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Mary.-IX. Charles the First.-X. Charles, the Second.-XI. James the Second.-XII. William the Third.-XIII. George the Secoud.*

ACTS OF PARLIAMENT.

Tenth and eleventh of William the Third, c. 36.—A private Act

To enable the town of Liverpool to build a CHURCH, (St. Peter's), and endow the same; and for making the said town and liberties, a PARISH of itself, distinct from Walton. This act empowers the Corporation " to build a house for the rector, and to raise 4001. by assessment, on the inhabitants, for that purpose. That two rectors should be appointed, one for the new church, the other for the parochial chapel, who should enjoy the same ecclesiastic benefits as the rector and vicar of Walton had before enjoyed; that all parish dues, &c. should be equally divided between the two rectors. That the patronage and presentation to the rectory should be vested in the Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, for the time being; and should any dispute arise, the decision to be referred to the Bishop of Chester.-&c.

Eighth of Anne, c. 12. A public Act

For making a convenient Dock, or bason, at Liverpool, for the security of all ships trading to and from the said port.

Eighth of Anne, c. 25. A private Act

To enable the Corporation to make a grant to Sir Oleave Moore, Bart. for liberty to bring FRESH WATER into the said town.

First of George the First, c. 21. A private Act

For building and endowing a CHURCH upon the site of the castle of Liverpool, held by lease from the Duchy of Lancaster, aud for explaining a former act for the building another church there.

Third

* By this Charter, which was confirmed by George the Second, it was ordained, that in order to preserve the peace, &c. there should be the following officers, &c.-Forty-one good and discreet persons, who shall be called the Common Council of Liverpool, out of which should be yearly chosen a Mayor, Recorder, and two Bailiffs. "This is the existing corporation," says Wallace," whose by-laws and authorities are binding to the present inhabitants."

Third of George the First, c. 1. A private Act

For enlarging the time granted by an act, passed in the eighth year of the reign of her late Majesty Queen Anne, intituled, "An act for making a convenient dock, or bason, at Liverpool, for the security of all ships trading to and from the said port of Liverpool."

Seventh of George the First, c. 15. A public Act

For making the rivers Mersey and Irwell NAVIGABLE from Liverpool to Manchester.

Twelfth of George the First, c. 21. A public Act

For repairing and enlarging the ROAD from Liverpool to Prescot, and other roads therein mentioned.

Eleventh of George the Second, c. 32.

A private Act

For enlarging the time granted by an act, passed in the third year of the reign of his late Majesty King George, enlarging the time granted by an act passed in the eighth year of the reign of her late Majesty Queen Anne, for making a convenient dock, or bason, at Liverpool, for the security of all ships trading to and from the said port of Liverpool; and for enlarging the same by making an additional dock, and building a pier in the open harbour there; and for enlightening the said dock.

Nineteenth of George the Second, c. 19. A public Act

For enlarging the term and powers granted by an act, passed in the twelfth year of the reign of his late Majesty King George the First, for repairing and enlarging the road from Liverpool to Prescot, and other roads therein mentioned; and for amending the road leading from Prescot to the chapel of St. Helen, in the said county.

Twenty-first of George the Second, c. 24. A public Act

For building a CHURCH in the town of Liverpool, and for enlightening and cleansing the streets of the said town, and for keeping and maintaining a nightly watch there.

Twenty-fifth of George the Second, c. 43. A public Act

For the more easy and speedy recovery of SMALL DEBTS in the town and port of Liverpool, and liberties thereof.

In this year, it appears that the corporation petitioned the king for an act, to "grant an additional number of Justices of the Peace, and to empower the recorder to make a deputy, and for granting the sea-shore to the corpora

tion in express words." In this petition is recited the various charters that had been previously obtained.

Twenty-sixth of George the Second, c. 65. A public Act

For enlarging the term and power granted by two acts of parliament, one passed in the twelfth year of the reign of his late Majesty King George the First; and the other passed in the nineteenth year of his present majesty, for repairing the ROAD from Liverpool to Prescot, and other roads therein mentioned; and also for repairing the road from Prescot, through Whiston, Rainhill, Bold, and Sankey, to the town of Warrington, and also the road from St. Helen to Ashton.

