7 & 8 Geo. IV. c. lxxv. Persons farming the same to emwho has not been approved of by the court. ploy no person Sunday ferries not to be appointed within 200 yards of same according to the highest bidder or bidders, who shall give security to their satisfaction for payment of the rent or sum or sums of money bid by him or them for such plying and working; and that, if any freeman whom the said court shall appoint to ply and work as aforesaid, or any person or persons who shall take such plying or working to farm, or any person or persons employed by or under him, shall demand or take from any person or persons whom he or they shall ply to or carry across the said river, any greater sum of money than 2d. for each person, he or they shall forfeit and pay for every such offence any sum not exceeding 51." Sect. 44. "Provided that, if any person or persons to be appointed to ply and work, or taking such plying and working to farm as aforesaid, shall employ, or wilfully permit or suffer any other person or persons to be employed, in plying or working as aforesaid, until such last-mentioned person or persons, and the boat or boats to be used by him or them, shall have been approved of for that purpose by the said court of master, wardens, and assistants, he or they shall for every such offence forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding 51." Sect. 45. "Provided that nothing herein contained shall extend to authorize or empower the said court of master, wardens, and assistants, o any other person or persons whomsoever, to appoint any Sunday ferries Vauxhall Bridge. or grant any licences to any watermen or others to ply on the river Thame on a Sunday, from or at the stairs on either side of the bridge at Vauxhall or at any stairs or other place within two hundred yards of any part o the said bridge, so as to interfere with, prejudice, or affect the tolls autho rized to be taken for crossing the same." Watermen not to ply or work on Sunday, below at the plying places next above and below any Sunday ferry. Sect. 46. "No freeman of the said company, nor any apprentice to a freeman, or to the widow of a freeman of the said company, except such as London Bridge, shall be appointed as aforesaid, shall ply for, or take or carry on a Sunday, at or from any common stairs or place of plying on either side of the said river at and below London Bridge, at which the said court shall appoint watermen to ply and work as aforesaid, any fare or passenger across the said river, or to either of the two common stairs or places of plying on the opposite side of the said river next above or next below the stairs or place at which such freeman or apprentice shall ply, nor to any place or places to which the fares and passengers taken at such several and respective common stairs and places of plying are usually conveyed by the watermen appointed or to be appointed by the said court to ply and work at, nor to any ship, vessel, or craft lying or being on the said river within the distance of such two other stairs or places of plying, on pain of forfeiting and paying for every such offence any sum of money not exceeding 40s. Justices at Gravesend to license watermen to work on Sundays. Gravesend on Sundays. Sect. 47. "It shall be lawful for the justices of the peace acting in and for the corporation, villages, and parishes of Gravesend and Milton, or either of them, to grant licences, at their or his discretion, to any num ber of the freemen of the said company residing at Gravesend, or any of the apprentices of such freemen, or the widows of such freemen, residing at Gravesend, to carry goods and passengers for hire at and from Gravesend on Sundays; and such licence shall continue in force for the time that shall be therein expressed: provided nevertheless, that the said jus tices, or either of them, shall have power and authority from time to time to recall such licences before the expiration of the time therein respectively to be expressed for the continuance of the same." Application of Sect. 48. "The fares or sums of money to be taken on Sundays by fares received at freemen and apprentices licensed to work at Gravesend as aforesaid, shall be paid by them to such persons as the said court of master, wardens, and assistants of the said company shall from time to time appoint for that purpose; and out of the said monies such sums as the said court shall from time to time think proper and fix, shall be paid to every such freeman and apprentice for his day's labour, and the surplus thereof shall be distributed twice in every year to or for the benefit of the freemen of the said company residing at Gravesend, and the widows of freemen re siding at the same place, under such regulations and in such manner as the said court of master, wardens, and assistants, in and by any rules and 7 & 8 Geo. IV. by-laws, to be made by them, and altered or allowed as hereinafter is c. lxxv. mentioned, shall direct." other water Sect. 49. "Provided, that if any person or persons shall request the Permission may and justices acting in and for the corporation, villages, and parishes of be granted to Gravesend and Milton, or either of them, to grant permission to any men to work on freeman of the said company, or any apprentice not licensed as aforesaid, Sundays for perto work for him, her, or them on a Sunday, it shall be lawful for the said sons requesting. Fastices, or either of them, by writing under his hand, to grant such perLassion to such freeman or apprentice to work for the person or persons raaking such request, and such freeman or apprentice shall and may reta.n the fares or sums of money to be received by him in respect thereof, for his own benefit or the benefit of his master or mistress." ing at Gravesend Sect. 50. "If