There are also occasional gifts of a few pounds in cases of severe accidental calamities happening to members or their families.

There would thus appear to be a surplus of about 2701. a year, but it is stated the produce of the ferries is in gradual course of diminution owing to the concurrence of the steamboats, and the Company are unwilling to increase the number of pensions lest the failure of the fund might occasion the hardship of a reduction of the income of poor members who had been led to depend on its permanence. The investment of the surplus has amounted to only 8941. 128. 11d. Stock in six years, which shows that the distribution has approached the receipts.

ALDERMAN LUCAS'S CHARITY.

Alderman Lucas, who died about 1837, by his will gave 500l. to be invested by the Company, and the annual produce thereof to be annually distributed by the Master Wardens and Assistants amongst the inmates of the Free Watermen and Lightermen's Asylum at Penge, Sydenham, as they should think most fit for the benefit of the said institution. This sum was invested in 5217. 10s. 3d. 31. per cent. Consols, forming part of 43,590l. 58. 11d. like stock before referred to. The dividends amounting to 15l. 128. 9d. a year are distributed to the inmates of, if single 7s. 3d., to the married couples 10s. 6d. each year.

The ROYAL WATERMEN and LIGHTERMEN'S ASYLUM at Penge in the County of Surrey.

By an indenture dated the 9th March 1839, made between John Dudley Brown of the first part, and the Master, Wardens, and Company of the Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames of the second part, all that piece and parcel of land or ground, containing by admeasurement, 2 acres more or less, situate in the hamlet of Penge, in the parish of Battersea, in the county of Surrey, described in a plan drawn on the margin, was conveyed to the parties of the second part and their successors and assigns, upon trust for the benefit of the poor, aged, decayed, and maimed watermen and lightermen of the said Company and their widows, in such manner as the said court of Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the said Company shall from time to time direct and appoint.

The edifice was erected by voluntary subscriptions, and opened in the year 1841. It consists of a building forming three sides of a quadrangle, and containing forty-one separate houses, with separate entrances, each house having two rooms below and one above. They are unendowed and are supported by voluntary contributions mostly from the members of the Company. It is occupied by 13 married couples, and 28 single persons who are elected by the subscribers as vacancies occur.

THAMES WATERMEN AND LIGHTERMEN.

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS.

I append a list of the subscribers, and the rules of the institution.

WESTMINSTER CHEST SOCIETY.

By section 36 of the Company's Act, it was enacted that nothing in that Act contained should extend to injure or prevent the Watermen of the parishes of St. Margaret and St. John, Westminster, from plying or working for hire across the river Thames, from Westminster Bridge to Stangate, and from the Horse Ferry to Lambeth Stairs respectively, on every Sunday, and taking the fare of one penny for each passenger in their several turns as they have been accustomed to do; and the money earned by them or any of them on that day is hereby directed to be from time to time employed for the use of the poor aged, decayed, and maimed watermen and their widows of the parishes of St. Margaret and St. John, Westminster; and any two Justices of the Peace of the said parishes were thereby authorised from time to time to call the watermen so working to account for the monies by them earned on the Sunday as aforesaid, and cause the same to be applied and disposed of as aforesaid, and that the said watermen of the said parishes of St. Margaret and St. John for the time being should choose two stewards and a clerk, on the 23rd April in every year, yearly, unless such day should happen to be on the Lord's day and in such case on the following day, and such watermen of the said parishes or the major part of them present at a meeting of their society should thereby have power to appoint such of the watermen of the said parishes as should in their respective turns work on the Sunday as aforesaid; and no freeman or apprentice except the watermen of the said parishes, should ply or work across the said river at either of the said places on a Sunday.

The sum of 2,760l. 188. 1d. 31. per cent. Consols part of the 43,5901. 5s. 11d. like stock, is held by the Company upon trust for the poor watermen of the parishes of St. John's and St. Margaret's, and appears to have been compensation received on the building of Westminster Bridge, upwards of a century ago, in respect of the right of such poor watermen to a ferry from Westminster Bridge to Stangate, and Horse Ferry to Lambeth; the Company being entitled to the ferry from the Surrey to the Middlesex side. The money received by the Company for their share of the compensation was added to their other funds, and they then became trustees for the poor watermen of St. John's and St. Margaret's. The Company pay over the entire dividends to the stewards appointed under the 36th clause above stated, and take no part in its administration.

