Thu 7 Mar 1793
General Meeting. Rev Doctor Disney in chair.
Measures already taken by Committee approved unanimously. Clauses to be introduced into Bill now pending before House of Commons. All coals, goods, wares and merchandises passing whole or any part upon Gloucester & Berkeley Canal and going up or coming down Stroud Canal to or from any part above Gloucester & Berkeley Canal shall pay same rates of tonnage to Proprietors of Stroud Canal as they would have paid if they had gone to or come up River Severn. All coals, goods etc. passing below junction of Berkeley Canal to pay tonnages in proportion to distance. All small vessels coming up and going down Stroudwater Canal only pay proportionate rate on Gloucester & Berkeley Canal with vessels as pass whole length of same. Water of Stroudwater Navigation to be secured by erection of gates satisfactory to Stroudwater Company and mill owners. Provision to indemnify Company for loss or hindrance. Gate keeper to be appointed to attend gates by Stroudwater Company, under their direction at expense of Gloucester & Berkeley Company.
Sir George Paul, Mr Hollings, Mr Cripps, Mr Bigland, Mr Burgh to meet managers of Gloucester & Berkeley Canal Bills to see that clauses be introduced into the Act of Parliament. Mr Whitworth, or some other experienced engineer, to attend so as to effectively securing the water.
At a General Meeting of the Proprietors of the Stroudwater Navigation held by special appointment (in pursuance of an Adverizement in the Glocester Journal) at the George Inn at Stroud on Thursday the 7^th of March 1793
The Rev^d Doctor Disney in the Chair.
Read the Minutes of the Proceedings of the Committee relative to the measures taken by them for securing the Rights of the Stroudwater Company from any Infringement by the Subscribers of the intended Glocester and Berkeley Canal. Resolved unanimously that the measures already taken by the Committee be approved. Resolved that we think it necessary that the following Clauses, or to the Purport thereof, should be introduced into the Bill now pending before the House of Commons for making the said Gloucester and Berkeley Canal:
That all Coals, Goods, Wares & Merchandize passing the whole, or any part, upon the Glocs^r & Berkeley Canal, and going up or coming down the Stroud Canal, to or from any part above the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal shall pay the same Rate of Tonnage to the Proprietors of the Stroud Canal as such Coals, Goods, Wares & Merchandize would have paid if they had not pass'd upon the Glocester and Berkeley Canal, but had gone to or come from the River Severn, and all Coals, Goods, Wares, & Merchandize passing below the Junction of the Berkeley Canal and the Stroudwater Canal shall pay Tonnage in Proportion to the distance.
Resolved unanimously that all small Vessells coming up or going down the Stroudwater Canal do only pay a proportional rate of the Tonnage upon the Glocester and Berkeley Canal with such Vessells as do pass the whole length of the same.
That the water of the Stroudwater Navigation be secured to such Canal by the Erection of as many Pairs of Gates at the Place where the Glocester & Berkeley intended Canal do pass the same or in such other manner as shall at any time appear satisfactory to the Stroudwater Company, and Mill Owners, and that Provision be made to indemnify the said Company in any loss or hindrance during the time the Works of the Glocester and Berkeley Canal shall be making or otherwise.
Resolved unanimously that a Gate keeper shall be appointed to attend such Gates by the Stroudwater Company, and be under their direction, but at the Expence of the Glocester and Berkeley Canal Company.
Resolved that the following Members of the Committee Viz: Sir Geo Paul, M^r Hollings, M^r Cripps, M^r Bigland, M^r Burgh be requested to meet the Managers of the Glocester & Berkeley Canal Bill now depending in Parliament and to acquaint them with the preceding Resolutions, and to see that Clauses be introduced into the Act of Parliament agreeably to the same, under the direction of Counsel with Respect to Legal form, and M^r Whitworth or some other experienced Engineer as to effectively securing the Water, and in Case it should be inconvenient to any of the Gentlemen above mentioned to attend such Business that they do request some other Members of the Committee to attend in their place.
