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and the tonnage duty* not inconsiderable. Notwithstanding these advantages, the expense has far exceeded the income.

The whole of the expenditure for repairs, from the first of May, 1737, to the first of May, 1757, amounted to the sum of 22,2261. 4s. 2d. During this time, not only the above work was executed, but the north and south pier heads were re-built, Cheeseman's head repaired, the gates and bridge built at the entrance of the

In 1799, an act passed the legislature for the redemption and sale of the land tax, which empowered all corporate bodies to sell any part of their possessions, to redeem the land tax of the remaining part; in consequence of which, the Solton estate was disposed of in 1800, to the late Mr. Thomas Hatton, of Buckland, subject to the annuity; since which time, it has been sold to Mr. William Coleman, of Dover Priory, who is the present possessor. Diggs Place is still in the possession of the warden and assistants, and forms part of the present revenue of the harbour.

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The average receipt of the tonnage duty for 12 years of peace was about £2526, per annum; and for 12 years of war about £1300. Dover harbour, however, now benefits considerably by the act of 47th Geo. 3d. passed in 1807 which restores the old tonnage duty of three-pence per ton on all shipping from 20 to 300 tons, passing from, to, or by Dover, or coming into the harbour, except ships in ballast, or those wholly laden with coals, grindstone, purbeck, or portland stones; and in lieu of such exemption, imposes a duty of one penny halfpenny for every chaldron of coals, and the same for every ton of grindstone, purbeck, or portland stones. The average tonnage duty is now estimated at about £11,000 per annum to Michaelmas, 1822. K

pent, the ground made firm on the present rope walk, by mixing the mud from the pent with the beach, and the head under the castle fall built. The latter was begun in 1753, and built 100 feet into the sea, and in 1754 was extended to its full length of 167 feet.

Soon after this period, there was a general complaint, that large sums had been granted for a barbour at Dover, which could not be made use of when most wanted. In consequence of these complaints, the commissioners applied to Mr. Smeaton to survey it, and he made his report in 1769; but as his plan promised no certainty of success, and the commissioners had but little money to expend upon experiments, it was totally set aside.

While the earl of Holderness was warden of the Cinque Ports, he observed, that considerable sums had been expended on the harbour, without improvement; and he thought it his duty to inquire into the nature of it. For this purpose, he consulted the ancient pilots and mariners of the town, judging they were better acquainted with its local situation; but they gave such contradictory answers to his questions, that he was convinced they had never attended to the matter. It then became

necessary to employ some person, who, by his skill and abilities, might assist them in counteracting the difficulties they had to contend with. Mr. Nickalls was appointed to this situation, who delivered his report in April, 1782. The management of the works was submitted to the care of this gentleman for some years; but after expending much money, and the harbour not appearing to benefit equal to the expectations of the warden and assistants, his services were at last dispensed with.

After Mr. Nickalls had quitted the direction of the harbour, the care of it was undertaken by Mr. Oxenden (now Sir Henry Oxenden, bart.) one of the commissioners, who bestowed on it a great portion of his time and attention. During his management, in the year 1791, sixty-five feet of the north head, at the extreme part next the sea, was taken down, and re-built in a substantial and masterly manner.

In the storm, in January, 1808, a considerable length of the old work, on the inside of the north pier head, was beaten down by the waves. Mr. Moon, the harbour master, undertook to repair 195 feet of this work, and he completed it with credit to himself, and to the satisfaction of his employers.

On the 22nd of April, 1811, Mr. Moon, considering the insufficiency of every means that had yet been devised to obviate the difficulties arising from the bar at the entrance of the harbour, and also that the south head, which was in a very decayed state, must necessarily be rebuilt, proposed the rebuilding of this head with a passage or channel in it, which should begin with a stone arch, and proceed to a certain point, where a basin should be formed, from which it should branch out in three directions, and open directly on the beach. A stream of water was to rush with great rapidity through these branches, the force of which, it was hoped, would carry the beach away before it. The water for this purpose was to be confined by cutting off, by a wall of 460 feet in length, the southern angle of the outer harbour, which had been hitherto nearly useless; and the space so enclosed was to be yet further increased on the opposite side, by taking down the houses on one side of the street, called Crane-street, and building a new quay within 35 feet of the other side of the street. On the south angle of this enclosed space, he recommended a dry dock to be formed for the repair of shipping.

As a further supply, and in aid of the water so enclosed, he recommended bringing the water from the inner basin to the enclosed space, by passing it within the quay leading from the one to the other.

This extensive plan fully met with the approbation of the board; and Mr. Moon was appointed superintendant and engineer, under whose direction it has been fully completed after several years labour, and at very considerable cost, but not without answering the purposes nearly to the extent calculated. These improvements cannot fail to encrease the celebrity of the Town and Port, and combined with others, to which the attention of the Wardens and Assistant of the Harbour have of late been directed, will ultimately advance the interest of the Inhabitants and promote its general prosperity.

In the present Sessions of Parliament, (1828,) a Bill has been introduced, by Sir Edward Knatchbull, Bart. (one of the Representatives for the County,) for the, maintenance and further improvement of this Harbour, which induces us still to look for

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