All which I submit to the Board.

Section.

Master, &c., neglecting to attend any Court for one
year without permission, shall be removed - 22
For the election of new members of the Court
Persons qualified to be admitted members -
Court for admission of members

Appointment of clerk

Accounts to be kept by the clerk, and audited

Court to appoint inspectors of plying places, &c., beadles, and other officers

Court may appoint Sunday watermen

Fares of Sunday watermen

Receipts on Sunday to be paid to Company

Penalty on not paying over receipts

The Company may let the Sunday ferries to farm Persons farming the same, to employ no person who has not been approved of by the Court Saving right of watermen of St. Margaret's and of St. John's, Westminster

13

14

16

Power to justices at Gravesend to license water-
men to work on Sundays
Application of fares received at Gravesend on
Sundays

37

33

39

40

41

Not to vacate, &c. present indentures

Power to Master, &c. to administer oaths

Section.

48

80

49

Present byelaws to continue in force until others are made

Byelaws made by the Court of Master, Wardens, and Assistants, to be printed and made public

81

53

Registered and non-registered freemen to make annual payments to Company

Manner of recovering penalties

54

licences

55

Qualification of applicant for lighterman's licence Qualification of applicant for watermen's licence Fees payable for licence

56

Constables not to apprehend or take watermen out of their boats until moored

57

For compelling the attendance of witnesses Application of penalties

Plaintiff not to recover without notice, or after tender of amends

mariners

66

67

Penalty for taking more than the number allowed

on licence

Court to fix fares for the watermen

Watermen to carry a list of fares and byelaws Penalty on watermen avoiding or refusing to take a fare

Saving existing ferries

Saving rights, &c. of the Commissioners of Westminster Bridge

98

99

Saving powers of Dock Companies

100

Saving rights of the Conservators of the river Thames

101

Nothing to affect provisions of 17 & 18 Vict. c. 104., &c.

102 103

Saving the powers of the Master, &c. of the Trinity House, of Deptford Strond, in licensing

Saving rights of the City of London

Saving rights of the Duke of Richmond to hold a Court at Gravesend, called Curia Cursus Aquæ

94

95

An Act for the better Regulation of Watermen, Barge Owners, and others, connected with the Navigation of the River Thames, between Teddington Lock and Lower Hope Point. (13th August 1859.)

66

WHEREAS, by an Act passed in the session holden in the seventh and eighth years of the reign of His late Majesty, King George the Fourth, chapter seventy-five, intituled An Act for the better regulation of the Watermen and Lightermen on the River Thames, between Yantlet Creek and Windsor," the Company of Watermen, Wherrymen, and Lightermen were incorporated, by the name and title of "The Master, Wardens, and Commonalty of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames."

And whereas in accordance with that Act, the freemen of the said Company, and the apprentices to freemen, or to widows of freemen of the said Company, enjoy certain exclusive privileges of working and navigating, or causing to be worked or navigated, for hire, within the limits of the said Act, wherries, lighters, and other craft, for carrying passengers, goods, and merchandise.

And whereas the limits of the said Act are defined to extend to all parts of the river Thames, from, and opposite to, and including the town of New Windsor, in the county of Berks, to, and opposite to, and including Yantlet Creek, in the county of Kent, and to all docks, canals, creeks, and harbours of, or out of, the said river, so far as the tide flows therein.

And whereas it is expedient that the limits of the said Act should be altered, and such exclusive privileges should be modified, and that proper regulations should be made for the navigation of barges, lighters, boats, and other like craft, carrying goods, wares, and merchandise, within the limits of this Act, and for the

Application of monies

regulation of the persons employed to navigate the same, and for the security of passengers passing to and fro on the said river in boats and other craft, and for the orderly conduct of the traffic on the said river.

And whereas by the eighteenth section of an Act passed in the session holden in the fourth and fifth years of Her late Majesty Queen Anne, chapter nineteen, and intituled "An Act for the encouragement and increase of seamen, and for the better and speedier manning of Her Majesty's Fleet," certain provisions are made, whereby the freemen of the said Company are obliged to serve on board Her Majesty's Fleet, under such circumstances, and subject to such penalties, as are therein mentioned.

And whereas it is expedient that the obligation so imposed on the freemen of the said Company, of serving on board Her Majesty's Fleet, should be repealed.

