Wed 11 Feb 1852
Coals delivered at Cirencester by the Railway about 1s per ton less than by traders on canal. An abatement of 9d charged by Stroudwater and Thames & Severn Canal Companies would be sufficient to meet competition. Reduction must be made on all coal carried through T&S Canal tunnel at Sapperton to prevent diversion of trade from canals to railway. Drawback of 6d per ton on rate of 1s per ton for coal delivered east of the tunnel approved by committee.
At a Meeting of the Committee of the Stroudwater Navigation held at the Committee Room at Wallbridge on Wednesday the 11th day of February 1852
Present: M^r Fred^k Eycott, M^r Will^m Fryer Chairman, J H Warman, C H Fisher, H^y Harris, Rich^d Martin, T C Croome.
M^r Hawker reported that he was called on for payment of Income Tax since the last Meeting of this Committee and had accordingly paid the sum of 75^£..2^s..9^d being half a year's payment.
Resolved that the said payment be adopted and approved of A letter from M^r Joseph Smith to M^r Hawker was read from which it appears that Coals are delivered at Cirencester by Railway at about One Shilling per ton less that by the Traders on the Canals but that M^r Smith considered that an abatement of Ninepence upon tonnage charged by both this Company and the Thames and Severn Canal Company would be sufficient to meet the competition although the Agents of the Railway Company are actually in the Market and M^r Hawker having also stated his opinion that a reduction must be made by Coals carried through the Tunnel of the Thames & Severn Canal Company at Sapperton in order to prevent the diversion of the trade from the Canals to the Railway the whole subject was taken into consideration.
Resolved unanimously that in lieu of the several existing Drawbacks an uniform Drawback of Sixpence per ton be henceforth allowed out of the tonnage of One Shilling per ton payable to this Company on Coals carried from Framilode or the Glocester & Berkeley Canal to Wallbridge and thence into the Thames & Severn Canal and which Coals shall afterwards actually pass through and be delivered on the Eastern Side of the Tunnel of the Thames & Severn Canal at Sapperton.
Resolved that the following Bills and Accounts be paid:
M^r Cha^S Hawker 1 Quarter Salary due Feb^y 21st: £25..-..-
G & J Budding Glaziers: 2..7..4
Tho^s Gabb Smith's Work: -..6..6
