Norwich Navigation.
ABOUT this time a very important movement took place in the city, with
the view to make “Norwich a port,” and many meetings were held to promote
that object. Here, therefore, will be a proper place to review the
proceedings in reference to our navigation to Yarmouth and Lowestoft.
The history will show the grasping selfishness of the old corporation at
Yarmouth, which always tried to tax the trade of the city, and opposed
every improvement, even when it was for the benefit of both towns.
Norwich, no doubt, derived its mercantile and carrying trade from its
original situation as a sea-port. In ancient times the _Gariensis
Ostium_, or mouth of the Yare, extended in breadth from Burgh Castle to
Caister, the two Roman camps being opposite each other. The spot on
which Yarmouth now stands was then covered by water, and a broad arm of
the sea extended all over the present marshes to the city, which was then
a sea-port, before Yarmouth had any existence. This appears from the
legal contests that took place in later times between the burgesses of
Yarmouth and the citizens of Norwich.
Norwich had long been a mercantile and trading town, and one of the royal
cities of England, and ships came up by an arm of the sea to an open
market, which was held every day in the week. Public marts or fairs were
held twice a year, with all manner of merchandise for sale to citizens,
strangers, or foreigners. The traders for centuries used this right of
buying and selling, loading and unloading all their goods and
merchandise, free of all tolls and dues. Foreign merchants paid at
Norwich 4d. on every ship of bulk, 2d. for every boat, and all other
customs for their merchandise.
At the commencement of the 14th century Yarmouth began to be a rival port
to Norwich, and some legal contests took place between the two towns
respecting their rights and privileges. In 1327, a suit was commenced,
and in 1331 it was renewed, between the citizens of Norwich and the
burgesses of Yarmouth, relating to certain tolls which the latter imposed
on goods, claiming the right to do so under the charter of Edward I.,
which made Yarmouth a port. Indeed, they appear to have been so incensed
at the city becoming a staple that they proceeded so far as to stop all
vessels coming through from their port to Norwich. A very remarkable
contest consequently arose, and terminated in favour of the city. The
result of the suit was, that the bailiffs of Yarmouth were commanded to
make proclamation in their town, “That if any hindered or in any way
molested the merchant vessels of what kind soever from passing and
re-passing through the port of Yarmouth, to and from the city of Norwich,
they should forfeit all their goods and chattels, forfeitable, for so
doing.” Yarmouth was, therefore, prevented for a time from levying
duties, but subsequently regained the power of doing so to a great
extent.
If Norwich in former ages was an important seaport, the question
naturally arises how it ceased to be so. There is sufficient evidence
that after the year 500, the arm of the sea became narrower, though at
that period the water came up close to the Castle Hill. After 1050, the
river was much reduced in breadth, and a new town arose round the
fortress. Centuries elapsed and the river became still narrower, and
streets were extended on each side. At length the stream became so
shallow that it was no longer navigable for sea-borne vessels, and the
ancient trade of the city began to decline. The citizens, occupied by
political contests, did not keep up the navigation for sea-borne vessels,
as they might easily have done. Attempts were made in this (19th)
century to retrieve the long neglect of former ages by some schemes of
improvement, but these attempts almost entirely failed. Still the city
owed many trading advantages to its river, which is navigable for
wherries and packets to the sea.
The navigation between Norwich and Yarmouth has not been, for centuries,
suited for sea-borne vessels, owing, chiefly, to the shallowness of the
channel over Breydon. The embouchure of the river into the sea has been
frequently blocked up by shifting sands, and vessels have been detained
fourteen days before they could get into the river. Indeed, at the
present time there is great danger of the mouth of the harbour being
blocked up at Yarmouth altogether.
Prior to the year 1762, the quantity of coals brought from Yarmouth to
Norwich, annually, was 26,000 chaldrons. Of these, nearly 5000 chaldrons
were carried out of Norwich into the surrounding district, so that 21,000
chaldrons were consumed in the city. At that time, the king’s dues and
the Yarmouth dues amounted to 8s. 1d. per chaldron, which was felt by the
consumers to be a grievous tax. A cheap and plentiful supply of coal has
always been of the utmost importance to the citizens, not only for
domestic purposes, but also as fuel for manufacturers, dyers, hot
pressers, lime burners, brewers, and maltsters. Yet, at the period
referred to, this necessary commodity was heavily taxed, to the extent of
£1200 yearly, more than was paid on an equal consumption in London. This
tax was rendered more grievous by the illegal measurement at Yarmouth.
The legal chaldron consisted of thirty-six bushels; but, at Yarmouth the
chaldron was estimated not by bushels, but by a measure called a mett,
sixteen of which were computed to contain a chaldron, but did not. As
may be supposed, the injustice naturally caused considerable
dissatisfaction among the Norwich coal merchants and other citizens, and
frequent complaints were made of the grievance which was ultimately
abolished. This was important, for formerly, from the north of England,
immense quantities of coal and heavy goods were brought by sea, _viâ_
Yarmouth to Norwich, for distribution over the eastern side of Norfolk
and Suffolk. The importation of coal, by this route, has, however, been
greatly diminished; not only by the opening of railways in every
direction, but also by the working of the central coal fields of England.
