DAGENHAM BREACH. 167
the direction of Commissioners, who are appointed by the Crown,
and now extends from Rainham Creek to East Ham Levels, and up
to Walthamstow; but not including the borough of West Ham.
These Commissioners receive presentments from the Marsh
Jury, and any repairs that may be ordered or required are carried
out under the superintendence of the Marsh Bailiff.
A few notes on the career of Captain John Perry may not be
unacceptable. He was born in 1669, the second son of Samuel
Perry, of Rodborough (Gloucs.). At an early age he joined the
Royal Navy, and in September, 1693, we find he was captain of the
Cignet fire-ship, which was lost during a fight. For this loss he was
tried, and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, and to pay £1,000
fine. He employed his enforced quiet in writing "A regulation for
Seamen, wherein a method is humbly proposed whereby their
Majesties' Fleet may at all times be speedily and effectually
Mann'd," etc. To this he appended "A short narrative of his case
relating to the loss of the said ship in company of the Diamond-
Friggat." This is dated from the "Marshalsea Prison, Dec. 18th,
1694," and was published in small quarto, 48 pages, 1695.18
He appears, however, to have been soon released, for in 1698 he was
recommended to the Czar Peter, who was then in this country, and
he engaged him at a salary of £300 a year to open communication
between the Volga and the Don Rivers, where he was employed for
three successive summers; and also to assist in the formation of a
Royal dockyard and Russian fleet. He remained there some
years, but left in 1712, after many disappointments and trouble in
getting money. In 1715, he published his octavo volume on "The
State of Russia under the Present Czar," with a map. On his return,
as we have already seen, he was employed here till 1720, and the
next year brought out his book on the Breach : and was also em-
ployed about the harbour at Dublin. In 1727, he brought out a
folio volume, "Proposals for the Draining the Fens in Lincolnshire,"
and whilst he was employed in the work took up his residence at
Spalding; where, on 16th April, 1730, he was elected a member of
"The Gentlemen's Society," and is described as an engineer, and
adventurer for draining Deeping Fens. This well-known Literary
and Antiquarian Club was founded in 1710,19 and numbered amongst
its early members Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Hans Sloane, Sir John
18 These statements, compiled from Capt. Perry's own books, are no doubt correct, although
they differ in detail from several notices of his life which have been published at various times.
19 For further information about this club, vide "Nichol's Literary Anecdotes."