The navigation between Norwich and Yarmouth has not been, for centuries, suited for sea-borne vessels, owing, chiefly, to the shallowness of the channel over Breydon. The embouchure of the river into the sea has been frequently blocked up by shifting sands, and vessels have been detained fourteen days before they could get into the river. Indeed, at the present time there is great danger of the mouth of the harbour being blocked up at Yarmouth altogether. Prior to the year 1762, the quantity of coals brought from Yarmouth to Norwich, annually, was 26,000 chaldrons. Of these, nearly 5000 chaldrons were carried out of Norwich into the surrounding district, so that 21,000 chaldrons were consumed in the city. At that time, the king’s dues and the Yarmouth dues amounted to 8s. 1d. per chaldron, which was felt by the consumers to be a grievous tax. A cheap and plentiful supply of coal has always been of the utmost importance to the citizens, not only for domestic purposes, but also as fuel for manufacturers, dyers, hot pressers, lime burners, brewers, and maltsters. Yet, at the period referred to, this necessary commodity was heavily taxed, to the extent of £1200 yearly, more than was paid on an equal consumption in London. This tax was rendered more grievous by the illegal measurement at Yarmouth. The legal chaldron consisted of thirty-six bushels; but, at Yarmouth the chaldron was estimated not by bushels, but by a measure called a mett, sixteen of which were computed to contain a chaldron, but did not. As may be supposed, the injustice naturally caused considerable dissatisfaction among the Norwich coal merchants and other citizens, and frequent complaints were made of the grievance which was ultimately abolished. This was important, for formerly, from the north of England, immense quantities of coal and heavy goods were brought by sea, _viâ_ Yarmouth to Norwich, for distribution over the eastern side of Norfolk and Suffolk. The importation of coal, by this route, has, however, been greatly diminished; not only by the opening of railways in every direction, but also by the working of the central coal fields of England.