ccording to
his regal power and justice, for the safety of his subjects' lives,
goods, and shipping, in all places needful.'

Thus patents for and leases of lighthouses were granted to private
individuals, and were no longer the exclusive right of the Trinity
House. This state of things continued from that period nearly to the
present time. But the inconvenience and disadvantage resulting from
the measure had long been felt, and it was found that the lighthouse
system was, in too many instances, conducted with a view to private
interest rather than public good. An act was therefore passed, in the
sixth and seventh years of the reign of his late majesty William IV.,
in order to the attainment of uniformity of system in the management
of lighthouses, and the reduction and equalization of tolls payable in
respect thereof. By this act provision was made for vesting all the
lighthouses on the coast of England in the corporation of the Trinity
House, and placing those of Scotland and Ireland also under their
supervision. All the interest of the crown in lighthouses possessed by
his majesty was vested in the corporation, in consideration of three
hundred thousand pounds allowed to the Commissioners of Crown Land
Revenue for the same, and the corporation were permitted to buy up the
interests of the various lessees of the crown and of the corporation,
as well as to purchase the other lighthouses from the proprietors of
them, subject in case of dispute to the assessment of a jury. Under
this act purchases have been made by the corporation of nearly the
whole of the lighthouses not before in their possession, the sum
expended for that purpose amounting to nearly a million of money.

The revenues of the corporation, which are very considerable, are
derived from tolls paid by the shipping deriving benefit from the
lights, beacons, and buoys, and from the ballast supplied. Also from
lands, stock, &c. held by the corporation, partly by purchase, partly
from legacies, &c. and donations of private individuals. The whole of
these revenues are employed in necessary expenses, such as
constructing and maintaining their lighthouses, and lights, beacons,
and buoys, and the buildings and vessels belonging to the corporation,
in the salaries of the officers of their different establishments, and
in relieving decayed seamen and ballastmen and their widows. Many
almshouses have been erected and are maintained from the same funds.

The present