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CITY OF LONDONDERRY. 
Bridge. —The bridge is, likewise, an important source of revenue. Previously to its erec¬ 
tion all intercourse with the country at the opposite side of the Foyle was maintained by a ferry, 
which the corporation held under the Irish Society, at an annual rent of £20, and sub-let at £300 
annually. In 1789, when thirty years of their tenure were still unexpired, they presented a memo¬ 
rial to the society, stating their intention of building a wooden bridge, but soliciting as a prelimi¬ 
nary, a lease renewable for ever, securing to the corporation a right to erect such bridge, and 
appropriate the tolls of it to their own use, subject to the resumption of the society whenever they 
should cease to maintain it. The society, however, as mere trustees for the twelve London com¬ 
panies, declined full compliance, but granted a lease of the ferry in perpetuity, at the original rent, 
which was to be secured on the tolls, and to cease if the bridge were not kept in fitting repair.— 
The lease was never executed ; but the corporation hold by virtue of the above agreement. 
In 1790 the corporation petitioned parliament, and obtained an act (30 Geo. III. c. 31), em¬ 
powering them to build a bridge over the Foyle at Derry, and granting tolls for passage, to be ap¬ 
plied to “lighting, watching, maintaining, and supporting the bridge, expenses of collecting toll, 
removing buildings, purchasing interests, making approaches, and payment of £20 annually to the 
Irish Society.” It likewise authorizes them to advance or borrow money, and enacts that, after 
the payment of all debts and expenses, the surplus tolls should be applied, like the other corpora¬ 
tion property, to the improvement of the city and suburbs. A wooden bridge was accordingly 
erected, exclusively from money borrowed on the credit of the tolls. The expense amounted to 
r£T 6,594, Irish currency. 
In 1800 another act was obtained by the corporation, (40 George 3, c. 41,) which granted 
an increase of tolls. For repairing the damage, which, as above mentioned, occurred to the bridge 
in 1814, a third act obtained by the corporation, (54 George 3, c. 230), authorizes them to 
borrow, on debenture, any sum not exceeding £60,000, to be secured on the tolls of the bridge, 
and their other estates, premising that the corporation have already incurred a debt to that amount 
in erecting and repairing the bridge, and constructing quays, wharfs, and other public works. 
It also empowers the lord lieutenant to order the treasury to advance £15,000, Irish currency, 
for the repair of the bridge, to be refunded by instalments within twenty years ; the first instal¬ 
ment to be made on the 1st of January 1817. Lastly, it grants a further increase of tolls ; allows 
of their modification and renewal; enforces their application, as specified in the preceding acts ; 
directs that, in consideration of the additional tolls, the corporation shall always maintain a proper 
and substantial bridge ; and requires them to fund at least £1000 a year, adding interest to prin¬ 
cipal, until the sum of £30,000 shall have been amassed for repairing or rebuilding the present 
bridge, and no other purpose; adding that, in case of accident preventing the use of the bridge, 
the same tolls shall be paid for a ferry, and the money arising therefrom applied and invested 
like the annual sum of £1000, but not considered part of it. No money was borrowed on debenture, 
but the bridge was repaired from the £15,000 advanced by government, with the addition of 
£3,208 from the tolls, making in all £18,208. 
Of the above £30,000 there was funded in February, 1830, the sum of £500, and a second 
sum of £500 has since been added. 
The corporation having incurred a considerable debt, by constructing quays, markets, and 
other public works, as already stated, paying salaries and pensions, and subscribing to public 
establishments, executions to the amount of £38,000 were in 1831 issued against them. As 
no part of the sum lent from the treasury in 1814 had been repaid, the government also pro¬ 
cured from the court of chancery a sequestration against the tolls of the bridge. They consented, 
however, wi{h the approbation of parliament, to accept of twenty equal annual instalments of 
£816 18s. 5d., the sum then due being in British money as follows:— 
£. s. d. 
Principal ...... 13,846 3 1 
Interest on the instalments due . . . 2,492 6 2 
£16,338 9 3 
This arrangement was confirmed by two acts, (2nd and 3rd William, 4th, c. 107), under 
which two instalments have been paid. 
On the 2nd of January, 1833, the debts of the bridge were as follows : — 
Original debt incurred in erection, bearing interest at 5 ) British £15 317 
per cent. ..... j ’ ’ 
Re-payment due to Government without interest, . 14,755 
