Wharfage

Also [3 wheruagium, 4 querfage, werphagium], 5, 8 wharffage, 6 warfeage, 8 warf(f)age. [f. WHARF sb.¹ + -AGE.]

  1.  The provision of or accommodation at a wharf; the stowage of goods on, or loading or unloading at, a wharf.

[1295.  Memoranda K. R. 23 & 24 Edw. I. (P.R.O.). In cariagio dicte lane … vsque London … cum wharuagio et portagio eiusdem.

1376.  Rolls of Parlt., II. 351/1. Ore sont ils constreintz de paier pur Messuage de chescune Sarp’ ob. Et un autre ob. pur Querfage.

1395.  Compotus Will. Chert custodis collegii Cantuar. Oxon. (1881), 28. Item pro werphagio eiusdem (meremii capelle) iijs. iiijd.]

1469–71.  Stonor Papers (Camden), I. 106. Paid … for C and vj li. of Iren, iiij. s. v. d, for the wharfage, j d., for bringyng of the seid stuffe to Derteford, vj. d.

a. 1552.  Leland, Itin. (1768), II. 29. There is great Warfeage of Timbre and fier Wood on the West Ende of the Bridge.

c. 1640.  J. Smyth, Lives Berkeleys (1883), I. 341. Renting out the Toll or profit of the wharfage.

1687–8.  in Willis & Clark, Cambridge (1886), II. 545. Expences for sawing, carriage, and wharfage of Cedar.

1795.  J. Phillips, Hist. Inland Nav., Addenda 109. For wharfage exceeding six months, to make a reasonable recompence.

1848.  Mill, Pol. Econ., III. v. § 3. The rents of wharfage, dock and harbour room.

1885.  Law Times, LXXIX. 189/2. Duties for defraying the expenses of pilotage, wharfage, lighthouses, and lights and buoys.

  2.  The charge or dues exacted for the use of a wharf.

1535.  Act 27 Hen. VIII., c. 26 § 23. Lordes Marches … shall have within … their said Lordeshipps … wreke de mere, wharfage and customes of Strangers.

1598.  Hakluyt, Voy., I. 135. All marchants … may come into our kingdome … without paying wharfage, pontage, or pannage.

c. 1683.  Citizens Loss, in Somers, Tracts (1748), I. 180. Wharfage, with Power to distrain for the same.

1715.  Lond. Gaz., No. 5387/3. The Wharfage, Duties, and Profits arising … by and out of Billingsgate-Dock.

1795.  J. Phillips, Hist. Inland Nav., Addenda 105. Wharfage for more than twenty-four hours, to be a reasonable allowance.

1894.  Times, 25 Aug., 5/4. The company is gradually issuing through rates, inclusive of Ship Canal toll and wharfage, for all kinds of merchandise to all towns.

  3.  Wharfs collectively; wharf accommodation.

1807.  Ann. Reg., Chron., 406. The company assembled on the insular wharfage.

1836.  Jesse, Angler’s Rambles, 295. The little secluded harbour, with its small planked wharfage.

1848.  Mill, Pol. Econ., I. i. § 4. The wharfage or harbour-room.

1899.  Westm. Gaz., 26 Sept., 9/1. At the terminus of the railway the Dominion Government is erecting complete wharfages to make the harbour suitable for oil vessels.

  4.  attrib.

1714.  Lady G. Baillie, Househ. Bk. (S.H.S.), 30. For warfage porters carts to the Lodging etc., 1. 9. 1…. For warfage bale and cariing to the Lodgine, 0. 2. 6.

1862.  G. T. Lloyd, 33 Yrs. in Tasmania, xvi. 415. Point Henry, our only landing-place, was not celebrated at that time for being the most convenient spot on the shores of Port Phillip, in the matter of wharfage accommodation.

1867.  Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Wharfage dues, the dues for landing or shipping goods at a wharf; customs charges in particular…. Wharfage charges are demanded even from a ship of war!