them are reduced within the amount of the produce of duties strictly applicable to the relief of poor mariners, &c., being about 16,000l. per annum, and that the surplus fund shall be allowed progressively to increase, until it shall have attained such an amount as may afford to the public a further reduction of the light dues, and other dues now payable to the corporation, and assist them in the means of purchasing the interests of individuals in the private lights, and in the beneficial leases which have been granted by the corporation, by which all the light establishments might be eventually brought under the supervision and management of the corporation of the Trinity-house. Your Committee will now submit to the House the calculation they have made, showing the probable amount of light duties at a reduced rate; the permanent as well as estimated income of the corporation, according to the documents returned to them; together with the best estimate they can form of the charges and expenditure attending the maintenance of the lights under their management; the provision for the establishment, and the charities which their revenues have supported. The Amount of Tonnage which has passed the several Lights hereafter described, under the immediate management of the Trinity Corporation, according to an official Return, delivered 30th May, 1822, for the year 1821, viz. Flambro', Spurn, Well, Foulness, Haisbro', Lowestoff, Sunk, Galloper, Goodwin, Owers, Needles, Portland, Casketts, Eddystone, Lizard, Scilly, Milford, Lundy, Bardsey, Southstack. and the Nore, was, Over-sea British tonnage. Ditto Foreign ditto at one farthing per ton, is 16,618 6 8 Coasters Irish at half a farthing per ton, is 14,160 00 27,187,214 tons, Produce of the local lighthouses of Bideford, Air, and Amount of Tonnage of Vessels which have passed 380 00 Deduct, commission on the collection, 5 per cent, allowing for extraordinary expenses of collection at some ports, beyond others, on 18,2881. And 2 per cent on the residue £.914 8 0 OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME. Permanent income of the corporation derived from rentals Nett produce of the Trinity duties on British Nett receipt of buoys and beacons in Yarmouth, Tees, and Exeter, as per account rendered Annual rental of six leased light-houses. Amount of fees under the same act for re- Profits upon floating balances of cash of the corporation, hitherto enjoyed as a perquisite by the secretary 3,000 0 0 8,000 0 0 1,700 0 0 2,500 0 0 1,100 0 0 36,576 1 8 1,371 12 0 35,204 9 8 500 0 0 26,928 00 Maintenance of 20 light establishments, Bardsey not included, which was only exhibited in December last: calculated with reference to an improved system of maintenance, and proper economy in the disburse ments, according to a comparative estimate framed 500 0 0 Allowance for extraordinary expense of 3,150 0 0 . 16,650 0 Q Surplus income beyond expenditure 2,178 9 8 To be added, Amount of extra contributions for light duties by foreign ships, subject to a reduction, as soon as the countries to which such ships shall respectively belong shall place British ships in their ports upon a footing of reciprocity in regard to charges on the same. Add the amount of the estimated profits on Bardsey light, which was first exhibited in December, 1821, calculated with reference to the tonnage which has passed the south stack light in 1821, and allowing 650l. 50l. for its maintenance, upon the like and same principle as the other lights Allow for the commission on the private lights and other dues, recommended to be in future collected at the Trinity-house 4,022 10 0 950 00 750 00 Yielding a surplus, according to the estimate , £.7,900 19 8. N. B. The 4,0221. 10s. cannot be considered as permanent, being subject to a reduction if foreign countries place British ships on the same footing with their own. The amount of charitable appro priations, under the authority of the acts, patents, and grants, and charter, may amount, according to the receipt calculated by the returns of 1821, to about 16,000l. per annum, which, as will be seen, last year reached the large sum of 32,3541. From the appropriation of 16,000l, must be deducted a proportion of the expense of the establishment of the Trinity-house, being a charge upon the receipt, which, estimated at one-third of the sum allowed for the whole establishment on that account, would be 3,000l., and deducted from the 16,000l, leaves the amount of specified charitable appropriation about 13,000l. per annum. VOL. LXIV. It is proposed that the present amount of charitable disbursement, exceeding by one half what may be considered as applicable under any distinct authority to that purpose, shall not be increased, but be subject to a progressive reduction, until the amount shall have been brought within the amount directed to be collected and applied under the several charters, acts, and grants above referred to, that such reduction shall be progressively ef fected according to the reduction in the number of the present annuitants and pensioners, which, in the course of nature, takes place; hence it will follow, that the remaining 16,3541. exclusive of the surplus receipts beyond the expenditure, according to the estimate 2 H made, will become a fund available to such purposes as may be hereafter considered beneficial to the shipping interests of the country; the most desirable of these appears to your committee, to be the purchase of the interests of individuals in the private and leased lights, and the placing of them under the management of the Trinity Corporation-a measure essential to the establishment of a general system of rates, and the equal reduction of the light dues, both on British and foreign shipping, in the manner suggested in the former part of the report. Feeling this, and adverting to the amount of the surplus funds now in the possession of the corporation, arising partly from the collection for lights, and partly from the surplus pilotage, they are of opinion that a proportion of this accumulation might be usefully applied, as opportunities occur, to the purpose above stated, which they strongly recommend. These purchases, as well as other applications, to be made with the approbation of the privy council. It is proposed that the whole of the light and other duties, Ramsgate and Dover harbour dues, which shall be payable in London, be received by the Trinity Corporation at their office on Towerhill, and that 24 per cent should be allowed for the collection, of which they will have the advantage, and which must be taken into the account; in addition to this it is remarked, that in the opinion of many of the witnesses who have been examined, the diminution of the light duties and discontinuance of the present mode of charge, will have the effect of considerably increasing the number of vessels resorting to our ports, by which these receipts will be further augmented. The amount of reduction proposed in the charge for ballast to foreign ships, which it is proposed shall be made equal with that on British ships, may be compensated by the reduction in the expense of the establishment, as suggested by the committee. The whole management of the ballastage is under a separate department, and regulated by a particular act of parlia ment. RAMSGATE HARBOUR. Your committee next directed their inquiry to Ramsgate harbour, and the dues collected for support of it, which are of an amount sufficient to press heavily upon the shipping and commerce of the country; and which have been a cause of serious complaint on the part of British and foreign shipowners, nor, in the opinion of your committee, without justice; the charge is made on all ships above a certain tonnage, that may pass, whether to the east or west side of the sand, although many, by their size and draught of water, are precluded from entering the harbour; and a practice has prevailed, in regard to foreign ships, of exacting a payment upon ships capable of entering, at a rate amounting to double that on British ships of the same description, and upon those which are unable to enter, about 400l. per cent more, both prospectively and retrospectively. The management of Ramsgate harbour, has, by several acts of parliament (continued and enlarged by the 55th Geo. III. c. 74), been placed under trustees, from whom a committee of direction is chosen, consisting of the |