entitled, An Act for the repairing and maintaining of the Haven, River, and Channel running unto the Borough and Town of Colchester, in the County of Essex, and also for the paving of the said Town. The succeeding acts relate only to the river above Wivenhoe, for to that place the navigation has always been of sufficient depth, and where now there is a dock-yard for building frigates and merchant-men.
By the act of the 9th and 10th William III. entitled, An Act for cleansing and making navigable the Channel from The Hythe, at Colchester, to Wivenhoe, certain duties were granted to the corporation of Colchester, on all goods navigated between Wivenhoe and The Hythe, for the term of twenty-one years, and the powers of which said act was, by another of the 5th of George I. entitled, An Act for enlarging the Term granted by an Act of the Ninth and Tenth of William III. for cleansing and making navigable the Channel from The Hythe, at Colchester, to Wivenhoe, and for making the said Act more effectual, extended to the 1st of May, 1740.
By another act, dated the 29th of April, 1740, entitled, An Act for further enlarging the Term granted by an Act of the Ninth and Tenth Years of the Reign of King William III. for cleansing and making navigable the Channel from The Hythe, at Colchester, to Wivenhoe, and for making the said Act, and another Act of the Fifth Year of the Reign of his late Majesty King George the First, for enlarging the Term granted by the said Act of the Ninth and Tenth Years of the Reign of King William the Third more effectual, the powers of the former acts, together with the additional powers, should be in force for ever.
DUTY ON SEA COAL.
That the Duty on Sea Coal should be Three-pence per Chaldron, to be levied for Forty Years, from the 1st of May, 1740, and that no other Duty should be raised upon any other Goods, Wares, or Merchandize.
In the preamble, however, of the 23rd of George II. it appears, that in consequence of the powers of the mayor and commonalty to collect a large amount of arrears of rates, due under the former acts, having ceased, together with the loss of a considerable sum of money, then laying in the hands of the representatives of the late
