Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-06-16

THE MEMORIAL ofsundry Merchants
Traders, Masters and Owners or Vessels
aad other persons, humbly and respect
fully sheweth:
That the Legislature of this Common
wealth, ~ the last session thereof, passed
law with the following title
I'm act for IMPROVING the Navigation
of.Iames River"
YOUR Memorialis,s have heard that il
was generally believed, and held out,
while this project was going on, that the
sole design of the law was To establish a
company for the purpose ofimproving the
navigation OF James river as 1t is express.
ed by he uue OF the act, upon equitable
and ustpUncipes and TIA. compensation
should be made by reasonable toll upon
such vessels as might be benehted there.
by.-And the law passed in the form,
which your Memorialisls believe would
not have obtained the appreciation ofthe le-
g5lature ifthe whole truth had been fairly
represented to, and understood by them.
The tlTo contains the f5E9ping qvords:
sin consideration OF the expenses which
"may be incurred by the said company, in
tdeepening the bed of he sid river, aud
g. of the company, their heirs and assigns,
&" shall be entitled to the tolls herein after
mentioned for ever, as tenants in com
".mon, in proportion to their respective
eshares and the same shall be deemed
i'real estate, and be forever exempt from
"the payment of any tax or imposition
{" whatever. 1t shall be lawful for the said
" company to demand and receive, at the
"place called Warwick, on James river,
" or at such other place "a the President
" and Directors shall appoint, tolls from
"vessels drawing five feet water and up.
"wards, FOR their passage by or through
" the said places, at the rate OF SIX cents
"per ton {; which tolls are rated in money,
Sand may be discharged in gold or silver
"coin, at curren, value. The tolls here.
"in before mentioned, Shall be paid on
"condition only that the said river shall,
Tin any season, admit vessels drawing
"thrleen feet water, from Warwick to
"Rocke'ts Landing and from Rockets
"Landing to the Rock Landing, a little
"below Col. Mayos bridge, vessels six
sand half feet water. And in case the
said company shall not begin The work
"within two years, and not complete the
"same in seven years after passing of this
" act, the said company shall not be ent-
"tled to any benefit or privilege under
6 this act."
1t appears by the extract just quoted, to
which your memoralists beg leave to refer,
that the company have right, accordingto
the law, to demand toll of SIX cents per
ton upon all vessels which draw five feet
OF water and upwards, before they can be
allowed to come to Rockets Landing, aud
the same for returning whereas 1t is well
known that vessels which draw twelve feet
of water, have heretofore been able TO
come to Rockets Landing, and may CONT.
nue. to do so without the assistance efthe con-
templated improvements therefore, all
vessels which draw twelve feet of water
and less, down to FIVE, will according to the
law, be compelled to pay a high toll with
out deriving any equivalent benefit, there
by enriching, by public loss, few mono
polizers, who subscribed for the shares,
which your memorialists consider will be
extremely burthensome, unjust and OPP
presslve.
According to the law as it has been en-
acted, coasting vessel Of one hundred
tons, which may probably make eight trips
per year, to and from some other place
or places, will be compelled 10 pay ninety
sig dollars-when the same vessel viii be
obliged to pay no more than six dollars to
the United States, and when also no ade
quate advantage will be derived by any
thing which the company may or can do
for the benefit of such vessels.
II is true that the channel OF James ri
yer may be made something deeper and
wider than it is now. The law requires
the channel to be deepened SO little, that
the contemplated improvement will not
exceed one foot or thereabouts. Your
memorialists readily acknowledge that
there would be no Improperly in exact
ing from such vessels as may be benefit
ed by the improvement, an adequate COM
penSalion for tde benefits which they may
derive but as the law now stands, all ves-
sells being compelled to pay according to
their tonnage, without regard to their
draft of water, the company will become
rich at the expense of those who cannot
obtain adequate compensation. And it is
now said Inv some skiifuI pilots that vessels