20. Febr. 1694/5.  
The Argument and Reasons of the Brethren of Trinity-house, touching the Breach in the Level near Purfleet in Essex, whereby the River of Thames is much Damnifyed, and the Navigation thereof greatly obstructed, and in danger of being wholly destroyed.  
THat the Cause which produced the said Breach, was not from the weakness of the Sea-Banks, defect of Sluices, or want of care in the Proprietors of the Land to preserve their defences against the Encroachments and Inundations of the River, in which Reach the Tides are very rapid, and the weather often so dangerous, that for their own safety-sake, they are forced to be more on their guard than other People; wherefore they keep their Sea-banks in better repair and are at a greater expense to secure their Land on that Level than most others. If this misfortune had befallen them through any neglect or default of theirs, why did not the Commissioners of Sewers foresee the Danger by their Surveyors, and direct timely remedy? Or the Water-Bayliffs, who are the Conservator's Instruments, discover the growing evil, and Caution the Proprietors before it was to late; for defects of that kind increase by degrees, and for the most part give warning enough before the mischief happens. But neither the Commissioners of Sewers, who are very regular in their Surveys and severe in their Injunctions, nor the Water-bayliffs, who are the Conservator's Officers, and are so very sharp and mindful of their Business, that Complaints are often made of their double diligence, are in fault, so that it cannot be presumed that they had in any thing neglected their duty; nor the Proprietors, whose interest it is to preserve their own Estates by keeping the Banks in good repair, are in the least degree chargeable, because it hath been proved, that though they had all contributed their utmost joint Care and Forces in their several stations to have prevented it, this great disaster had in all moral Probability notwithstanding happened: In as much as no humane foresight or wisdom can obviate a mischief that has never at any time before fallen out; (and such was this Inundation) for though the Banks of this Level were of a competent height, such as that no objection was ever made to them, nor any Experience or Observation from any Tides or , (in the memory of Man) has at any time heretofore been observed, to give them jealousy; yet it pleased God to permit at that time such a Deluge and swell of a Tide, as surmounted by many feet the Tops of the said Banks, and (not as hath been untruly objected) Broken them down through any neglect of those whose duty it was to have kept them in better repair. This Deluge, then filling the Level, was by the Banks that were designed to keep the water out, made a deep standing Lake of water, which had no way to issue back or discharge itself but by forcing out the Banks that kept it in, which upon the coming of the Ebb, and falling away of the Tide came to Pass; that great weight of water so confined, at length bursting out where the Breach now is, which was the Cause and the only Occasion of the damage to the River, and to those Gentlemen who are the sufferers, and who now humbly apply for redress to that Authority from which alone they can justly hope for Succour. People who are undone by Fire and Conflagrations are the objects of Parliamentary Care, and are constantly heard and relieved; this Calamity was the hand of God, and no humane Power could have prevented it: Fire and water are merciless Enemies, and the sufferers by the one seem to challenge as much right to compassion from the Public as the other.  
If the Remedy of the damage which the River of Thames has sustained, and the Navigation thereof by this Breach (which is only a Consequence and Coincidence of the Deluge and Inundation of this Level) should be deemed chargeable on the Proprietors of the Land, while perhaps they might be able to drain the same for their own Private use, by methods that will come by two third parts cheaper than those that are proposed, and found necessary for the Rivers better conservation. If this should be their Sentence, I say, it would seem very grievous, and no body in time will think Land on the Thames Levelly worth the holding, and it may come to pass, that by a few such Precedents the Banks will be totally neglected, and the River consequently swallowed up and lost in the said Level. For as by taking this Land heretofore out of the Thames (which is all under High-water mark) the Channel was at first begotten, and Navigation obtained, so by losing it to the River again, the depth of Water and the Navigation will be lost.  
It was therefore their Opinion, That the Proprietors of the Level will be charged very sufficiently, if over and above the money they have been already out of Purse, amounting to at least 3200 l. together with the loss of their Land for many years to come after it shall be drained, if the said proprietors be further made liable to restore and secure their own Sea-banks: while the repair of the main Breach which brings a National profit seems to call for a National expense; in as much as that for the sake of the River's conservation only that work is designed, and forasmuch also as it requires an expense by many degrees Superior to what may be computed simply necessary for the draining the Level. The charge of this Work therefore, which is to obtain a public benefit, and is foreign to the uses of draining the Land seems to call for public Compassion, and to require a public Purse to Compass. And not only a public Purse, but public Care too, least by bold and unexperienced Undertakers, who cannot possibly make a due judgement of the difficulty and danger of such Works, the Nation, by a proposal of saving a little Money (which works of this kind will by no means suffer) may chance to incur a much greater Expense by the loss of all their Labour and Charge: The undertaking thereby being rendered much more difficult and expenssive than at first, and the River of Thames damnified a new by the miscarriage of such slight and ineffectual projects, in as much as all the matter whereof their Defences are to be composed, must necessarily, in case of any disaster, be driven by the force of the water into the Channel.