10. And it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That, from and after the first day of September one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, it shall and may be lawful for any person or persons to import into this kingdom any raw and undressed seal skins taken and caught by the crews of vessels belonging to and fitted out either from Great Britain, Ireland, or the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, or Man respectively, and whereof the captain or master and three-fourths at the least of the mariners are his Majesty’s subjects, or by persons employed by the masters or owners of such vessels, without paying any custom, subsidy, or other duty for the same, any law or usage to the contrary notwithstanding.
11. Provided always, That nothing in this act shall extend, or be construed to extend, to give liberty of importing any such seal skins duty-free, unless the captain or person having the charge or command of such ship or vessel importing the same shall make oath before the collector or other principal officer of the customs at the port of importation, (who is hereby authorised and required to administer such oath), that all the skins imported in such ship or vessel were really and bona fide the skins of seals taken and caught by the crews thereof, or by persons employed by the master or owner of such ship or vessel, or of some other ship or vessel qualified as aforesaid; and such seal skins shall be also duly entered at the customhouse for the said port, and landed in the presence of the proper officer or officers of the customs appointed for that purpose; and on failure of any of these conditions, such skins shall be liable to pay the same duties as they would have been subject and liable to if this act had not been made, any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.
12. And whereas it has been a practice of late years for divers persons to seduce the fishermen, sailors, artificers, and others employed in carrying on the fishery, arriving at Newfoundland, on board fishing and other vessels from Great Britain, and the British dominions in Europe, to go from thence to the continent of America, to the great detriment of the fishery, and the naval force of this kingdom: Now, in order to remedy the said evil, and to secure the return of the said fishermen, sailors, artificers, and others, employed as aforesaid, to the British dominions in Europe, be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That, from and after the first day of January one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, it shall not be lawful for the master, or person having the charge or command of any ship or vessel trading to or from any place within the government of Newfoundland, to carry or convey, as passengers, any such fishermen, sailors, artificers, and others, employed as aforesaid, from thence to any part of the continent of America, without the permission under the hand and seal of the governor of the said island of Newfoundland, under the penalty of forfeiting two hundred pounds for every such offence.
13. And whereas in several acts, passed in the eleventh and twelfth years of William the third, the eighth of George the first, and second and twelfth of George the second, provision has been made to prevent seamen and mariners in the merchant service being wilfully left beyond sea, and to secure and provide for their return home to such part of his Majesty’s dominions whereto they belong: and whereas, for want of such provisions being extended to seamen and fishermen going out as passengers to Newfoundland, and hired and employed in the fisheries carried on there, great numbers of them remain in that country at the end of every fishing season, who would otherwise return home, and some of them have frequently turned robbers and pirates; for remedy of which evil, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no person or persons whatsoever shall, from and after the first day of January one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, employ, or cause to be employed at Newfoundland, for the purpose of carrying on the fishery there, any seaman or fisherman going as passengers, or any seaman or fisherman hired there, without first entering into an agreement or contract in writing with every such seaman or fisherman, declaring what wages such seaman or fisherman is to have, and the time for which he shall serve, which shall be signed by both parties; wherein it shall be stipulated (amongst other things) that the person so hiring or employing shall be at liberty to reserve, retain, and deduct, and he is hereby authorised, required, and directed to reserve, retain, and deduct, out of the wages of every person so hired or employed, a sum of money equal to the then current price of a man’s passage home, not exceeding forty shillings for each man, which money such hirer or employer shall, at the end of each fishing season, or at the expiration of the covenanted time of service of such seaman or fisherman, pay, or cause to be paid, to the master of a passage or other ship, who shall undertake or agree to carry such seaman or fisherman home to the country whereto he belongs, and shall also convey such seaman or fisherman to and on board such passage or other ship, taking the master’s receipt for the passage money, which receipt he shall immediately thereupon deliver to such seaman or fisherman.
14. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no hirer or employer of any such seaman or fisherman shall pay or advance, or cause to be paid or advanced, to such seaman or fisherman, in money, liquor, and goods, or either of them, during the time he shall be in his service, more than one half of the wages which shall at any time be due to him; but such hirer or employer shall, and is hereby required and directed, immediately at or upon the expiration of every such man’s covenanted time or service to pay either in money, or in good bills of exchange, payable either in Great Britain or Ireland, or in the country to which such seaman or fisherman belongs, the full balance of his wages, except the money herein-before directed to be retained for his passage home; and it shall not be lawful for any such hirer or employer to turn away or discharge any such seaman or fisherman, except for wilful neglect of duty, or other sufficient cause, before the expiration of his covenanted time of service; and in case the hirer or employer of any such seaman or fisherman shall refuse or neglect to comply with any of the terms herein-before mentioned, or shall otherwise offend against this act, every such person so offending shall forfeit and pay, for every such offence, besides the balance that shall be due to such seaman or fisherman, the money herein-before directed to be retained for his passage home, the sum of ten pounds, to the use of such person or persons who shall inform or sue for the same.
15. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That in all cases where disputes shall arise concerning the wages of any such seaman or fisherman, the hirer or employer shall be obliged to produce the contract or agreement in writing, herein-before directed to be entered into with every such seaman or fisherman.
16. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all the fish and oil which shall be taken and made by the person or persons who shall hire or employ such seaman or fisherman shall be subject and liable, in the first place, to the payment of the wages of every such seaman or fisherman.
17. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That in case any such seaman or fisherman shall at any time wilfully absent himself from his duty or employ, without the leave and consent of his hirer or employer, or shall wilfully neglect or refuse to work according to the true intent and meaning of such contract or agreement, he shall, for every day he shall so absent himself, or neglect or refuse to work as aforesaid, forfeit two days pay to such hirer or employer; and if any such seaman or fisherman shall wilfully absent himself from his said duty or employ for the space of five days, without such leave as aforesaid, he shall be deemed a deserter, and shall forfeit to such hirer or employer all such wages as shall at the time of such desertion be due to him, (except so much as is herein-before directed to be reserved and retained for the purpose of paying his passage home); and it shall and may be lawful to and for the governor of Newfoundland, or his surrogates, or the commissary of the vice admiralty court for the time being, or for any justice of the peace in Newfoundland, to issue his or their warrant or warrants to apprehend every such deserter, and on the oath of one or more credible witness or witnesses to commit him to prison, there to remain until the next court of session which shall be holden in pursuance of the commission of the said governor for the time being; and if found guilty of the said offence at such session, it shall and may be lawful to and for the said court of session, to order such deserter to be publickly whipped as a vagrant, and afterwards to be put on board a passage ship, in order to his being conveyed back to the country whereto he belongs.
18. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all disputes which shall arise concerning the wages of every or any such seaman or fisherman, and all offences which shall be committed by every hirer or employer of such seaman or fisherman, against this act, shall and may be enquired into, heard, and determined, and the penalties and forfeitures thereby incurred shall and may be recovered in the court of session herein-before mentioned, or in the court of vice admiralty having jurisdiction in the said island of Newfoundland.
19. And whereas by an act of parliament, passed in the sixth year of the reign of her late Majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act for the encouragement of the trade to America, it is amongst other things enacted, That no mariner or other person who shall serve on board, or be retained to serve on board any privateer, or trading ship or vessel, that shall be employed in any part of America, nor any mariner or other person being on shore in any part thereof, shall be liable to be impressed or taken away by any officer or officers of or belonging to any of her Majesty’s ships of war, impowered by the lord high admiral, or any other person whatsoever, unless such mariner shall have before deserted from such ship of war: and whereas the said privilege or exemption so given by the said act to mariners serving on board ships or vessels employed in any of the seas or ports of the continent of America, or residing on shore there, is prejudicial to the fisheries carried on by his Majesty’s subjects of Great Britain and Ireland, and others his Majesty’s dominions in Europe, and has proved an encouragement to mariners belonging thereto to desert in time of war, or at the appearance of a war, to the British plantations on the said continent of America; be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the said clause, so far as it relates to the exempting of mariners or other persons serving, or retained to serve, in any ship or vessel in the seas or ports of the continent of America, or other persons on shore there, from being impressed, be and the same is hereby repealed.