any freeman of the said company, or any apprentice, Penalty on other without having such licence or permission as aforesaid, from the said watermen workLast-mentioned justices, or either of them,) shall ply or work at Graves- on Sunday. nd on any Sunday, he shall for every such offence forfeit and pay any not exceeding 51. gate and Graves Sect. 51. "The said court of master, wardens, and assistants shall Court to set up maintain or erect and set up, or cause to be maintained or erected and bells at Billingsset up, proper bells, the one at Billingsgate, in the city of London, and end, to give nothe other on such part of the town quay of Gravesend, as the mayor, tice of the tide, and to appoint inrats and common council of Gravesend may appoint, and which they officers to ring the are hereby required to do, for the purposes hereinafter mentioned; and same. scall cause the said bells at all times hereafter to be kept in good and sufficient repair and order; and shall appoint proper officers to ring the and bell at Billingsgate at every time of high water at London Bridge, and to ring the said bell at Gravesend at every time of the first of flood here; and if the said court shall neglect to provide or maintain such as, or to appoint such officers, they shall forfeit and pay for every such fence the sum of 50%., the whole whereof shall go to the person or peras who shall inform or sue for the same, and may be recovered by action of debt, bill, plaint, or information, in any of his majesty's courts of record at Westminster, with full costs of suit, wherein no essoign, priFege, protection, wager of law, or more than one imparlance, shall be wed." London and Sect. 52. "The officers appointed as aforesaid for such places respec- Officers to ring ly shall give their constant attendance, as well by night as by day, at such bells at Langsgate and Gravesend respectively, at every time of high water at Gravesend at the London Bridge, and at Gravesend at every time of the first of flood there; times appointed. and such officer or officers shall, as nearly as possible, at every such time respectively, at each of the said places respectively, ring the bell to be ded for that purpose as aforesaid, and shall continue ringing the same for fifteen minutes, to give notice to the respective owners, masters, of managers of boats and wherries, who design to pass between London and Gravesend by that tide, to put off and set forward; and every Seer who shall neglect to ring the said bells respectively at the time resaid, shall for every such offence forfeit and pay any sum not exceedog 40s." do not go on the ringing of the Sect. 53. "If, after the ringing of such bell as aforesaid at Billings- Penalty if boats Tate or Gravesend, any such boat designing to go by that tide from one to the other of the said places shall not immediately depart, and effec- bell. ally proceed, without lying by in the river, or putting again on shore within two miles of the said respective places of Billingsgate or Gravesend, as the case may be, for the taking in any goods, passenger or passengers, or if any such boat shall not be provided with two sufficient men besides apprentices during the whole of the said voyage, then and in every such case the owner, master, or manager of any such boat, shall for every such offence forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding 51. Sect. 54. "If any waterman navigating, working, or rowing in or be- Watermen losing lunging to any vessel or boat, navigated, worked, or rowed between Lon- their tide to be 7 & 8 Geo. IV. c. lxxv. subject to a penalty, and not fare. don and Gravesend, shall wilfully or negligently lose the tide, by putting on shore for the taking in of any other passenger or passengers, or goods, or by loitering on the voyage or by the way, or if the passengers, or any of them, of any such vessel or boat, shall be put out or landed short o entitled to their the place to which such vessel or boat shall have been bound, (sailing vessels detained by want of wind only excepted,) then and in every suc! case such passengers or passenger are hereby discharged from paying their or his respective passage-money, and the waterman so offending shall forfeit and pay for every such offence any sum of money no exceeding 40s., and shall also be liable to be sued or prosecuted at law b the party injured, in such manner as if no penalty had been inflicted b this act." The court em Sect. 55. "The said court of master, wardens, and assistants sha powered to regu have full power to superintend, regulate, and control all the affairs an concerns of the said company, and to order and dispose of the custod of their common seal, and the use and application thereof." late the affairs of the company. Court may make by-laws. Court of aldermen made by the court Sect. 56. "It shall be lawful for the said court of master, warden and assistants, and they are hereby empowered, from time to time 1 make and set down in writing such rules or by-laws as they shall thir proper for the good government of the said company, and for determi ing the fees which shall be taken on the binding of apprentices, and t assignment of them, and the admission of members, and on other oct sions, for the better maintenance of the company, and the quarterage ( other sums to be paid by the freemen, and for regulating the freeme of the said company, and their widows and apprentices, and the boats other craft to be worked or rowed by them within the limits of this ac and to annex reasonable penalties and forfeitures for the breach of sur rules or by-laws respectively, not exceeding the sum of 51. for any or offence, provided the same rules or by-laws be not inconsistent with an of the laws of this kingdom, or the provisions and directions