THE
Watermen
and
Lightermen's
CASE
,
In
Relation
to
the
BILL
before
this
Honourable
House
,
For
the
Explanation
of
former
Laws
made
,
touching
Wherrymen
and
Watermen
,
and
Joyning
the
Lightermen
to
them
,
and
providing
one
Good
Government
for
both
.
BY
which
Laws
the
Lord
Mayor
and
Aldermen
(
amongst
other
things
)
were
to
Elect
and
Appoint
Eight
Watermen
,
Yearly
,
to
be
called
Overseers
and
Rulers
;
and
they
were
to
make
such
further
Rules
and
Orders
,
as
should
to
them
seem
necessary
for
the
Government
of
the
whole
,
but
have
no
Power
by
the
same
Laws
,
to
enforce
due
Obedience
to
such
Rules
and
Orders
,
by
which
means
the
Intent
of
those
Laws
are
rendred
ineffectual
,
by
Rude
and
Disorderly
Watermen
,
taking
Advantage
thereof
,
and
daily
committing
Notorious
Abuses
,
to
the
hazarding
Persons
Lives
and
Goods
upon
the
River
of
Thames
.
For
Remedy
whereof
,
the
said
Bill
makes
the
Watermen
and
Lightermen
one
Society
and
Company
,
and
Impowers
the
said
Lord
Mayor
,
&c.
Yearly
to
Elect
Eight
Watermen
and
Three
Lightermen
to
be
called
Rulers
and
Overseers
,
who
together
with
Assistants
,
(
by
the
Watermen
and
Lightermen
respectively
to
be
chosen
)
are
to
make
good
Rules
,
Orders
,
and
Constitutions
,
for
the
better
and
more
safe
conveying
Passengers
and
Goods
by
Water
,
and
to
annex
reasonable
Penalties
thereto
;
which
said
Rules
are
to
be
approved
of
,
or
altered
by
the
Lord
Chief
Justices
,
Lord
Mayor
,
and
Court
of
Aldermen
.
And
the
said
Court
of
Aldermen
having
perused
the
said
Bill
,
and
finding
the
same
intended
only
for
a
Publick
Good
,
have
approved
thereof
,
and
signified
the
same
by
their
Order
dated
the
27th
of
Feb.
1699.
Note
,
For
want
of
Power
to
make
good
Orders
,
and
to
enforce
due
Obedience
thereto
,
the
poor
Watermen
who
have
been
Maimed
in
the
Wars
,
as
well
as
the
Aged
and
Decayed
,
are
deprived
of
their
Work
and
Labour
,
and
Passengers
disturbed
in
taking
Boat
and
Landing
,
by
the
Rude
and
Ungovernable
Watermen
,
notwithstanding
all
that
the
Rulers
of
the
said
Company
could
do
to
the
contrary
;
and
for
want
of
Power
to
inforce
due
Obedience
,
as
aforesaid
,
a
most
sad
and
deplorable
Disafter
of
late
happened
,
in
that
near
Fifty
Passengers
were
drowned
in
coming
from
Gravesend
in
the
Tilt-Boat
,
and
smaller
Accidents
frequently
happen
;
as
also
for
want
of
Order
and
Government
amongst
Lightermen
,
His
Majesty's
Customs
and
other
Duties
from
Coals
are
lessened
,
and
Owners
of
Ships
,
Masters
,
Seamen
,
and
Labourers
,
as
frequently
damnified
;
in
as
much
as
they
often
quarrel
concerning
taking
their
Turns
in
unlivering
Coals
and
Merchandize
from
Ships
,
and
refuse
to
work
,
to
the
great
Hindrance
and
staying
of
Ships
from
proceeding
in
their
respective
Voyages
.