Mon 30 Mar 1846
Special Meeting. Copy of petition to House of Commons recorded in minutes. South Wales Railway Bill. might not afford to Company such accommodation for supply of coals as hitherto from Forest of Dean. Introduction of clauses required to prevent monopoly by South Wales Railway. Meeting adjourned as solicitor not then present.
At a Special Meeting of the Committee of the Stroudwater Navigation held at the Committee Room at Wallbridge on Monday March 30th 1846
Present: G Hen^y A Beard, Dn^l Watts, Jn^o H Warman, Jn^o Holbrow, Will^m Fryer Chairman, Fred^k Eycott, Hen^y Wyatt, W^m Jn^o Wood.
A Petition of which the following is a copy was agreed upon to be presented to the House of Commons and entrusted to Capt Berkeley for that purpose.
To the Honoable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliamnet assembled.
The humble Petition of the Proprietors of the Stroudwater Navigation in the County of Glocester to which their Seal is affixed Sheweth
That the Stroudwater Navigation Company was incorporated by certain Acts of Parliament passes in the third year of the reign of his late Majesty King George the Second and the sixteenth year of his late Majesty King George the Third.
That for the last Sixty nine years Stroud and its Neighbourhood, together with the Counties of Berks, Oxford and Wilts have by means of the said Navigation been well supplied with Coals from the Forest of Dean and that every accommodation has been afforded for the Conveyance of Goods, Corn and Merchandise to various parts.
That your Petitioners by a Bill now before your Honorable House intituled the South Wales Railway that powers will be applied for to enable the said Railway Company to rent or purchase the Severn and Wye, and Forest of Dean Railways by which Railways alone your Petitioners have been supplied with Coals from the Colleries in the Forest of Dean delivered to the Bank of the River Severn for transit for the use of the Public.
That your Petitioners fear that should such powers be given to the South Wales Railway Company to rent or purchase the said Severn and Wye, and Forest of Dean Railways that the said South Wales Railway Company might not afford your Petitioners such accommodation for the supply of Coals as they have hitherto possessed.
Your Petitioners therefore earnestly pray to be heard by Counsel against the said Bill before the Committee of your Honorable House with the view to introducing certain Clauses which appear to your Petitioners absolutely necessary for preventing a Monopoly by the said South Wales Railway Company in the supply of such Coals, And to afford to your Petitioners the same facility for obtaining a supply as they have hitherto enjoyed.
And you Petitioners as in Duty bound will ever pray.
M^r Wathen, our Solicitor, being absent this meeting is adjourned until One O'Clock tomorrow for the purpose of consulting him.
