The East India Dock Company was instituted by virtue of the 43 Geo. III. c. 126. (local,) and ships from the East Indies and China, and all ships taken as prizes, on arriving from the Cape of Good Hope, and laden with such produce, were, for a period of twenty-one years, required to discharge only in these docks. That period expired the 3rd October, 1827, and that act, as well as the 46 Geo. IV. c. 113. (local) and the 54 Geo. IV. c. 228. (local,) have been repealed by the 9 Geo. IV. c. 95. (local,) "An Act to consolidate and amend several acts for the further improvement of the port of London by making docks and other works at Blackwall for the accommodation of East India shipping." The act commences by setting forth that certain persons were united into a company, by the style and term of the East India Dock Company, and had made two docks at Blackwall in the county of Middlesex, called respectively an inner or Import Dock, and an outer or Export Dock, with quays and wharfs, and warehouses on the sides thereof, and an entrance basin and locks, and entrances communicating therewith, and have enclosed the said docks, &c. with high walls, &c.; and that in consequence of the expiration of the said term of twenty-one years, it is expedient to repeal the restrictions which prevent other ships or vessels from going into the said docks, and that the provisions of the said acts should be consolidated and amended. As this act is a very long one, and relates to a number of subjects foreign to the design of this work, only such clauses as affect the shipping interest will be noticed, and the same course will be adopted here as has been done with the West India Dock Act, viz.-Such of the clauses as are the same as those in the London Dock Act will be merely noticed, and reference made to the corresponding section in that act: where there is any material difference it will be stated. By § 30 and 48 the company may make, alter, and annul by-laws for the government of the docks, and the ships and vessels in the same, and affix any pecuniary penalty, not exceeding five pounds, for any offence or breach of such laws, rules, or regulations, provided they be not repugnant to the laws of that part of the United Kingdom, called Great Britain. They have likewise power to scour the docks, remove wrecks, &c. anchors, &c., and if the owners refuse or neglect to pay the expences of such removal for the space of seven days, they may be recovered in the like manner as any other penalty or forfeiture. § 114. The company empowered to take rates for ships. § 118. See London 101. How the tonnage and duties to be ascertained. § 119, 120. 104, 105. But penalty twenty pounds. 1 Recovery of rates. The collector and every other officer of his majesty's cus- Evading payment of the rates. § 118. Power to take rates on goods. § 124. Officers of the company taking or demanding a greater Exemptions from rates § 125. Recovery of rates payable on goods. § 126. See London Section 102. 103. 106. 108. 107. If of a perishable nature, 4 months; if not, in 12 months. Goods subject to like tolls, &c. as if shipped or unshipped\ 112. at the legal quays. § 130. Vessels to land and ship goods only at quays and landing\ places appointed. § 131. 111. Penalty five pounds. Gates and doors of warehouses, vaults, &c. to be under the joint locks of the company and officers of the revenue. § 132. Hours for opening and shutting the gates and docks of the Export Dock and basin. From the 1st of November from seven in the morning to the last day in February, From the 1st of March to the 31st of October, till four in the afternoon. and from six in the morning § 133, 134, 135. Hours for the attendance of the revenue officers at the Import Dock. From the 1st of November) from eight in the morning The wicket-keepers not to permit any goods, &c. to pass outwards from the docks, without the person producing a pass for such goods, signed by the officer of the company appointed to grant the same. § 136. Note.-The gate-keepers are appointed constables; re- No fees to be taken by the company's officers. § 138. The King's birth-day, or the day it is kept, added. Hatches of ships.-The hatches of all ships in the employ of the East India Company, in the docks, with goods on board, shall be under the joint locks of the said East India Company, or the owners or charterers thereof, and the commissioners of the customs; and no such hatches shall be locked or opened except in the presence of one or more officers of the said East India Company, or one or more of the officers of the customs, and locked in like manner. § 140. See London board,} Surveyor of the company may examine goods on board, and certify damage, &c. § 146. Cost of the survey and certificate five pounds. Any unsafe packages to be made good.-If any goods to be cleared or discharged from any ship in the said docks shall be in unsafe or insufficient packages, or shall be stowed loose in the ship, the same shall be collected and the packages repaired before the same be delivered out of the ship; and the owner of the ship shall pay reasonable rates for the same; except only in cases where such damage shall arise from the nature or quality of the goods, when the owners or consignee thereof shall pay such reasonable charge for repairing the same. § 147. Not to affect owners of private ships.