May it therefore please your Majesty, that it may be enacted, and be it enacted by the Queen'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 authority of the same, as follows:

I. This Act may be cited for all purposes as "The Short title. Watermen's and Lightermen's Amendment Act, 1859."

of passenger boat.

II. The term " passenger boat," as used throughout Definition this Act, shall mean any sailing boat, river steam boat, row boat, wherry, or other like craft, used for carrying passengers within the limits of this Act, unless there is something in the context inconsistent with such a meaning.

III. The term "lighterman" shall mean any person working or navigating for hire a lighter, barge, boat, or other like craft, within the limits of this Act; the term "the Company" shall mean the master, wardens, and

Definition of the term

lighterman and waterman, &c.

Commencement of Act.

Sec. 18 of

4 & 5 Anne,

c. 19. repealed.

7 & 8 Geo.IV.

c. 75. repealed.

Repeal not to affect rights, &c. herein named.

Limits of the Act.

Power to purchase lands, &c. without license in mortmain.

Of whom the company is to consist.

Affairs to be

court of

commonalty of watermen and lightermen of the river Thames; the term "the Court" shall mean the Court of master, wardens, and assistants of the same Com" shall mean any pany; and the term "waterman person navigating, rowing, or working for hire, passenger boat," unless there is something in the context inconsistent with such meanings.

66

а

IV. This Act shall commence and come into operation on the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and sixty.

V. The eighteenth section of the said Act, passed in the session holden in the fourth and fifth years of the reign of Her late Majesty Queen Anne, chapter nineteen, shall be repealed.

VI. The said Act passed in the seseion holden in the seventh and eighth years of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Fourth, chapter seventy-five, shall be repealed.

VII. Provided always, that such repeal shall not affect

1. The existence of the Company, or its property, whether real or personal, or any of its rights and obligations, as a body corporate, except as altered by this Act,

2. Any penalty, forfeiture, or other punishment incurred, or to be incurred, in respect of any offence committed before this Act comes into operation.

3. Any appointment or license duly made or granted under any enactment hereby repealed. VIII. This Act shall extend to all parts of the River Thames, from, and opposite to, and including Teddington Lock, in the counties of Middlesex and Surrey, to, and opposite to, and including Lower Hope Point, near Gravesend, in the county of Kent, and to all docks, canals, creeks, and harbours of, or out of, the said river, so far as the tide flows therein.

IX. The Company shall have power to purchase and hold lands and hereditaments, not exceeding in the whole the yearly value of two thousand pounds, at the time of the purchase or taking thereof, without license in mortmain; and also, to sell, exchange, or mortgage, all or any of such lands or hereditaments.

X. The company shall consist of the several freemen who would have composed the said company if this Act had not passed, and of such other persons as may be admitted freemen of the said company, in manner hereinafter mentioned.

XI. The affairs of the said company shall continue managed by to be managed by the court of master, wardens, and asssistants, and the present members of the said court shall continue members of the same during their respective lives, unless they resign, or are removed, in manner hereinafter mentioned.

master,

wardens, and assistants.

Appoint

ment of master and wardens.

Quarterly

court to be held.

Chairman

to preside.

XII. One of the members of the said court shall continue to be styled the master of the said company, and shall continue in office until another master has been appointed, in manner hereinafter mentioned, unless he sooner dies, resigns, or ceases to be a member of the said court; and four other members of the said court shall continue to be called wardens of the said company, one of whom shall be called the senior warden; and the remaining three shall be called the junior wardens; and the said four wardens respectively shall continue in their respective offices until other wardens have been appointed, unless they sooner resign, die, or cease to be members of the said court.

XIII. The said court of master, wardens, and assistants, shall meet four times in every year, that is to say-on the first Tuesday after the twenty-ninth day of September, the twenty-fifth day of December, the twenty-fifth day of March, and the twenty-fourth day of June, respectively, or on such other day, within ten days thereafter, as shall be appointed at any prior meeting; and every such meeting shall be called a quarterly court for the affairs and business of the said company; and it shall also be lawful for the said court to hold an extraordinary meeting whenever any quarterly or extraordinary court shall so order, or on the written requisition of nine of the members of the said court, for the time being.

XIV. At every court of master, wardens, and assistants, the master for the time being of the said company shall preside, and if he be unable, from illness or any other cause, to attend, the senior warden, if present, or in his absence, one of the junior wardens, or if none of the junior wardens be present, then the senior member of the court present, (the members in any election of two or more members being considered to have seniority, according to the order in which they are named,) shall preside.