in this at contained, or any of them, or any rules or by-laws to be made by th said court of mayor and aldermen by virtue of this act, or any of them and also from time to time to alter, amend, repeal, or make void suc rules or by-laws, or any of them, as to the said court of master, wardens and assistants, in their discretion shall seem meet, so as after the making altering, amending, or repealing thereof respectively, the rules or by-law to be made by the said court of master, wardens, and assistants, an every such alteration, amendment and repeal, be approved or altered from time to time, by the said court of mayor and aldermen, and also after every such approval be allowed as hereinafter is mentioned." Sect. 57. It shall be lawful for the said court of mayor and alder. men, and they are hereby empowered, from time to time to make and set down in writing such rules and by-laws as they shall think proper, for the government and regulation of the freemen of the said company, and their widows and apprentices, and the boats, vessels, and other craft to be rowed or worked within the limits of this act, and to annex reasonable penalties and forfeitures for the breach of such rules and by-law respectively, not exceeding the sum of 51. for any one offence, provided the same rules or by-laws be not inconsistent with any of the laws of this kingdom, or the provisions and directions in this act contained, or any of them; and also from time to time to alter, amend, repeal, or make void such rules and by-laws, or any of them, or any rules or by-laws which shall have been made at any time or times by the said court of master, wardens, and assistants, and approved and allowed as hereinbe fore and hereinafter is mentioned, so as, after the making, altering, amending, or repealing thereof respectively, the said rules and by-laws to be made by the said court of mayor and aldermen, and every such alteration, amendment, and repeal of any such rules or by-laws, or of any rules or by-laws to be made, altered, or amended by the said court of master, wardens, and assistants, and approved, altered, or repealed by the said court of mayor and aldermen, be allowed as hereinafter is mentioned." c. lxxv. Sect. 58. "No rules or by-laws made by the said court of master, war- 7 & 8 Geo. IV. dens, and assistants, and approved or altered by the said court of mayor and aldermen, nor any rules or by-laws made by the said court of mayor By-laws to be aland aldermen, by virtue of this act, nor any alteration, amendment, or lowed by one or repeal thereof, shall be valid, unless the same respectively shall have been more of the judges. allowed by his majesty's justices of his Courts of King's Bench or Comman Pleas, or the barons of his majesty's Court of Exchequer, or any one or more of the said justices or barons; and they or any one or more of them are and is hereby required, on any request to be made for that purpose from time to time to them or any one or more of them, by or on behalf of the said court of mayor and aldermen, to peruse and examine, without any fee or reward, such rules and by-laws as shall be made, altered, amended, or repealed by the said court of master, wardens, and assistants, and approved of by the said court of mayor and aldermen, and such rules and by-laws as shall be made, altered, amended, or repealed by the said court of mayor and aldermen, in pursuance of this act, and to allow of or refuse to allow the same, as they or any one or more of them shall from time to time think fit." intended by-laws company may Sect. 59. “When and as often as any rules or by-laws shall be made Court of aldermen or altered by the said court of mayor and aldermen as aforesaid, a copy to send copy of of such intended rules and by-laws, or alterations, shall be sent to and and alterations left with the clerk for the time being of the said company, for the perusal to Watermen's of the said court of master, wardens, and assistants, at least thirty days days before alCompany thirty before the same shall be allowed by the justices and barons aforesaid, or lowed by the Ly one or more of them as aforesaid, in order that the said court of judges, that the master, wardens, and assistants may submit to the consideration of the submit their aid court of mayor and aldermen their objections (if any) to such intended objections, &c. les and by-laws, or alterations; and in case the said court of master, ardens, and assistants shall not be satisfied with the determination of the said court of mayor and aldermen, in consequence of any such objecCon respectively, then the said court of master, wardens, and assistants may submit such objections to the consideration of the said justices or ons, or any one or more of them, who shall have been requested as foresaid to peruse and examine the same, before such intended rules, by, or alterations shall be allowed as aforesaid." court of the com made public. Sect. 60. "All rules and by-laws to be from time to time made, altered, By-laws of the of amended by the said court of master, wardens, and assistants, in pur- pany, and also of ace of this act, and also all rules and by-laws to be from time to time the court of alDade, altered, or amended by the said court of mayor and aldermen, in dermen, to be pursuance of this act, within thirty days after the same respectively shall have been allowed and approved of by the said justices and barons, or any ae or more of them, as hereinbefore is mentioned, shall be printed and ent to the several public offices established by authority of parliament for the administration of justice in the counties of Middlesex and Surrey, to the town-clerk of Gravesend and Milton, and also to the several clerks of the peace of the said counties and places adjoining to the