REASONS Humbly Offered to the Honourable House of Commons, FOR Continuing the DUTY or some Part thereof, formerly granted for Rebuilding St. PAUL's Cathedral and other Churches in London, for some time longer.  
THE Quarries of the Island of Portland, are of great Use and Public Conern; having the largest Blocks of beautiful Stone, and the most proper for magnificent Buildings; and in regard of their Situation upon Sea, supply all the West Coast, and the City of London in the Building of St. Paul's and other Churches, and all both Public and Private Works; much being also used in the Docks of Portsmouth, Plymouth, and the Fortifications upon the Coast, and other His Majesty's Works.  
The whole Subsistance of many Hundreds of Families in London, the said Island, the Neighbouring Counties and Coasts depend upon these Quarries; and the Shipping of Weymouth, Brighthelmston, and divers other Ports, manage this Trade to several Parts of England; and in time of Peace transport considerable Quantities of this Native Product.  
Upon the Third of this Instant February, 1695. a prodigious Calamity befell the said Island; all the Ground betwixt the Quarry and the Sea extending at least sixty Acres, moving for three Days together, and sinking thirty Foot and more, and spreading itself farther into the Sea; whereby the Harbours and Peers of Moles (built at great Expense) were ruined and destroyed; the Cranes lately built of vast Timber, Broke; the Ways and Passages, cut through the Rocks to the Peers, sunk and intercepted; so that without great Expense the Quarry is become useless, and Thousands of People are deprived of their Subsistence.  
The Use of the King's Quarry there, was granted by King Charles II. to the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's, to raise Stone for Rebuilding the Church of St. Paul's; but the Ways, Cranes and Peers, have been upheld and repaired out of the Coal Duty of Eighteenpence per Cauldron, appointed for Rebuilding the Cathedral and Parochial Churches of London, by Two Acts of Parliament formerly made for that Purpose.  
The said Duty determines at Michaelmas in the Year 1700. after which time Sixpence per Cauldron is granted to the Orphans of London.  
For some Years passed Fraight of Shipping hath so increased, that it is become near double to what it was formerly: By reason whereof, and the Impositions upon Foreign Timber and Iron, and the great Rate of Oak Timber (although the Works of the Cathedral are very far advanced) it will not be possible to complete the same by the Duty aforesaid within the time allotted. Also some Parochial Churches though used at present for Divine Service are not finished; and it is adjudged convenient, that some Houses which are too near to the North side of St. Paul's be removed farther, to prevent the danger of Firing that great and expensieve Fabric.  
Wherhfore it is Humbly desired, that in order to Complete the said Cathedral and other Churches, and to recover the Quarries and defray the Charge of Repairing the Peers, Cranes and Ways (without which also they cannot be Built) the said Duty upon Coals, or such part thereof as shall be thought necessary, be continued for Years after Michaelmas 1700. without which a great part of what has been already done to St. Paul 's Church will go to Decay again, and be in danger of being Lost.