20. And whereas the immoderate use of rum and other spirits, imported into Newfoundland from his Majesty’s colonies and plantations in America has been found to be highly detrimental to the fisheries carried on there, and it is therefore proper to endeavour to diminish the consumption thereof; be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That, from and after the first day of January one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, there shall be paid in to his Majesty, his heirs and successors, for every gallon of rum, or other spirits, which shall be brought or imported into the island of Newfoundland from any British colony or plantation on the continent of America, the sum of one shilling sterling money of Great Britain; and the same shall be collected, recovered, and paid, to the amount of the value of which such nominal sum bears in Great Britain, and may be received and taken according to the proportion and value of five shillings and sixpence the ounce in silver; and the said duty hereby granted shall be raised, levied, collected, paid, and recovered, in the same manner and form, and by such rules, ways, and means, and under such penalties and forfeitures, except in such cases where any alteration is made by this act, as any other duties payable to his Majesty upon goods imported into any British colony or plantation in America are raised, levied, collected, paid, and recovered, by any act or acts of parliament, as fully and effectually, to all intents and purposes, as if the several clauses, powers, directions, penalties and forfeitures relating thereto, were particularly repeated and again enacted in the body of this present act; and that all the monies that shall arise by the said duty, (except the necessary charges of raising, collecting, levying, recovering, answering, paying, and accounting for the same), shall be paid into the receipt of his majesty’s exchequer, and applied and appropriated to the same uses and purposes as the duties arising by that part of the customs, commonly called The Old Subsidy, payable in Great Britain, are applied and appropriated.
21. And whereas the bounties given by an act of parliament made in the eleventh year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An act for the better support and establishment of the Greenland and whale fisheries, have been found of great advantage to the navigation, trade, and manufactures of this kingdom; and it is just and expedient that the like bounties which are granted by that act to ships fitted out from Great Britain, or any of his Majesty’s dominions in America, for those fisheries, should, in like manner, be granted to ships fitted out for that purpose from the kingdom of Ireland; be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, That, from and after the twenty-fifth day of December one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, the respective bounties herein-after mentioned shall be allowed for every ship or vessel British-built, and owned by his Majesty’s subjects of Ireland, and whereof the captain or master and at least one-third of the mariners are his Majesty’s subjects of Great Britain or Ireland, which shall proceed from any port in the said kingdom of Ireland, within the time limited by this act on the whale fishery to the Greenland seas, and Davis’s Streights, and the adjacent seas, under the several rules and restrictions, herein-after expressed; that is to say, every such ship or vessel, before she proceeds on such voyage, shall be visited by the proper officer or officers of the customs belonging to such port, who shall examine into such ship or vessel, and take an account of the tonnage thereof by admeasurement, and shall certify such his or their visitation, examination, and admeasurement, to the commissioners of his Majesty’s revenue in Ireland; and if it appears by the certificate of such officer or officers that she hath on board such a number of men, provisions, boats, fishing lines, and instruments to be used in such fishery as herein-after are mentioned; that she is strongly built, and otherwise a proper ship for such voyage and fishery, and hath on board among her crew a sufficient number of harpooners, steersmen, and line-managers, who have been before employed in such voyages, (the names of such persons to be contained in such certificate); and if it further appears by the oath of one or more owner or owners, and of the master or chief officer of such ship, written at the foot of such certificate, and made before the collector or comptroller of such port, (who are hereby impowered and required to administer the same), that it is really and truly their firm purpose and determined resolution, that such ship shall, as soon as licence shall be granted, forthwith proceed, so manned, furnished, and accoutered, on a voyage to the Greenland Seas, or Davis’s Streights, or the seas adjacent, and there, in the then approaching season, to use the utmost endeavours of themselves and their ship’s company to take whales, or other creatures living in the sea, and on no other design or view of profit in such voyage, and to import the whale fins, oil, and blubber thereof, into the kingdom of Great Britain, (naming the port to which it is their intention to return); and if the master, after such certificate had, and oath made, do also become bound, with two sufficient securities, unto his Majesty, his heirs and successors, in the penalty of such sum as shall be equal to treble the bounty intended by this act, (which bond the said collector, with the approbation of the comptroller, is hereby required to take, and is to be in force for the term of three years against the master and sureties for the faithful dealings of the said master and ship’s company in regard to the said ship and voyage); then, and in all such cases, it shall and may be lawful for any three or more of the said commissioners of the revenues in Ireland for the time being, on receiving such certificates and oaths made, and it being certified to them by the collector and comptroller of such port, that sufficient security hath been given as aforesaid, to give and grant, and they are hereby required to give and grant to the master and owners of such ship, full licence and authority to proceed on such voyage as aforesaid.