Present master and

wardeus to continue in office.

XVII. That the present master and wardens shall continue in office until the first quarterly court to be held after the twenty-fourth day of June one thousand eight hundred and sixty, and shall then retire. XVIII. At the first quarterly court to be held next Master and after the twenty-fourth day of June in every year, the wardens to then master and wardens shall retire from office, and the annually, Court shall fill up the vacated offices, by electing thereto but reeligible. members of the Court; all retiring masters and wardens shall be eligible for re-election.

XIX. If no election takes place of a master or wardens at any Court at which the same ought to be made, the retiring master and wardens, or such of them as have not had their offices filled up, may continue in office until the quarterly court next after the twentyfourth day of June in the ensuing year, and so from year to year, until their or his offices or office are, or is, filled up, or their offices may be filled up in manner hereinafter provided for casual vacancies.

to attend

without

XXI. Any Court of master, wardens, and assistants, Members of may remove any of the members of the said Court for court may be removed. ill government, misbehaviour, or other reasonable cause, and any member so removed shall not be eligible for re-election. XXII. That if any master, wardens, or other mem- Master, &c. bers of the Court of the said Company shall neglect, neglecting for the space of twelve months, to attend at any any court quarterly or extraordinary court of the said Company, for one year the next quarterly court to be held after the expiration permission, of the said twelve months shall remove him or them shall be from being a member or members of the said Court. removed. XXIII. When and so often as any member of the said court dies, resigns, or is removed, the said Court of master, wardens, and assistants shall elect from amongst the freemen for the time being of the said Company, such person as to them seems meet, for supplying such vacancy, and the person so elected shall continue in the said office during his life, unless he resigns, or is removed therefrom, as aforesaid.

XXV. The Court of master, wardens, and assistants Court for of the said Company, may admit as freemen of the said admission of Company such persons as shall be qualified according to this Act, and apply to be admitted, and no other persons, and such persons, when admitted by the said Court, shall become freemen of the said Company, upon payment of such fee as the said Court of master, wardens and assistants may determine, not exceeding five pounds as a life payment, or ten shillings annually, subject to this proviso, that no registered owner of any barge, lighter, or other like craft, who does not hold a license granted in pursuance of this Act, and no person holding a license, and not being an apprentice to a freeman, or widow of a freeman, shall be admitted as a freeman of the said Company, unless three-fifths of the members of the said Court, assembled at an ordinary quarterly or special meeting, or at some adjournment thereof, concur in electing such owner or person to be a freeman of the Company; but nothing herein contained shall prejudice the rights which any person, being an apprentice at the time of the passing of this Act, may have against the Company, or which the Company may have against any person, being an apprentice at the time of the passing of this Act, so that any such apprentice be examined in accordance with the byelaws for the time being in force, before he is permitted to work as a lighterman or waterman within the limits of this Act.

said Court may from time to time determine, and assign to him such duties as they think fit; and every such 'clerk so appointed shall, previously to his entering on the execution of his said office, give security to the master and wardens for the time being, in such sum, and with such sureties, as they may require.

XXVII. That the accounts of the said Company shall be regularly kept by the said clerk, under two distinct heads, and in different books, the one to be entitled "The Poor's Accounts," and the other to be entitled "The Company's Accounts," and that the said accounts shall be audited by the said Court of master, wardens, and assistants, at their quarterly court, which shall be holden next after the twenty-fourth day of June in every year, or by a committee, to be by them appointed for that purpose, consisting of not less than five members of the said Court, and thereafter the same shall be laid before and audited by a professional accountant, to be named by the Conservators of the River Thames, and that the balance sheet of the Company shall be open to the inspection of any person contributing to the funds of the Compony, on payment of a fee of one shilling.

XXVIII. That it shall be lawful for the said Court from time to time, and as often as they shall think proper, to name, place, and appoint plying places, and inspectors of plying places, and causeways adjoining, or near unto, the said River Thames, and of passenger and other boats and wherries used for the carrying and conveying of persons on the said river, for hire or gain. and also beadles and such other inferior officers and servants as shall be convenient, and allow them, or any of them such salaries or wages as they shall think proper, and may remove the said inspectors, beadles, officers, and servants, or any of them, from time to time as they shall think fit: Provided always, that the plying places at Gravesend, and Milton-next-Gravesend, shall be named and appointed by the said Court, with the consent of the mayor, jurats, and common council of Gravesend.