-Provided that the owners of all ships loading or unloading shall be answerable to the owners of the goods, to be exported or imported therein, for the due stowage and delivery of their cargoes, according to the true intent and meaning of any contracts, charterparties or agreements, at any time made or entered into between the said owners and commanders, and the owners, &c. as if this act had not been made. § 149. The master to deliver a true copy of the manifest within】 twelve hours after arriving in the docks, at the principal office of the company. § 149. The company may enter and land goods not entered in seven days. In case any goods shall be brought into the said docks on board any ship, and shall not be duly entered at the Custom-house, and any other office required by law, within seven days after the ship shall have been reported, then the company on the next day, not being a Sunday, &c. (see § 139,) may cause such goods to be duly entered at the Custom-house, &c. and land and warehouse the same, and retain the same for the duties, and the rates of the company and the expences of entering, landing, coopering, and housing the same, together with the freight. § 150. The master or mate, &c. to be on board when unloading.} § 151. Goods if not taken away on landing to be warehoused.— If any goods on which the duties of customs shall be fully paid shall not, when and as the same are landed in the Inner Dock, be forthwith carried away, and all dock rates, &c. discharged, the officers of the company may cause such goods to be housed. § 152. Goods landed in the docks to remain subject to freight.) § 153. Vessels to be under the control of the dock master. § 155. Dock-master may order vessels to be dismantled, &c. § 156. Penalty on not removing vessels when required.-If the master of any ship shall place such ship, so as unnecessarily to obstruct the navigation into or out of the docks, &c. and shall not immediately on request remove the same, he shall forfeit any sum not exceeding ten pounds, and also not exceeding five pounds, for every hour such obstruction shall re main; and the dock-master may remove the same, and detain the ship till the expences of such removal be paid. § 158. Orders of directors or dock-masters not to affect the responsibility of the person having charge of the ship.-The several orders of the directors or dock masters to the master, &c. of any ship within the docks, basins, or other works, or within any part of the river Thames, as shall be within 200 yards from the extremity of the wing wall of any entrance out of the said river into the works of the company, shall not lessen any responsibility which the master shall be liable to respecting such vessel or cargo. § 160. Obstructing the mooring of vessels. § 161. Penalty five pounds. Regulating the mooring of vessels near the entrances of the docks. No ship shall anchor, moor, or lie in the river Thames within 200 yards of any entrance into the docks, except such ships as are appointed, or as shall have come out of the said docks, &c. within twelve hours last past; and if the master, &c. shall not remove the same within twelve hours after being requested by an order in writing signed by the dock-master, &c. and left on board such ship, every such master shall forfeit not exceeding ten pounds, nor less than five pounds, for every twenty-four hours that such ship shall be anchored, &c. at such entrance. Provided nothing to prevent any ship, lighter, &c. from lying in the Thames alongside any wharf within the distance of 100 yards for the purpose of discharging, so as not to obstruct the entrance into the said docks. § 162. For keeping the entrances of the docks clear. § 163. Except that the first penalty is five pounds, and one pound for the second. See London 119. Instead ofLondonlocks read East India Docks. 125. 129. The last para. graph. 125. 126. See London § 164. Vessels not to navigate into the docks under sail. Persons on board vessels leaving drawbridges open unne- Destroying ropes. § 168. Penalty ten pounds. Lascars not to remain on board.-No Lascars shall be allowed to be on board any ship in the docks or basins, except when such ship is coming in or going out, or preparing to go out of the basin or outer dock; and no Lascars shall be on board of any ship but between the hours of seven in the morning and five in the afternoon, for the purposes of equipping or preparing her rigging, previous to her sailing from the said docks. § 169. Penalty for not removing combustibles. § 170. Time altered to one hour, and the penalty to two pounds. Combustible matter not to be melted on board ship, Gunpowder be brought into the docks. Penalty twenty pounds. Section 128. 142. 133. or } 136. Note.-The term fire-arms is omitted in this act. Fire, candles, &c. § 172. 137. Penalty five pounds. No tobacco to be smoked in the docks. Penalty five pounds. § 173. To prevent nuisances, or throwing ballast into the docks. § 174. 93. Obstructing officers, &c. going on board ships in the docks.) docks.} 138. § 175. by} 140. Breaking lamps, &c. § 176. Masters may recover from servants any sums incurred by their default. § 177. Extended to boatmen and watermen and servants. Obstructing officers of the company. Penalty not exceeding fire pounds. § 178. The remainder of the act relates to the recovery and application of penalties, § 180.-Settling disputes respecting damages and charges, § 181 and 182.-Justices may proceed by summons, § 183.-Compelling attendance of witnesses, § 187.-Punishing persons giving false evidence, § 188.-Mitigating penalties, &c. § 189.-Giving part of the penalties to the informer, § 190.-Appeals, limitation of actions, &c. &c. |