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WAT
11,986 tons. The amount of duties paid at the custom-
house, for 1835, was £135,844.12.4., and for 1836,
£137,126. 7. 9: the amount of excise duties collected
within the revenue district of Waterford, for the former
year, was £60,835. 12.10. The quay, in the centre of
which is the custom-house, a neat and commodious
build-
ing, presents a very brilliant appearance at night, having
two ranges of gas lights, of which that on the verge of
the quay is provided by the Harbour Commissioners from
the profits of the fees and emoluments of the water-
bailiff’s office, by agreement with, the corporation; the
benefit of these lights has been experienced in a very
high degree by vessels loading and unloading by night.
The Harbour Commissioners have also established a
quay and river watch, which has been very useful in
the protection of property and the preservation of
human life; it appears that, since its first establish-
ment in 1822, not less than 300 persons have been
saved from drowning. They have also made a com-
plete survey and published a chart of the coast for
12 miles to the east and west of Hook lighthouse, for
the purpose of making it better known to mariners as
an asylum harbour. The port affords peculiar facilities
to steam-vessels of the larger class, which, from the
great depth of water in the river, are not obliged, as in
most other parts, to wait at the harbour’s mouth for
high water, but can approach the quay at any period of
the tide. The Harbour Commissioners have also placed
vessels or hulks firmly moored about 60 or 70 feet from
the edge of the quay, with a strong gangway or bridge
from 10 to 12 feet wide, and fenced with iron railings,
reaching from the hulks to the quay, which, having one
extremity resting on the hulk, rises and falls with the
tide; by this means the steamers can discharge or
receive a cargo or passengers even at low water, and
without the labour or risk of throwing out or taking up
an anchor, but merely by casting off from or making
fast to the moorings close to the hulks. Steam-vessels
of a superior class sail regularly, three times in the
week, with goods, passengers, and live stock to Bristol
and Liverpool; and being able to enter or leave the
river at any state of the tide, have an opportunity of
arranging their time of sailing so as to take advantage
of the time of high water in other less favoured ports;
hence passengers are not more than one night at sea,
the passage being usually made, except in extreme cases,
in 18 or 24 hours. The geographical situation, with the
natural and acquired advantages of the port, and the
moderate rate of duties, render it a very desirable
station for the introduction of a portion of the East
India and China free trade, which has been lately
obtained, the Messrs. Kehoe having imported tea direct
from China. The harbour is 42 leagues from the Land’s
End, in Cornwall, to the lighthouse on the peninsular
of Hook, which lies N,½ E. When making for it from
the south or east, it is necessary to keep Slievenaman,
a remarkable mountain inland, N. E.½ N., or the Great
Salter island E. S. E., till the lighthouse is seen on the
east side of the harbour; Hook Point must be kept
at the distance of a cable’s length, to avoid falling into
irregular streams of tide that run near it; the west side
of the harbour is deep along shore as far as Creden’s
Head, and shews a red light at Dunmore pier. Passing
the Hook, anchorage may be obtained with a flood tide
or leading wind at Passage.
688
WAT
The city first received
a charter of incorporation
from King John, who, on
the 3rd of July, 1205, granted
the city, with its port and all
appurtenances, to his citizens
of Waterford, with murage
and all free customs, liber-
ties, and privileges enjoyed
by the burgesses of Bristol.
Hen. III., by repeated writs
to the Archbishop of Dub-
lin, and to his Lord Justi-
ciary of Ireland, confirmed
this grant; and in the 16th of his reign, by a new char-
ter, granted the whole of the city to be held by the
citizens at a fee-farm rent of 100 marks, with exemption
from toll, lastage, pontage, passage, and other immuni-
ties. Edw. II., in 1309, confirmed the preceding char-
ter, and in 1310 granted the citizens certain customs
for murage for seven years, to assist them in fortifying
the town. Edw. III., by writ issued in the 2nd of his
reign, directed that the mayor should be annually elected
by the citizens, and sworn in before the commons, unless
the Lords Justices, or one of the barons of the exche-
quer, might be in the city at the time. The same mo-
narch, in the 30th of his reign, confirmed by charter all
previous grants, and in the 38th and 45th extended the
privileges of the port; in 1377 he granted the custom
called Cocket, for ten years, to the citizens, for the re-
pair of the quays and enclosing the city. Rich. II., in
1380, confirmed the charter of Hen. III., and in the fol-
lowing year granted the corporation licence to sell wine,
and, in 1385, all the customs of things sold here for 24
years, to be expended on the fortifications of the city.
Hen. IV. confirmed all previous charters, and also
granted certain annual sums from the cocket, for
strengthening the walls; and Hen. V. confirmed all pre-
vious grants made by his predecessors, and by charter,
in the 1st of his reign, appointed the mayor the king’s
escheator; to have, with the commons, cognizance of
all pleas of assize, and other privileges and immunities,
which were confirmed by Hen. VI. in the 20th of his
reign, who also granted £30 per ann. from the fee-farm
rent, to be applied for 30 years to the repair of the
walls and fortifications. Edw. IV. granted the citizens
a charter, conferring some additional privileges, among
which was that of bearing a sword before the mayor;
and Hen. VII. granted the mayor and corporation the
power to Save a gallows and a prison, and appointed
the mayor and bailiffs justices for gaol delivery in all
cases of felony, treason, and other crimes. Hen. VIII.,
Edw. VL, and Mary, severally granted confirmatory
charters; and Elizabeth, in the 9th of her reign, by
letters patent, granted the privilege of electing the mayor
and bailiffs annually, and of choosing a recorder, town-
clerk, sword-bearer, and various other officers. In
the 16th of her reign, Elizabeth granted the citizens a
new charter, constituting the city, with all lands be-
longing to it, a county of itself, under the designation
of the city and county of the city of Waterford, ordain-
ing that the corporation should consist of a mayor, two
sheriffs, and citizens; and by another charter in the
25th of her reign, the same queen granted to the corpo-
ration the lands of the grange, Ballycrokeele, and the new