22. And to prevent any disputes that may arise whether a ship be properly qualified and duly fitted out for the whale fishery, according to the true intent and meaning of this act, and intitled to a certificate thereof from the custom-house officers, it is hereby enacted, That every ship of the burthen of two hundred tons, designed for this fishery, shall and is hereby obliged to have on board forty fishing lines of one hundred and twenty fathom each, forty harpoon irons, four boats with seven men, including a harpooner, a steersman, and a line manager, to each boat, making in the whole twenty-eight men besides the master and surgeon, with six months provision at the least for such number of men; and every ship of larger burthen an increase of six men, one boat, ten such lines, and ten harpoon irons more, for every fifty tons above the said two hundred tons, together with provisions in proportion; and every ship which shall be so employed in the said fishery shall have on board an apprentice, indentured for the space of three years at the least, for every fifty tons burthen, who shall be accounted as one of the number of men required to be on board such ship as aforesaid.
23. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That on the return of such ship to the port to which the master and mate declared on oath their intention to return, the proper officers of the customs at such port shall immediately repair on board, and view the condition of such ship and her lading, and certify the same, together with their observations thereon, as also of the real tonnage of the said ship; and the said officers are also to take an account or schedule of the names of the master, mate, and other persons on board, distinguishing therein the harpooners and persons more immediately employed in the said fishery, and to certify the same; and the master and mate shall make oath before the collector and comptroller, (who are hereby impowered and required to administer the same), on the back of, or annexed to the licence granted as aforesaid, which they are hereby then required to deliver up, that they did in pursuance thereof, mentioning the day of their departure, proceed on a voyage directly to the places aforesaid, and have not since been on any other voyage, or pursued any other design or view of profit; and that they did there (mentioning the time of their stay in those seas) use the utmost endeavour of themselves and their ship’s company to take whales, and other creatures living in those seas; and that all the whale fins, oil, and blubber, imported (if any) in such ship, was really and bona fide caught and taken in the said seas by the crew of such ship only, or with the assistance of the crew of some other ship duly licensed for that voyage, pursuant to the directions of this act; all which schedule, certificate, licence, and oath, shall be transmitted by the collector and comptroller of such port to the respective commissioners of the customs for that part of Great Britain where such ships shall arrive; and such commissioners being fully satisfied of the faithful dealings of the master and other persons employed in such ships with respect to such voyage and fishery, shall, on demand, cause payment to be made to the master or owners, or to his or their assigns, by the receiver general of the customs for that part of Great Britain where such ship shall arrive, the bounty or premium following, according to the admeasurement of such ship duly certified as aforesaid; (that is to say), for every such ship as shall proceed on the said fishery, from the twenty-fifth day of December one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, to the twenty-fifth day of December one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, the sum of forty shillings per ton; and for every such ship as shall proceed on the said fishery from the twenty-fifth day of December one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, to the twenty-fifth day of December one thousand seven hundred and eighty-one, the sum of thirty shillings per ton; and for every such ship as shall proceed on the said fishery from the twenty-fifth day of December one thousand seven hundred and eighty-one, to the twenty-fifth day of December one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six, the sum of twenty shillings per ton.
