THE CASE OF THE Petitioners of making the River Dun more Navigable, in the West Rideing of the County of YORK.
THAT Three large Market Towns are Situated upon the River of Dun in the said Rideing, viz. Sheiffeild, Rotheram and Doncaster; where diverse considerable Tradesmen do Live, whose Goods, Wares and Merchandizes, are Brought up and Carried down the said River too and from Hull. But the said River Dun not being Navigable, at all times in the Year, further then Fish-Lake, which is Seaven Miles below the said Town of Doncaster; the said Goods, Wares and Merchandizes, are brought up by Land-Carriage to the Towns above-mentioned, which very much Inhaunces the Prices of the said Goods and Merchandizes.
That great Quantities of Cheese are brought out of Cheshire and Lancashire, by the Way of the said Town of Doncaster; being the readiest and most easie Why for Conveying the same down for Hull, to be sent from thence to the City of London.
That great Quantities also of all Sort of Grain and Corn, and particularly Wheat, is bought by the Corn-Merchants of the City of London, in and about the Town of Doncaster and other Places thereto adjacent in the said Rideing; both for the Use of the City of London and for Exportation beyond the Seas, it having a great Reputation there. So that making the said River Dun more Navigable, the same will tend to a Publick, good Benefit and Advantage of Trade and Commerce, by affording a more easie and cheaper Conveyance of Corn and other Commodities too and from Doncaster, and Places adjacent.
That the Banks of the said River Dun, between the Town of Doncaster and the Place where the lowest Lock is design'd to be made upon the said River, is about Eight or Nine Foot high; whereas Three Foot of Water deeper then the same Runs now, which will not be above Five Foot in all, will make the said River more Navigable; and is as much as is design'd by the Bill depending in this Honorable House.
That the Dreins or Revolets running into the River of Dun, fall into the said River much below the Place, where the lowest Work for stopping the Water is design'd to be made, save two; which two have been Surveyed by several skilful Artists, who find the said Dreins will have a considerable Fall into the said River when the Water is held up the Heigth it is design'd.
That the said two Dreins Run through the Parish of Bently cum Arksey; and are found to do no Damage to that Parish or any other Place.
That since the said Dreins have been Surveyed, the Lord, Freeholders and Tenants of the said Parish, have Presented a Petition, desiring the Bill brought ino this Honourable House may Pass into a Law.
The Petitioners leaves this to Your serious Consideration, and Humbly Desire Your Hohnours will be Pleased to Vote the said Bill may Pass.
Note, The chief Opposition to this Bill, proceeds from a Gentleman who is Interested in some Wharfs upon the River at Bawtreys, about 6 Miles from Doncaster; as whose Instance many of the Petitions against the Bill have been procured: And is apprehensive, That in Case this River be made Navigable, the Traders and Inhabitants of the Country adjacent thereto, will have a more Easie and Cheap Coneyance for their Goods then they have at present by the River at Bawtrey: And that the Yearly Income of his Wharfs will be lessened thereby.
And therefore the Case is only, Whether this Gentleman's Private Interest, or the Publick Good of a Populous, Industrious and Trading-Countrey, shall have the Preferrence.