Expedients proposed for the Easing and Advantaging the Coal-Trade, and Lessening the Price of Coalsin London, and other Places, etc.  
I. THat all Ships may have Liberty, (if they find it for their convenience) to take in such Beer and other Provision, as they shall at any time want for their Voyages, in or about sheild's, and not to be forced (as now they are) to send Seven Miles up the River to Newcastle for the same, whereby they often lose the opportunity of a fair Wind, or a Convoy, and by consequence their whole Voyage.  
II. That it may be lawful for any Ship in Distress, to make use of any Pilot or Carpenter, though no Freeman of Newcastle, (which is now by no means permitted) for whilst they send so far as Newcastle for help, (which when they do, they cannot have from thence, but at Excessive Rates) the Ships that want, or have wanted such help, may be, and often have been cast away, before such Pilot or Carpenter could come to them.  
III. That a Free Ballast Shore, may be Built by the Owners of Jarrowslike near sheild's, or any other Owners of Lands and Grounds there. And that all Ships may, (if for their own Benefit) be at liberty to lay Ballast there, and not forced (as now they are) to carry it several Miles, upon a dangerous River to Newcastle Shore's; In as much as Jarrowslike Shore, when Built, will be greatly for the Advantage of the River, and all Ships Trading up the same Anent, is farther offered to Consideration, and will easily be Demonstrated, That if these things were done, the River would be much Bettered, and made Deeper, and more Navigable, which would Encourage the Building of Great Ships, which are the most proper for that Trade, and such as would be Useful for the Defence of the Kingdom, in time of War; Besides, by these Means, Masters of Ships might make Two or Three Voyages in the Year, more than now they do, by reason of the quick Dispatch they would then receive, above what they now have; the consequence whereof must needs be, That Coals, Glass, Salt, and Millstones, which are the proper Commodities of those Parts, would be much Cheaper to the Subject than now they are, and the great Duty laid on Coals for several Years to come, be less felt by the Poor than now it is.   

AN ANSWER To the Printed Paper abovementioned.  
TO the First, it is Answered, That the Mayor and Burgesses of Newcastle, have by Prescription the Survey and Government of the Port and River there; which Port and River, are within the Bounds and Limits of the Borough of Newcastle. And the said Mayor and Burgesses have from time to time (whereof the Memory of Man runs not to the contrary) had the sole Vending of all Beer and Ale sold to Ships Trading to that Port: And this is, in effect, no more than all Corporations by Prescription enjoy, That none shall exercise a Trade within their Corporation, but the Members of it. And it seems to be as reasonable to take away the Privileges of all other Corporations, as to take away this; and besides, the Public is no way injured; for Ships do not lose their Voyages by it, because the Ships may take in their Beer and Ale at Shields from Newcastle, in a quarter of the time they can take in their Coals; for they go two, three, and sometimes four Miles above Newcastle for their Coals. And this very Point, as to the sole vending of Beer and Ale by the Mayor and Burgesses within the said Port, has been lately Tried in His Majesty's Court of Exchequer, and found by a substantial Jury for the Mayor and Burgesses, and a Decree thereupon made for the same.  
To the Second, it is Answered, That it is lawful in that Port, for any Shipmaster to use his own Carpenter; and if the Ship be in distress, the Master may use any Carpenters whatsoever at Shields: and besides, Care is taken that there be always Carpenters and Pilots that are Freemen of Newcastle, that live at sheild's, near the Mouth of the Haven, to serve such Masters of Ships as have occasion to use their Services there, and that at Reasonable Prices, lower than in other places. And the Mayor of Newcastle may regulate the Prices, if unreasonable Demands be made; and it is a great Mistake to affirm, That any Ships have been lost in that Harbour, for want of Carpenters or Pilots, and the same cannot be proved.  
To the Third, the Answer is, That Jarrowslike is no fit place for a Shore, being near the Mouth of the Haven, because the unavoidable fall of Ballast would make a Sandbed, which would hinder Ships to pass in and out. It would be a Nuisance to have a Shore there, there being no Foundation to erect a Wall for a Ballast Key. And it would be further inconvenient, the Channel of the River being Narrow in that place, it would make the Current so quick, that no Ships could lie at Anchor there, or Keels come to cast Coals or Ballast there. And it would hinder the passage of Ships in the said River, and would be an injury to the Mayor and Burgesses to make an Act of Parliament to erect a Shore at the place desired; for they do prescribe, That no Shores should be built upon that River, without their Licence; if this were not, the River had been long since blocked up, and it were impossible to prevent Nuisances to the said River, if the Mayor and Burgesses had not the Survey and Government of it: For every Man that has Land upon the said River, might be at liberty to build into the River as far as they please.  
This Prescription has been likewise Tried at Law at the Bar of the Court of Exchequer, and found for the Mayor and Burgesses: And why may not all, or any the Franchises of all other Corporations, be taken away by Act of Parliament as well as this? And there is no inconvenience to Ships that Trade to that Port, for want of a Shore there, because there are Shore's four or five Miles lower than Newcastle, seated in convenient places, where Ships cast their Ballast, and take in their Coals without danger.  
The Mayor and Burgesses being Conservators of the River and Port of Tine, (a place of great Import to the Kingdom, and Nursery of Seamen and Navigation) and having an ancient Court for the Government and Preservation of the River and Port, do never give leave to build a Ballast Shore, until the place be viewed by a Jury of Masters of the Trinity House and Pilots, and they upon their Oaths give a Verdict, that the place is convenient, and without prejudice to the River.  
That the Expedients proposed, will not in any sort lessen the Price of Coals; for the same Tide that will carry Ships to the place designed for a Shore, will carry them to some other Shores or Wharves that are already erected. And the same Wind that will carry Ships out from the one place, will carry them out from the other. And the Ballast is cast out upon as cheap and easy terms from some of the other Shores already erected, as it can possibly be from the place designed for a Shore. Besides, the Charges for Lighters to bring down Coals to Ships lying at Jarrowslike, will be greater than the Rates are at the other Shores already erected upon the River. And Lighters which bring Coals to the Ships riding at Jarrowslike, will not be able in great Westerly Winds (which often happen) to go up again to fetch more Coals to Load the Ships there; although from the other Shores they may go up, notwithstanding the greatness of the Wind.  
And in truth this is but a design for some particular men's Interest, (upon pretence of public good) which they have long endeavoured by several means to effect at the Council Board, and at Law, but could not prevail.