INTRODUCTION.

W HEREVER evils and crimes exist in Society, which have not only been felt by the innocent and useful part of the community to be noxious and oppressive, but also declared, by the Laws of the Land, to be objects deserving punishment-Where such evils are even found to increase, notwithstanding Legislative Regulations established with an immediate view to prevention, the conclusion to be drawn is obvious. Something is wanting in addition to the mere letter of the Law, which shall operate more effectually to the relief and security of Society.

To no local department does this observation so pointedly apply as to the depredations, embezzlements, and frauds, which have so long afflicted the Commerce, Navigation, and Revenue of the Port of London.

The progressive, and (of late years) the very rapid increase of its Trade, and the consequent influx of Wealth, without such checks being regularly applied as are necessary to restrain the progress of vicious inclinations, has certainly tended, in an eminent degree, to production of crimes.Hence it happens, that in the flux and reflux of Commercial Property, greater in point of magnitude and extent than is known to exist in any River in the Universe, the Thames has exhibited to the mind of the patient inquirer, scenes of delinquency and turpitude, certainly unparalleled in any district of the same extent in the known World.

To explain how these evils have arisen, and to suggest

effectual remedies, is the chief object of this Work.-The

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inquiry inquiry is no less interesting than useful, whether it respects the immediate advantage of the individual, or the welfare of the State.

To those whose property is exposed to danger, and who have been long suffering under the yearly spoliation which has been experienced, the subject cannot fail to be important. Nor is it less so to the Nation at large, when the benefits are contemplated, which must result from a species of protection, shielding the useful and industrious part of the Community from injury, while it, at the same time, improves the Revenue, and renovates the morals of a great body of the lower classes of Society. - Nor are these benefits, as they apply to the individual, confined to one Spot, Nation, or Country. They may be said, with truth, to extend to Navigators, Traders, Manufacturers, and Agriculturists, in every part of the civilized World, who have commercial intercourse with the Port of London, since it will be seen that all are, in some degree, affected by the extended evils developed in this Work, and of course are immediately interested in the success of any remedy which may be applied.

The advantages however which, it is to be hoped, Commerce in general is to derive from the details, and the informations now laid before the Public, are not confined to one object alone.

The peculiar circumstances of this great Commercial Port, have ever rendered it difficult to obtain a perfect knowledge of the nature of its Government and Police. A general and collected view of the manner in which both were conducted, was no where to be found. -The various regulations of Trade, and the Laws and Rules which governed the Shipping concerns, were little understood even by not a few of the Merchants and Ship-Owners themselves, and far less by Navigators and Strangers frequenting the Port.

The

The information, which it has been the object of the Author to collect and to arrange under various distinct heads, although highly important to be known, has not heretofore been, in many instances, accessible, and hence many inconveniences have been experienced, pecuniary losses suffered by pillage and embezzlements, and even penalties incurred, which a better knowledge of the abuses and evils of the Port, and its Customs and Laws, might have prevented.

In discussing a subject therefore, which was so little understood, and which in some shape or other may be said to be useful and interesting to the whole Commercial World, and certainly to every Port in the Kingdom, it became necessary to methodize the design by a variety of subdivisions.

The Work therefore commences with a general view of the state and progress of the Navigation and Commerce of the River Thames for a Century. Its magnitude and importance is not only explained in the first Chapter, by a reference to authentic documents, but also its various subdivisions, whether they relate to Shipping or Merchandise, in the foreign or coasting Trade. - In these different departments, specific details are offered to the consideration of the Reader, illustrated by Tables not less curious than interesting, both to the political Economist, and Persons engaged in Commercial Pursuits, as well as those in the Nautical Profession,

The Moralist will probably find matter for contemplation, in the view which has been given of the causes that have produced a species of systematic delinquency, which, in its different ramifications, exhibits a display of turpitude as singular as it is unparalleled; and each class of Traders will not only discover to what extent in the aggregate the respective branches they carry on, has suffered by plunder and inquiry is no less interesting than useful, whether it respects the immediate advantage of the individual, or the welfare of the State.

To those whose property is exposed to danger, and who have been long suffering under the yearly spoliation which has been experienced, the subject cannot fail to be important. Nor is it less so to the Nation at large, when the benefits are contemplated, which must result from a species of protection, shielding the useful and industrious part of the Community from injury, while it, at the same time, improves the Revenue, and renovates the morals of a great body of the lower classes of Society. -Nor are these benefits, as they apply to the individual, confined to one Spot, Nation, or Country. They may be said, with truth, to extend to Navigators, Traders, Manufacturers, and Agriculturists, in every part of the civilized World, who have commercial intercourse with the Port of London, since it will be seen that all are, in some degree, affected by the extended evils developed in this Work, and of course are immediately interested in the success of any remedy which may be applied.

The advantages however which, it is to be hoped, Commerce in general is to derive from the details, and the informations now laid before the Public, are not confined to one object alone.

The peculiar circumstances of this great Commercial Port, have ever rendered it difficult to obtain a perfect knowledge of the nature of its Government and Police. A general and collected view of the manner in which both were conducted, was no where to be found. -The various regulations of Trade, and the Laws and Rules which governed the Shipping concerns, were little understood even by not a few of the Merchants and Ship-Owners themselves, and far less by Navigators and Strangers frequenting the Port.The

The information, which it has been the object of the Author to collect and to arrange under various distinct heads, although highly important to be known, has not heretofore been, in many instances, accessible, and hence many inconveniences have been experienced, pecuniary losses suffered by pillage and embezzlements, and even penalties incurred, which a better knowledge of the abuses and evils of the Port, and its Customs and Laws, might have prevented.

In discussing a subject therefore, which was so little understood, and which in some shape or other may be said to be useful and interesting to the whole Commercial World, and certainly to every Port in the Kingdom, it became necessary to methodize the design by a variety of subdivisions.

The Work therefore commences with a general view of the state and progress of the Navigation and Commerce of the River Thames for a Century. Its magnitude and importance is not only explained in the first Chapter, by a reference to authentic documents, but also its various subdivisions, whether they relate to Shipping or Merchandise, in the foreign or coasting Trade. - In these different departments, specific details are offered to the consideration of the Reader, illustrated by Tables not less curious than interesting, both to the political Economist, and Persons engaged in Commercial Pursuits, as well as those in the Nautical Profession,

The Moralist will probably find matter for contemplation, in the view which has been given of the causes that have produced a species of systematic delinquency, which, in its different ramifications, exhibits a display of turpitude as singular as it is unparalleled; and each class of Traders will not only discover to what extent in the aggregate the respective branches they carry on, has suffered by plunder and