Second of George the Third, c. 68. A public Act

For building two new CHURCHES, and providing burial places within the town of Liverpool; and for the better preserving the pavements of the streets in the said town; and for ascertaining the farcs and prices to be paid carters, carmen, hackney coachmen, and chairmen, and for regulating their behaviour within the said town.

Second of George the Third, c. 36. A public Act

For enlarging the term and powers granted by an act, passed in the eleventh year of the reign of his late majesty, for continuing several acts relating to the HARBOUR of Liverpool, and for enlarging the said harbour, by making an additional dock, and building a pier in the open harbour there, and for enlightening the said dock, and for making another dock, with proper piers, in the said harbour, and for erecting light-houses, and other proper lights in or near the port of Liverpool.

Such are the principal Charters and Acts that have been successively obtained in behalf of this town, and on which its immunities, privileges, aud civil proceedings are founded. Yet it must surprise many to be told that some ambiguity and difficulty still exists respecting the formation of the corporate body. A dispute has arisen, and generated two parties, or corporations, the old and the new; the first consisting of the mayor, bailiffs, and burgesses; and the latter of the mayor, bailiffs, and commoncouncil. In order to settle this dispute, the old corporation resolved to try the issue of their claim at the Lancaster assizes, in 1791 and after various learned and legal arguments were ad

vanced on both sides, it was decided in favor of the old corporation. This decision was contested by the new corporation, who obtained a new trial in the Court of King's Bench before Lord Kenyon, when it was decided that the mayor, bailiffs, and common council constituted the proper corporation. This disagreement of the two verdicts has determined neither, and the point at issue is still a theme of dispute *.

The present prosperity of Liverpool has evidently arisen from a combination of causes; and among these may be chiefly noticed its natural situation, its free water carriage with the numerous manufacturing towns, and mines of the county, and the enlightened policy of its civil government. Seated on the eastern bank of the estuary of the Mersey, which may be called the key of its commerce, and source of its wealth, it possessed a ready and easy communication with St. George's channel, and thence to the Atlantic ocean. Ships, when the wind is fair, at about east-southeast, will sail from the docks to the main Irish sea, in a few hours. The river gradually expands, between the town and the sea. From the fort, to Seacombe ferry opposite, it is about 1300 yards across. At spring tides the water sometimes rises thirty feet; but at dead neap, only thirteen feet.

At what time Commerce fixed on the banks of the Mersey, as one of her principal seats in Britain, is a subject, though, perhaps, of no high antiquity, buried in profound oblivion. Leland observes that this port was well frequented by Irish merchants in his time; and its first importance doubtless arose from the low ratio of its import duties. From the flatness of the shore, and other circumstances, the shipping must formerly have been subject to great inconveniencies; for though vessels rode safely in the offing, they were obliged to ride there as in a road, rather than an harbour. In the Reign of Elizabeth it appears that a mole

* The whole of the proceedings, on the above trials, with the speeches and opinions of Council, have been published.-See List of Books at the end.

mole was formed to lay up the vessels in the winter; and a quay was made for the advantageous shipping and unshipping their cargoes. To remedy these evils, an act of parliament was obtained in the eighth of Queen Anne, for the formation of a wet dock, now called "the Old Dock." From the increase of trade, this was soon found insufficient, and another act was obtained, tenth of George the Second, for the enlargement of it; the formation of another, called "Salt-House Dock," and rendering the harbour more secure, by erecting a pier. A few years more shewed the inadequacy of these improvements, and a third act was obtained, second of George the Third, to enlarge the powers of both the former. By this, a third dock, called the "St. George's Dock," was formed, and piers to secure the outer harbour; and two light-houses were built.

Two other docks have since been made, and are called "the King's Dock" and "the Queen's Dock." These are situated at the north west end of the town, and are accommodated with a dry-bason, and two graving-docks. As the Liverpool docks were the first reservoirs and harbours, for the accommodation of merchandise, ever constructed in this country, and as they are frequently referred to in comparison with those of London, it will be necessary to detail some further particulars. These docks may be described as consisting of three sorts: the wet-docks, which usually receive such ships as are on foreign service, and consequently have large and heavy cargoes to discharge; the drydocks, appropriated to receive the vessels that are employed coast-ways; and the graving-docks, which by flood-gates are calculated to admit and exclude the water at pleasure, for the purpose of caulking, and performing other repairs to the shipping. The following are the dimensions of the five docks already completed.

Old

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