Merchant Shipping Law Amendment Act 1853

No dues, tolls, rates, or charges, of what nature soever, levied or leviable, or hereafter to be levied, or leviable, on any ships, or on any goods carried in any ships, in any port of Great Britain or Ireland for any purpose whatever, shall be sold, mortgaged, or charged in any manner or for any purpose without the consent of the Board of Trade first obtained, such consent to be signified by writing under the hand of one of the secretaries or assistant secretaries to such Board; and any sale, mortgage, or charge of any such dues, tolls, rates, or charges made after the passing of this Act without such consent shall be absolutely void, except in the following cases; that is to say, in the case of any sale, mortgage, or charge of any dues, tolls, rates, or charges levied for the use of any dock or other undertaking intended solely for the benefit of shipping, where the monies raised by the sale, mortgage, or charge are to be applied exclusively for the purposes of the undertaking for the use of which such dues, rates, tolls or charges are levied or leviable; in the case of any mortgage or charge made under the authority of any Act of Parliament for the purpose of raising money to pay the costs of any work constructed or duly contracted for before the passing of this Act; and in the case of any mortgage or charge made or continued under any powers of reborrowing or continuing money on mortgage or bond given by any Act of Parliament for the purposes of any work so constructed or contracted for as aforesaid.