XXIX. The said Court of master, wardens, and assistants, shall, in their discretion, appoint any number of watermen to ply and work on Sundays on the River Thames, between Chelsea and Bow Creek, at such common stairs or places of plying as the Court thinks fit, so as not to interfere with any established private ferry, and may pay such sums of money as may be agreed upon to such waterman, by way of compensation for their services.

XXX. No sum exceeding two-pence shall be taken by any waterman, authorised in pursuance of this Act, to ply on Sundays, for carrying any person across the river, or to or from any ship or vessel: and if any waterman so plying on Sunday takes from any person more than the said sum of two pence, he shall, for each offence, incur a penalty not exceeding five pounds.

XXXI. All sums received by any waterman so appointed to ply on Sunday, shall, on the Monday following, or such other day as the Court may appoint, be paid by him to the clerk of the said Company, or to such other person as the Court may appoint; and the surplus of such sums, after deducting the sums paid by the Company to the waterman for his services, or the rent received for such ferries, if let as hereinafter provided, shall be applied by the Company to the use of the poor, aged, decayed, and maimed watermen and lightermen of the said Company, and their widows, at the discretion of the said Court of master, wardens, and assistants.

XXXII. If any waterman so appointed to ply on Sunday, as aforesaid, makes default in paying over, in manner aforesaid, all sums received by him in respect of Sunday fares, he shall, for each default or short payment, incur a penalty not exceeding forty shillings.

XXXIII. Nothing herein contained shall empower the said Court of master, wardens, and assistants, to appoint any Sunday ferries, or grant any licenses to any watermen or others to ply on the river Thames 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 of the said bridge, so as to interfere with, prejudice, or affect the tolls authorised to be taken for crossing the same.

XXXIV. It shall be lawful for the said Court of master, wardens, and assistants, to let to farm to any person or persons, the said plying or working on Sundays, at any common stairs or places of plying, for carrying and re-carrying of passengers across the said river, or to or from any ship or vessel, for such time as they shall think proper, provided they give, or cause to

be given, fourteen days previous notice thereof, by ordering a printed paper, expressing their intention to let the same, to be affixed in some conspicuous place, at or near such respective common stairs or places of plying, and let the same accordingly to the highest bidder or bidders who shall give security to their satisfaction for payment of the rent; and if any waterman whom the said court shall appoint to ply and work as aforesaid, or any person or persons who shall take such plying and 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 carry, any greater sum of money than twopence, as aforesaid, he or they shall forfeit and pay for every such offence any sum not exceeding five pounds.

XXXV. If any person or persons appointed to ply and work, or taking such plying or 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 five pounds.

XXXVI. Nothing in this Act contained shall extend to hinder or prevent the watermen of the parishes of Saint Margaret and Saint John, Westminster, from plying or working for hire across the River Thames, from Westminster Bridge to Stangate, and from the Horse Ferry to Lambeth Stairs respectively, on every Sunday, and taking the fare of one penny for each passenger, in their several turns, as they have been accustomed and used to do; and the money earned by them, or any of them on that day, is hereby directed to be from time to time employed for the use of the poor, aged, decayed, and maimed watermen, and their widows, of the said parishes of Saint Margaret and Saint John, Westminster; and any two justices of the peace of the said parishes are hereby authorised from time to time to call the watermen so working, to account for the monies by them earned on the Sunday as aforesaid, and cause the same to be applied and disposed of as aforesaid; and, that the said watermen of the said parishes of Saint Margaret and Saint John, for the time being, shall choose two stewards and a clerk, on the twentythird day of April in every year, yearly, unless such day shall happen to be on the Lord's day, and in such case on the following day; and such watermen of the said parishes, or the major part of them, which shall be present at a meeting of their society, shall and have hereby power to appoint such of the watermen of the said parishes as shall, in their respective turns, work on the Sunday as aforesaid; and no freeman or apprentice, except the watermen of the said parishes, shall ply or work across the said river at either of the said places on a Sunday.

XXXVII. The justices of the peace acting in and for the corporation, villages, and parishes of Gravesend and Milton, or any of them, may grant licenses to any number of freemen of the said company residing at Gravesend, or any of the apprentices of such freemen, or of the widows of such freemen, residing at Gravesend, to carry goods and passengers for hire, at and from Gravesend on Sundays; and such license shall continue in force for the time therein expressed: Nevertheless, the said justices, or any of them, may from time to time recall such licenses, before the expiration of the time therein respectivily expressed.

