§ A Petition of the court of directors of the East India Dock Company, was presented and read, setting forth,
§ "That two acts were passed in the 43d and 46th years of his present Majesty, for the further improvement of the port of London, by making docks and other works at Blackwall, for the accommodation of the East India shipping in the said port, whereby the East India Dock Company was established, and powers given for the erection of certain docks at Blackwall, for the reception of, and unloading and lading. East India shipping;, and that the said Company, after three years, completed the said docks and premises, at an expence of about 400,000l.; and that the said docks have greatly contributed towards 707 the security of the property and revenue, and facilitated the unlading and lading of the said ships; and that, independent of the sum invested therein, the officers and requisite establishment of persons for the conduct of the business, with the several storehouses for the use of the ships (as well as for the warehousing of that hazardous import saltpetre), and other buildings erected, are of a magnitude to meet all the requisitions of the intercourse with India, upon a scale that is fully adapted thereto; and that the petitioners have embarked so large a capital, and made all these several provisions, in the full confidence, that the whole produce of the East Indies, that would arrive in this kingdom, should be brought into the said docks, together with all ships laden with such produce, and have, therefore, relied upon the continuation of those principles that gave rise to the existence of the docks, warehouses, establishment, and the numberless accommodations they now possess; and that there is no want of either convenience, security, or exertion, in the conduct of the business of the Company; and that the principles and management of the Company have been such as to affford a security to the revenue beyond all parallel, in the transit to the East India Company's warehouses, as well as at the docks and premises adjoining; and that the petitioners can with confidence appeal to the East India Company for their testimony of the perfect security that attaches to their immense property', and to that of individuals imported into their warehouses, as well as to the charges thereon being moderate, and to the facility and dispatch in clearing their ships; and that it is with extreme concern the petitioners notice the attempts making towards the introduction of Asiatic produce to the out-ports of the kingdom, a measure that will, if adopted, involve the interests of the petitioners to a most ruinous extent; and praying that the House will be pleased to take them under its protection, and not suffer any representations or interference to prevail against the privileges granted to them under the acts of parliament before mentioned, upon the faith of which they have expended so large a sum of money, engaged so many competent persons in the discharge of the duties attached to the docks, and conducted the same to the great benefit of the parties interested in the trade and ships employed to and from India, and with great advantage to the revenue of the country and the public.
§ Ordered to lie upon the table.