Fri 19 Dec 1851
Great Western Railway Company offered Mr Biddle a permanent engagement for bringing his coal from Forest of Dean and requested an immediate reply. They offered to bring coal from Lydney for 3s per ton, and from Bullo Pill for 2s 6d if he provided the trucks. Last year he brought 2685 tons up to Stratford Mills, and 724 tons to Walter’s Mill landed on the T&S Canal. Cost was 2s 6d for tonnage and 1s 9d for freight (1s 3d if own barges used.) Stroudwater tonnage would have to be reduced to 9d a ton to compete. Committee could not agree to this.
Negotiations: Mr Biddle would make no engagement beyond a twelvemonth and would give 1s per ton with revision by either part at end of twelve months. Accepted.
At a Special Meeting of the Committee of the Stroudwater Navigation held at the Committee Room at Wallbridge on Friday the 19th day of December 1851
Present: M^r Fred^k Eycott, M^r Will^m Fryer Chairman, Jn^o H Warman, Hen^y Harris, G H A Beard, Tho^s C Croome, Cha^s H Fisher.
M^r Hawker reported that on the day after the last meeting of the Committee was held M^r Biddle waited upon him to say he had received a Communication from the Great Western Railway Company to the effect that they were prepared to afford him all the accommodation he required for bringing his Coals from the Forest of Dean and requesting his immediate reply as to entering into a permanent engagement with them to that effect but that he would wait to hear what terms the Stroudwater Canal Company were prepared to offer him to retain his Coal traffic on their Canal in consequence of which the present Committee had been called for the purpose of discussing the subject.
M^r Biddle attended this Committee and stated that the Railway Company had given him their price for carrying Coals to his Mill at Three shillings per ton from Lydney & Two shillings and sixpence per ton from Bullo Bill he finding Trucks with an intimation that these terms might be reduced to parties entering into an engagement to convey large quantities of Coak by the Line. M^r Hawker stated that M^r Biddle brought up last year to Stratford Mills 2685 Tons and to Walter's Mill landed in the Thames & Severn Canal 724½ Tons making together 3409½ Tons.
That the Cost to M^r Biddle per ton was 2/6 for Tonnage and 1/9 for freight when he hired Barges or 1/3 when he used his own.
M^r Biddle stated that upon this shewing allowing that the Railway Company would engage with him for 2.6 per ton on a permanent footing the Canal Company must reduce their tonnage to Ninepence to induce him to continue his Coal trade on the Canal and as the Committee did not fee justified in yielding to those terms M^r Biddle left.
On further consideration it was resolved that a Deputation consisting of M^r C H Fisher, M^r Croome and M^r Hawker should wait on M^r Biddle and ask him if he was prepared to make a permanent engagement with the Canal Company provided they could agree on terms and that if he was, they would propose to take one shilling per ton on all Coal brought to Lodgemore and Wallbridge or one shilling & three pence per ton if he was not disposed to bend himself beyond a Twelvemonth.
The Deputation returned and stated that they had waited on M^r Biddle who definitively replied that he would make no engagement beyond a Twelvemonth under any circumstances and that he would not give 1/3 per ton for that period, but that he would give one shilling per ton with the understanding that the arrangement should be open to Revision by either party at the end of Twelvemonth.
Resolved that M^r Biddle's last proposition be accepted provided it can be carried out.
