Quantitys of Powder was kept in the Ship Chandlers Houses
or Store Houses And also that there was two Storehouses in a
field near the parish of St. John Wapping in which was kept
a great Quantity of Gun powderThis coming to the
knowledge of the Officers of the Tower they came to the Place
& having viewed the Same Said it was their Opinion that if
by any Accident the Quantitys of Powder commonly kept
there Should take Fire it would blow up all the houses
within a Considerable Distance of it destroy Some thousands
of people & even do great damage to his Majestys Tower
of London

In the 5th. of George the 1st. An Act was made that after the first
of August 1719 no person Should keep in his Warehouse or
any part of his house more than Six hundred pounds Weight
of Powder

And in the 11th. of George the first Another Act was made
whereby it was enacted that for the publick Safety no more
than two hundred pounds of powder beShould be kept in any
one House above twenty four Hours or pain of forfitting all
such powder above the Said Quantity of two hundred pounds
and the Value thereof

But notwithstanding this last Act (a Fire happening in the
parish of St. John Wapping on the 5th. day of February 1741) it was
discovered that Several of the Dealers in Powder removed great
Quantitys this caused a Search to be made by Some of the
Gentleman of the publick Fire Officers who Seized & carried of a
great many Barrells.

To prevent which practice & that great Numbers of his Majties:
Subjects might be preferred from immediate Death that the
Firemen of the Several Publick Offices (who are extremely
Seviceable at all Fires) may not be deterred form doing their
Duty That other Men who live near where a Fire Should
happen may be encouraged to assist at the Same.

And also that in Order to prevent the Importation of Quantitys
of Powder from foreign Parts contrary to Law which there
is great Reason to beleive is much practiced and would be
prevented if none was Suffered to be landed but from the
Magazines Etc

It is humbly hoped an Act or Clause in Some Act ofmay be
passed that no person takeing from on Board any Ship or
Vessell in the River of Thames or from any Powder House
and Shall presume to land any part whatsoever But Send
the Same to the Magazine That no Waterman or other