river Thames, be published in such manner as the court of quarter sessions in those anties shall direct, and also be made public in such other manner as the sad court of mayor and aldermen shall think proper, and from time to e order and direct." Sect. 61. "It shall be lawful for the said court of mayor and aldermen, Court of alderand they are hereby empowered, from time to time, at their discretion, to rit and fix the price or fare that every freeman of the said company, or apprentice of a freeman, or of a widow of a freeman of the said company, Sall take or be entitled to for his labour in conveying any person or perns in a wherry or other boat from place to place on the said river, within the limits of this act, and also from time to time to alter such prices or ares, or any of them; and shall lay or cause a list of such prices or fares List of fares to to be laid before his majesty's privy council, to be seen and examined by be allowed by some of the said privy council, who shall allow or refuse to allow of the privy council. same, as they shall think proper, and such allowance shall be signified men to fix fares for watermen. 7 & 8 Geo. IV. c. lxxv. Penalty on demanding more than the fare. List of fares to be advertised and made public. Lists of fares to between Chelsea wich, and also half mile posts and eastward of Greenwich. under the hands of three of the said privy council at the least; and no fares or prices, or any alteration therein, shall be valid, until the same I shall have been allowed as aforesaid." Sect. 62. "Every freeman of the said company, and every apprentice of a freeman, or of the widow of a freeman, who shall demand and take for his or their labour or fare, within the limits of this act, more than the said prices or sums to be limited and fixed by the said court of mayor and aldermen, and allowed as aforesaid, shall forfeit and pay for every such offence any sum not exceeding 40s. Sect. 63. "The said court of mayor and aldermen shall cause a list of the fares or prices to be from time to time limited or fixed as aforesaid, within thirty days next after the same, or any alteration therein shall have been allowed by three or more of the privy council as aforesaid, to be advertised in the London Gazette and two London newspapers, and also to be printed and sent to the several public offices established by authority of parliament for the administration of justice in the counties of Middlesex and Surrey." Sect. 64. The said court of master, wardens, and assistants shall be put up at cer- cause a list of such of the fares and prices to be from time to time limited tain plying places or fixed, and advertised as aforesaid, as they shall think proper, to be Bridge and Green- painted on boards in legible characters, of such height and size, and set up or affixed at or near such of the plying places within the limits of this or piles westward act, in such situations and in such manner as the said court of mayor and of Chelsea Bridge aldermen shall from time to time direct; and shall also cause posts or piles to be placed or driven in or near the banks or sides of the said river Thames, between Chelsea Bridge and Teddington Lock, and between Greenwich Hospital stairs and Woolwich, and at such other places, within the limits of this act, as the said court of mayor and aldermen shall from time to time direct, at the distance of half a mile from each other, with letters and figures thereon, denoting the distance of every such post or pile from Chelsea Bridge or Greenwich Hospital stairs respectively, such letters and figures to be not less than four inches long, and broad in proportion; and to be made of cast iron, raised on an iron plate, or in such other manner, and to be erected in such situations, as the said court of mayor and aldermen shall from time to time direct; and the said court of master, wardens, and assistants, shall from time to time repair and renew such boards and posts or piles, and keep and continue legible the list of fares, and letters and figures thereon respectively; and if the said court shall neglect to set up or affix such board at any plying place at which the same shall be directed to be set up or affixed, or to place or drive any such post or pile as aforesaid, or shall not, within fourteen days after notice in writing from any person or persons, directed to the said court, shall be left with the clerk of the said company, or at Waterman's Hall, that any such board, post, or pile has been destroyed or removed, or the list, letters, or figures, or any such board, post, or pile, has been defaced or become illegible, renew or repair, or render the same legible (as the case may require), the said court for every such offence shall forfeit and pay the sum of 257., the whole whereof shall go to the person or persons who shall inform or sue for the same; and if any person or persons shall wilfully break, cut down, pull up, or damage any such board, post, or pile, or obliterate, deface, spoil, or destroy all or any, or any part of the list, letters, figures, or marks which shall be painted or affixed thereon, he or they, being thereof lawfully convicted, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanour, and be liable to such punishment as in cases of misdemeanours, at the discretion of the court before whom such offender shall be tried and convicted; and on the conviction of every such offender, the said court of master, wardens, and assistants shall pay a sum of 201., as a reward to the person or persons who shall inform of such offence, and also pay all the costs in or relating to the prosecution of such offender or offenders; and any penalty hereby inflicted on the said court for not setting up, affixing, or placing, or renewing any such board, post, |