Thu 30 Jul 1840
From T & S S Marling
Ham Mills
The Act does not give you the right to draw off water in the way we complained of. This method was agreed with the permission of Ebley Mills. The Company agreed to restore the water course under the canal.
Copy of Messrs Thos and Saml S Marlings letter to the Stroudwater Navigation
Ham Mills, July 30th 1840.
To the Committee of the Stroudwater Navigation
Gent
We have received from Messrs P H and S Fisher you reply to our letter of the 15h instant which we should have answered before but wished to ascertain more completely the extent of the powers granted you by the Act of Parliament to which you refer us. We beg to say the result is, that we are confirmed in the opinion, that you have no rights to draw off water from the River at Ebley in the way complained of in our letter of the 15th instance.
We agree with you that some plan should be adopted of feeding the Canal "when the water would otherwise run to waste", and we beg your serious and early attention to this question, we shall hold ourselves ready to confer with you on the subject at any time you may appoint.
The present mode of feeding the Navigation was made by the Company with the permission of the occupier of Ebley Mill at the same time an agreement was entered into by the Company, to restore the water course "which formerly ran under the Navigation" and also of replacing "those greater facilities of feeding the Navigation from the River", or receiving notice to that effect.
With regard to the River your admonitions are entirely uncalled for as its course has not been affected.
We are Gent
Yr At Sts
(Signed) Thos & Saml S Marling