XXXVIII. The fares taken on Sundays by 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 from time to time appoint for that purpose; and out of the said monies, such sum as the said Court shall from time to time fix, shall be paid to each freeman or 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 at the same place, under such regulations, and in such manner as the said Court of master, wardens, and assistants may determine.

may

be

on Sundays

XXXIX. If any person request the said justices Permission acting in and for the corporation, villages, and parishes granted to of Gravesend and Milton, or any of them, to grant other waterpermission to any freeman of the Company, or any men to work apprentice of such freeman, or the widow of such free- for persons man, to work for him, her, or them, on a Sunday, tho making said justices may grant such permission to such freeman to work for such person making such request, and

Watermen not to ply or work on Sunday below London Bridge, at the plying places next above and below any Sunday ferry.

Penalty on

other water

men working at Gravesend on Sunday. Court empowered to regulate the affairs of the

company.

The names

of

persons keeping boats, &c.,

goods without passengers to be registered

in the books of the Company.

such freeman or apprentice may retain the fares received by him in respect thereof, for his own benefit, or the benefit of his master or mistress.

XL. If any freeman, or apprentice, or other person, except he be appointed by the said Court as aforesaid, plies for hire, or takes or carries for hirc, on a Sunday, at or from any common stairs, or place of plying, on either side of the said river, at which the said Court appoints 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 places at which such appointed or licensed waterman plies, or 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 by the said Court to ply and work, or to or from any ship or craft lying or being on the said river, within the distance of such two other stairs or places of plying, he shall incur, for each offence, a penalty not exceeding forty shillings.

XLI. If any freeman of the Company, or apprentice, or other person (without having such license or permission as aforesaid from the said justices), plies or works at Gravesend on any Sunday, he shall, for every such offence, incur a penalty not exceeding five pounds.

XLII. The said Court of master, wardens, and assistants shall have full power to superintend, regulate, and control all the affairs and concerns of the said company, and to order and dispose of the custody of their common seal, and the use and application thereof.

XLIII. The owner for the time being of any lighter or lighters, barge or barges, or other boat or craft used or to be used, within the limits of this act, for the for carrying carrying of goods, ware, or merchandize, without passengers, from or to any place, ships, or other vessels, shall cause his name and place of abode to be registered in a book to be kept by the Company for that purpose, and shall deliver to the clerk of the said Company a statutory declaration of the ownership of every lighter, barge, boat, or other craft, which shall be so registered; and thereupon the said Company shall deliver to the said owner a certificate of such registration to be renewed annually; and if any such owner shall use or employ, or cause to be used and employed, for the purpose of carrying goods for hire, any such lighter or lighters, barge or barges, or other boat or craft, without having first so registered his name and place of abode, and obtained such certificate, he shall forfeit and pay for every such offence the sum of ten pounds; and there shall be paid to the said company, for the original registry of the name and abode of such owner, if a freeman, the sum of ten shillings; if a non-freeman, the sum of one pound; and for the registry of any change in the place of abode of such owner, whether a freeman, or the widow of a freeman or non-freeman the sum of five shillings, and for each annual renewal of the said certificate, such sum as the said Court shall from time to time determine, not exceeding five shillings.

Register of names of lighters, &c. Payment for registry

The names and numbers

of such boats to be painted thereon.

XLIV. The owner of any such lighter, barge, boat, or other craft, as lastly hereinbefore mentioned, shall cause its name to be registered in a book to be kept by the company, and there shall be paid to the said Company, for the original registry of any such lighter, barge, or other boat or craft, and also for the registry of any change in the ownership thereof, the sum of one shilling, and the clerk shall, upon the original registry of any such craft, or upon the registry of any change of ownership in any such craft, issue a distinctive number to the owner of such lighter, barge, or other boat or craft, and such number shall be the same for all lighters, barges, boats, or craft registered by the Company in the name of such owner.

