde Canal into any Part of the River lying Westward of Dalmuir Burn, (except Coal, which shall pay a Duty of One Farthing per Ton); and at the Expiration of Nine Years from the Date of this Act, the present Duty of Two-pence per Ton on all Goods (except Coal) conveyed on the lowermost Stage, on entering the Forth and Clyde, or vice versa, shall be reduced to One Penny per Ton; and if after the Expiration of the above Term of Nine Years, an Annual Revenue, exceeding One-third of the Annual Expenditure on these Works, below Dalmuir Burn, the Duties of One Penny and One Farthing per Ton shall be so reduced until the Revenue from this Stage be no more than One-third of the Expenditure on this part of the Navigation.

All Vessels (including those propelled by Steam, going direct between Glasgow and Dumbarton) belonging to the Royal Burgh of Dumbarton, are, by Virtue of a Contract, entered into with the Corporation of Glasgow, in the Year 1700, exempt from River and Harbour Dues upon the Clyde. if Steam Vessels make any Voyages, except direct from Dumbarton and Glasgow, they are liable to the River and Harbour Duties; so are Coals not bone fide for the Use of the Burgesses of Dumbarton. This Exemption dues not extend to the Navigation beyond the Harbour of Broomielaw.

The Burgesses of Glasgow are likewise exempted, by Virtue of the original Contract above-mentioned, from the Payment of any Duties on entering the Harbour of Dumbarton.

Ships or Vessels in His Majesty's Service are exempt from any Rates or Duties by Virtue of this Act.

In addition to the great advantages which the city of Glasgow experiences, from the facilities which this excellent navigation gives for importing colonial and other produce, and for exporting the vast quantity of manufactured cotton goods, which a population of one hundred and fifty thousand souls continues to produce, it is connected with the Great Lanarkshire Coal Field, by means of