THIS BILL being founded upon the like Popular Pretences , with that , which was lately Brought in for the making the River Dun Navigable . Several of the Reasons against that Bill , are directly Applicable in this Case : As to All , but what is now Pretended for the encrease and encouragement of the Woollen Manufacture .

As to which the only Reason or Argument Pretended , Is , That by making these Rivers Navigable , the Carriage of Cloth will be Cheaper than heretofore , by Land Carriage ; and more Cloth Vended .

In Answer to which , it is to be Considered , That the Way of Carriage from Leeds ( which is the Chief place of Manufacture ) to Hull , is either by the City of York , or Selby : And till of late years , the constant Carriage was by York , and at this time all the Merchants of York , bring thither by Land Carriage , all their Cloth from Leeds , which costs about Six shillings , for the value of One Hundred Pounds worth of Cloth to York , and Eighteen pence from thence to Hull . And the Undertakers under this Bill , declare that they expect at least Five shillings and Six pence for Carriage of the same Quantity of Cloth , by their New invented Water Carriage , which is only about Two shillings saved in One Hundred Pound , and that is so inconsiderable a Charge , as cannot upon that account hinder the making and Vending of more Cloth .

But the Design of this Bill , tending to the utter Destruction of the Trade of the City of York , by making use of such New Rivers for the Carriage of other Commodities , which heretofore came to , and were Vended there : The Argument will Lye in Competition of Place , whether Leeds or those Adjacent parts , whose Trade hath been founded first and advanced by the Merchants of York , and thereby Grown up to be Opulent , shall be Encouraged to take all the Trade to themselves from York ( so Ancient as to be Reputed the second City of the Nation ) the support of which is only by Trade and Benefit of the River Ouze , the Tide of which River ( in Case of such New Rivers which come in nearer towards the Sea by Ten Miles ) will be Lost , or so Lessened , that it cannot be Possible for York to have any Water-Carriage at all .

The City of York stands as the Center of the whole County for Trade , and there is yearly sent from thence , for the City of London and beyond the Seas , above 40000 Firkins of Butter ; many Thousand Quarters of Corn , and Rape Seed ; and Great Quantities of Lead , Tallow , and other Commodities , all of the Growth and Product of that County ; which cannot be otherwise transported but by the River of Ouze , so that to Prejudice the said River , will in Consequence not only Destroy the said Trade of the City , but also great part of the County will suffer in not Vending the said Commodities .

Besides the Merchants of the City of York , vend most of their Foreign Commodities to Lancashire and Cheshire , which Enables them the more in Trade , and this will be also utterly lost to them , and gained to Leeds , by making the River Aire Navigable , and that but only by coming nearer to those Counties by about Twenty Miles Water Carriage , and putting the City of York in such Condition , as not to have any Water Carriage for themselves .

And whereas it may be Pretended that the Making of those Rivers of Ayre and Calder Navigable , would be for the encouragement of Navigation , and Breeding of Seamen — It is so far from any Colour of Reason , That there Lying so many Collieries , upon the said Rivers of Ayre , and Calder ; The making of them Navigable will enable the Undertakers , to fell those Coals so Cheap , that no Ships can Afford to bring any Coals from Newcastle , and Sunderland , to Sell within the Rivers of Humber , and Trent , where above Two Hundred Ships Lading are Sold Yearly ; by which Means such Part of that Navigation and Trade , which is the Great Nursery of Seamen , will be lost .