XLV. The owner or owners of any such lighter, barge, or other boat or craft, shall cause the number so issued to them, together with the name or names of such owner or owners, and with the name or names of every lighter, barge, or other boat or craft, to be painted white on a black ground, in capital letters and figures, of such size as may, from time to time, be determined by any bye-law for the time being in force; such figures and letters to be painted on the hudds boards of barges, and on the bows of lighters and other craft, and to be preserved and kept legible, so as to be plainly seen in the day time by persons passing on the said river; and no person or persons shall have two lighters, barges, or other boats or craft, of the same name; and if any such lighter, barge, or other craft is worked or navigated without being registered, or without the number and

names being painted and kept legible as aforesaid, the owner thereof, or the person in charge thereof, shall, for every such offence, incur a penalty not exceeding five pounds.

qualified

XLVI. Every freeman of the said Company, or Freemen widow of a freeman, may take such apprentices as he or to take she thinks fit, for the purpose of having them instructed apprentices in the navigation of barges, lighters, boats, vessels, and other like craft, subject to the following conditions, that no apprentice shall be bound for a less period than five years, and that the person to whom such apprentice is bound, shall undertake to find him proper board and lodging, either on his own premises or elsewhere.

owners

XLVII. Every registered owner of a barge, lighter, Barge or other like craft, having in his employ a freeman of qualified to the said company, or a lighterman licensed as herein- take sp after mentioned, and actually employed in navigating prentices. the barge, lighter, or other like craft of his employer, may take such apprentices as he thinks fit, for the purpose of having them instructed in the navigation of barges, lighters, and other like craft, subject to the following conditions, that no apprentice shall be bound for a less period than five years, and that the person to whom such apprentice is bound, shall undertake to find him proper board and lodging, either on his own premises or elsewhere.

freemar's

apprent

under

teen or

above

XLVIII. That after the commencement of this Act, No fre it shall not be lawful for any freeman of the said Com- widow, pany, or widow of a freeman, or registered barge-owner, barge (we to bind or take any person as an apprentice who shall to take be under the age of fourteen, or above the age of twenty years; and no indentures of apprenticeship shall be executed, unless it appear by a certificate, signed by the registrar of births for the district or place where the person to be bound was, or shall be born or baptised, or by the oath (or affirmation, if of the people called quakers) of a credible witness, that such person is of the age of fourteen years, and under the age of twenty years.

twenty years of

refusing t

lodge a prentices

XLIX. And if any such freeman or widow, or barge Penalty owner, who shall bind any such apprentice, shall neglect or refuse to lodge his apprentice as aforesaid, he or she shall, for every such offence, forfait and pay any sum not exceeding ten pounds; to be recovered by the said Company; and the apprentice or apprentices of such person shall and may, upon application made to the Court of master, wardens, and assistants of the said Company, at any of their meetings, be by them turned over to any other master or mistress, any indenture, covenant, contract, or agreement to the contrary notwithstanding.

to be com

elled to

Serve

L. Every person duly bound apprentice to any free- Appren e man of the said Company, or the widow of any freeman, or to a barge owner, shall serve, and be compellable to serve the whole of his apprenticeship, although he may although previously have attained the age of twenty-one years, any law or statute to the contrary notwithstanding.

age

bindi appre

LI. That at the Court to be holden next after the Cour twenty-fourth day of June in every year, five of the members of the said Court, not being the master or to fre wardens, preference being given to such of them (if any) as shall have served the office of master, shall be appointed, who, together with the master and wardens for the time being of the said Company, and such other of the assistants as shall think proper, from time to time to attend, shall be a court for the admission of freemen of the said Company, and the execution of all indentures of apprenticeship authorised by this Act, and assignment of apprentices, and such Court shall meet from time to time during the year for which they shall be appointed, when they shall think proper, but no business shall be transacted at any such meeting unless five persons be present, and the same person shall preside, and all questions shall be determined at the said Court, in the same manner as is hereinbefore provided with respect to the meetings of the Court of master, wardens, and assistants of the said Company; and that no indenture of apprenticeship, or the assignment of any apprentice from one master to another authorised by this Act, or the admission of any person to be a freeman of the said Company, shall be executed or made except at a meeting of the said court.

tic

un

LII. That after this Act shall come into operation, it No shall be lawful for all apprentices bound to a party th authorised by this act to take apprentices, to have or ch take the sole charge of any boat, barge, or other vessel, an provided such apprentices shall have worked and rowed shr upon the said river as apprentices for the space of two se years at the least; and upon their being found qualified to act, upon examination by the said Court, and upon obtaining a licence from the said Court, subject to an

ye