By the act of the 12th George I., c. 15, commonly called the Tonnage Act,
the corporation obtained the power to levy tolls on all goods brought
into the city by any boat, keel wherry, lighter, buoy, or other vessel as
follows:—4d. for every chaldron of coals, for every last of wheat, rye,
barley, malt, or other grain, for every weight of salt, for every
hogshead of sugar, tobacco, molasses, or hogshead packed with other
goods, for every three puncheons of liquor, for every two pipes of wine,
spirits, &c., for every eight barrels of soap, raisins, oil, pitch, tar,
&c. For five years prior to May, 1836, the average amount of revenue
derived from the tonnage dues was £970, showing that a very large
quantity of goods was brought by river to the city. After June 24th,
1836, the tolls were let by auction for £1375; in 1838, for £1210; in
1840, for £1220; in 1847, for £1000; in 1850, for £1050 yearly. This
shows that after the opening of railways the dues were reduced, but not
so much as might have been expected; the wherries continued to bring in a
large proportion of the heavy goods.
The project of opening a communication between Norwich and the sea, for
sea-borne vessels, originated with Alderman Crisp Brown, who in 1814,
submitted to the corporation a plan for making Norwich a port by way of
Yarmouth. After this, surveys were made, and a report was published in
1818, by Mr. Cubitt, who recommended avoiding Breydon by a new cut on the
south side. In the same year he made another survey, to ascertain the
practicability of opening a communication with the sea at Lowestoft, and
in 1821 this report was laid before the public. As the Yarmouth
corporation had signified their determination to oppose either of these
plans, it was at length determined to carry out the communication to
Lowestoft, although the expense was double that of the Yarmouth plan.
This turned out to be a very unfortunate undertaking. Subscriptions were
raised and fresh surveys were made; and in 1826, a company having been
formed, an application was made to Parliament for an Act; but being
opposed by the Yarmouth corporation and timid owners of the marsh lands,
who were fearful of an inundation, it was lost by a majority of five.
This act, however, was finally passed in 1827, after £8000 had been spent
by the corporation of Yarmouth in opposing it. Of course, the object of
that body was to retain the monopoly of the Norwich trade, which was then
very great.
On May 23rd, 1827, the bill for making Norwich a port having been passed
through both houses of Parliament, the navigation committee, with the
mayor (their chairman), were met at Hartford Hill, on their return from
London, by thousands of their fellow-citizens who were assembled to
welcome them; and a grand procession having been formed, they marched
through the city, while guns were fired in all directions. The
celebration concluded with a bonfire at night.
In effecting the great undertaking of a communication with Lowestoft, the
river Yare was deepened near Norwich and the navigation was continued by
that river as far as Reedham, whence it was carried across the marshes by
a new cut, two miles and a-half long, to the river Waveney, along which
it passed to Oulton Dyke, which was widened and deepened to Oulton Broad,
whence by a short cut the canal entered Lake Lothing, through which it
passed to the shore at Lowestoft, where, by cutting through the bank, the
tides were freely admitted into the lake. Here a large harbour was
formed, covering 160 acres, nearly three miles in length, and averaging
from fifteen to seventeen feet in depth at high water. In this work the
company spent their whole capital of £150,000.
On September 30th, 1833, the Norwich and Lowestoft navigation was opened,
when two vessels came from the latter place and arrived at the wharfs
without once touching ground. This caused great rejoicing, and the
advantages of the undertaking were soon apparent. But the company wanted
money, and were obliged to borrow it from the Exchequer Loan
Commissioners, into whose hands the port fell in 1842. Norwich traders
might afterwards have recovered possession of the port for a small sum by
a combined effort, but they lost the opportunity. The commissioners
disposed of the port and navigation to a new company at Lowestoft, and
that company, after expending large sums in repairs, sold the harbour and
navigation to Mr. Peto for almost a nominal price. He, with other
gentlemen, organised another company, raised a capital of £200,000
(afterwards doubled), and obtained an act of parliament for the formation
of a new harbour, and a railway to Reedham in connection with the line to
Norwich. The new harbour was made, and the railway was opened in 1847,
from which year the carrying trade of the port gradually increased.
Before 1850 the importation of coal and the harbour dues increased
five-fold, and the importations of corn increased 10,000 quarters yearly.
The number of vessels was doubled, and of course employment increased in
proportion. The harbour and railway contributed a large traffic to the
Eastern Counties lines. Norwich traders made great use of the port, and
through it brought quantities of coal and heavy goods to the city. There
is every mechanical facility afforded for the loading and unloading of
vessels; and port dues are lower than at Yarmouth. In 1851, the number
of vessels that entered the harbour was 1,636, or 131,767 tons, showing
an increase of 23,000 tons. In the same year there was an increase of
6,997 tons in the coal imported. Of course, as the shipping trade of the
port increased, the railway traffic increased also. One of the chief
sources from which the additional revenue was derived was from the fish
traffic; for in 1851 the packages were 78,000 in number, and produced a
freight of £3,739. The traffic also in coal and goods has greatly
improved.
Between 1840 and 1850 the corporation of Norwich, aided by the city
merchants, made a most determined effort to improve the navigation to
Yarmouth. A large subscription was raised for this purpose, and Mr.
Cockburn Curtiss, the engineer, was engaged to make a survey of the river
Yare, and to prepare plans. He did so, and his plans were approved by
the citizens generally; but the corporation of Yarmouth gave notice of a
strong opposition. Application was made to parliament for a bill giving
the corporation here jurisdiction over the river down to the mouth of the
Haven. The bill was opposed and lost, and the Norwich corporation were
defeated after an expenditure of some thousands of pounds.