CHAPTER XIV 



RIVER IMPROVEMENT AND INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION 



THE earliest legislation applying to navigable rivers referred 

 only to the taking of salmon or to restrictions on weirs and 

 other hindrances to navigation. Regulations in regard to 

 these matters began to be enforced in 1285, and numerous 

 statutes relating more especially to the removal alike of weirs, 

 jetties, mills, mill-dams, etc., causing obstruction to boats, 

 were passed ; though in 1370 and subsequently there were 

 complaints that the said statutes were not observed. 



The first Act for the improvement of an English river was, 

 /according to Clifford, as told in his " History of Private Bill 

 | /Legislation," a statute of 1424 (2 Hen. VI.), which appointed 

 " a commission " to survey, redress and amend all the defaults " 

 of the river Lea. Six years later there was a further Act 

 which set forth that, owing to the number of shoals in the 

 river, ships and boats could not pass as they ought ; and 

 the Chancellor was authorised to appoint Commissioners to 

 remove the shoals. The Commissioners were further em- 

 powered to take tolls from passing vessels, though the Act was 

 to be in force for only three years, and was, in effect, not 

 renewed. 



We have here the introduction, not alone of the improve- 

 ment of river navigation by Act of Parliament, but of the 

 principle of toll-collection on rivers as a means of raising funds 

 for defraying the cost, on the principle that those who bene- 

 fitted should pay. It will, also, be seen that this first legis- 

 lative attempt at river improvement related only to dredging 

 and deepening the channel of the stream to which it applied. 



Next, as we are further told by Clifford, came the straighten- 

 ing of rivers, or their partial deviation by new cuts ; and here, 

 again, the Lea stands first in the Statutes. The preamble of 

 an Act (13 Eliz., c. 18), passed in 1571, " for bringing the river 

 Lea to the north side of the city of London," stated : 



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