The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-17 00:00:00

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some decisive and systematic plan of groyuing, in order
to repel this encroachment, be at once adopted, it is im-
possible to predict whit mischief may arise to this
valuable harbour.
Harwich also offers an instance of the necessity of
d

again defining the limits of ports, as the corporation of
Ipswich claims by charter and daily exercises the right
of levying anchorage dues upon vessels lying close to
the face of the town of Harwich, and manifestly far
removed from the natural limit of the port of Ipswich.
It appears from the Parliamentary returns that the
aggregate debt of the several ports of the United King-
dom, exclusive of docks in the port of London, exceeds
4,000,0001. sterling; one-fourth part, therefore, of the
whole harbour income of 800,000/. a year must be an-
nually appropriated to pay the interest of this debt,
which will consequently materially cripple the means
for future improvements. This large sum, although
borrowed with the sanction of the Legislature, has been
laid out entirely by several local boards, without the
slightest control being exercised over it either by Par-
liament or by any other specially power charged to
watch over the interest of the public.
Among the numerous cases of the misapplication of
harbour funds, to which we have already had occasion
to refer, a sum of more than 28,000/. expended last year
in Parliamentary and legal expenses connected with
Bills for the improvement of harbours, seems to your
Commission to be a most impolitic and unnecessary out-
lay, and one which might be entirely prevented by the
establishment of a harbour conservancy board, such as
we have humbly ventured to submit to your Majesty's
consideration.
From the competition already commenced between
rai'roads and the coasting shipping, we fear that unless
immediate measures be taken to improve the harbours
and navigable rivers of this kingdom, and, where prac-
ticable, to lessen the dues, a large portion of the goods
which these vessels now carry will be conveyed by the
railroads rapidly extending to almost every part of
the coast. We would, therefore, strongly urge such
assistance, not only on economical but on political grounds
of the highest importance to the maritime interests of
the kingdom, as the coasting trade has ever been the
best nursery for the hardy race of seamen who have so
ably naaintainechhe honour and power of the country.
We alluded in our first report to the obstructions and
shoals which so seriously impede and endanger the navi-
gation of the Thames between Gravesend and London-
bridge; all the additional information and evidence we
have received since that report was presented fully con-
ex-
pressed,
conflicting
etifneV
autiifre-
quentlyconfidentoritietsh,att,oifuth,heosvearlousandvinee us of the correctness of the opinions we then acaond
the eoaservancy or this noble river is guardianship
could be
entrusted,
induced to co-operate cordially in its improvement, and
to carry on their operations jointly on one sound and
uniform system, the impediments which now discredit
the local administrations and endanger the commerce of
the metropolis, might be speedily and cheaply removed.
And in strong corroboration of our own view of this sub-
ject, we subjoia the following extract from the report
of a select Committee of the House of Commons in tho
year 1836, specially appointed to inquire Into the state
of the port of London:—
"That this Committee are of opinion that the various
conflicting jurisdictions and claims of the Admiralty,
the Trinity House, and the Corporation of the city of Lon-
don, over the river Thames below the bridges, have had
a most injurious effect upon the interests of navigation ;
that it is desirable they should be consolidated and vested
in some one responsible body, and that means should be
found to provide for the removal of shoals and obstruc-
tions in the bed of the river."
All these facts and considerations induce us most
earnestly to repeat the recommendation, which we ven-
tured dutifully to submit to your Majesty in our former
report, that all the tidal harbours in the United King-
dom be placed under the special care of a board of ob-
servancy, to be formed under the authority and provi-
sions of an Act of Parliament (of which we annex a
Bill), being fully convinced that any less stringent and
decisive measures will be found wholly inadequate for
the accomplishment of the great national object which
your Majesty has been graciously pleased to direct us to
consider and examine.
All which we humbly certify to your Majesty.
William Bowles, Rear-Admiral, M.P., chairman ;
J. J. Gordon Bremer, Cap:ain, R.N. ; Joseph
Hume, M.P. ; Aaron Chapman, M.P. ; Edward
R. Rice, MP. ; Thomas Baring, M.P. ; F.
Beaufort, Ilydrographer ; G. B. Airy, Astro-
nomer Royal ; John Washington, Captain,
R.N. ; Richard Godson, Q.C. and M.P., Coun-
sel to the Admiralty.
London, 20th March, 1846.

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