It is also declared in the said act, that if the Lord High Admiral, or the Commissioners of the Admiralty, shall at any time give notice to the watermens company, that there is occasion for a certain number of that company to serve on board the royal navy; then all such persons as shall be duly summoned for that purpose, and shall not appear before the overseers and rulers of that company, shall not only suffer imprisonment for one month; but be rendered incapable of enjoying any privilege belonging to the company for two years.
In the year 1701, an order was made by the court of rulers, auditors and assistants of the company of watermen and lightermen of the river Thames, observing, that several watermen and their apprentices, while they are rowing upon that river, or at their plying places between Gravesend and Windsor often use immodest, obscene, and lewd expressions towards passengers, and to each other, that are offensive to all sober persons, and tend to the corruption of youth, it is ordained, that any waterman, or lighterman, after the sixteenth of October 1701, convicted of using such expressions, shall forfeit 2_s._ 6_d._ for every such offence, and if any waterman or lighterman’s apprentice shall offend in the same manner, his master or mistress shall on his conviction, forfeit the like sum; or in case of their refusal, the offender shall suffer such correction as the rulers of this company shall think fit and necessary. And that the forfeitures, when paid, shall be applied to the use of the poor, aged, decayed, and maimed members of the company, their widows and children.
By the constitutions of this company, all boats and barges belonging to the several members thereof are obliged to be numbered and entered in the company’s register; and to prevent the citizens from being imposed upon, the following table of rates have been appointed by the court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen to be taken by the respective watermen rowing upon the river Thames, between Gravesend and Windsor.
_Rates of Watermen plying upon the river Thames, either with oars, or skullers._
Oars. | Skul. s. d. | s. d. From London Bridge to Limehouse, } | New Crane, Shadwell dock, } | Bell wharf, Ratcliff cross } 1 0 | 0 6