24. Provided always, and it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no person or persons shall be allowed or intitled to receive the bounty herein-before granted, for any ship which shall proceed on the said whale fishery after the twenty-fifth day of December one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, unless such ship shall sail from the port where she shall be surveyed, and cleared directly on her intended fishery, on or before the tenth day of April in each and every year, and shall continue with her crew in the Greenland seas, or Davis’s Streights, or the adjacent seas, diligently endeavouring to catch whales, or other creatures living in those seas, and shall not depart from thence before the tenth day of August then following, unless such ship shall be laden with the blubber and fins of one whale, caught by the crew thereof, or with the assistance of the crew of some other licensed ship, before that time, or shall be forced by some unavoidable accident or necessity to depart sooner from those seas; which accident or necessity shall be verified on the oaths of the master and mate belonging to such ship, upon her return from the said fishery, before the collector and comptroller of the customs at the port where she shall arrive, who shall transmit the same, together with the schedule, licence, and other documents by this act required, to the respective commissioners of the customs for that part of Great Britain where she shall arrive.
25. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the commissioners of the customs in England and Scotland respectively to order the respective receivers general of the customs, in case the monies remaining in their hands arising from the old subsidy shall not be sufficient at any time or times, during the continuance of this act, to satisfy the said bounty of forty shillings per ton, and thirty shillings per ton, and twenty shillings per ton, during the several periods herein-before limited, payable on all ships employed in the said fishery, according to the directions of this present act, to pay the same out of any money that shall be in their hands arising from any of the duties and revenues under their management respectively.
26. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the commissioners of his Majesty’s customs in England and Scotland respectively shall, at the beginning of every session of parliament, lay before both houses of parliament an account in writing, under their hands, of what number of ships employed in the whale fishery to Davis’s Streights and the Greenland seas, in pursuance of this act, with their respective names and burthens, have returned to Great Britain, and at what port in Great Britain they were discharged, and also what quantity of oil, blubber, or whale fins, each ship shall have imported, and from what port in Ireland or the Isle of Man they were fitted out.
27. And whereas it hath been found by experience, that ships under the burthen of two hundred tons are fit for the said fishery; be it therefore enacted and declared by the authority aforesaid, That every owner or owners of any ship or ships under the burthen of two hundred tons, which shall be employed in the said fishery, who have conformed themselves in all respects to the rules and directions herein-before prescribed to the owners of ships of two hundred tons, shall be intitled to the said bounty, as herein-before limited, according to the admeasurement of such ship or ships respectively.
28. Provided always, and be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no ship to be employed in the said fishery, although she be above the burthen of four hundred tons, shall be intitled to a larger bounty than a ship of four hundred tons would be intitled to.
29. Provided also, That nothing in this present act contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to oblige the owner or owners of any ship above the burthen of four hundred tons, in order to intitle him or them to the said bounty, to fit out, equip, and man, any such ship, otherwise than as a ship of the burthen of four hundred tons only is, by this present act, required to be fitted out, equipped, and manned.
30. Provided also, and it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That every apprentice indentured after the twenty-fifth day of December one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, to serve on board any ship or vessel proceeding on the fisheries, in pursuance of this or any other act of parliament now in force, granting any bounty or bounties thereon, shall not exceed the age of eighteen years, nor be under fourteen, at the time he shall be so indentured; and that no bounty shall be allowed or paid for any ship or vessel so employed, either by virtue of this or any former act of parliament, unless the whole and entire property of such ship or vessel shall belong to some of his Majesty’s subjects residing in that part of his Majesty’s dominions from whence such ship or vessel shall be respectively fitted and cleared out, any law, custom, or usage, to the contrary notwithstanding.
31. And to prevent any application to parliament for the bounty on any ship employed in either of the fisheries before mentioned, which may happen to be lost at sea before their return to Great Britain, be it declared and enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful for the owner or owners of any ship, employed, or designed to be employed, in the said fisheries, or either of them, to insure the bounty which such owner or owners would have been intitled to upon the return of such ship to Great Britain, on the performance of all other matters directed and appointed by this present act to be performed for obtaining the said bounties.
32. And it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person or persons shall give or grant any false certificate for any of the purposes required or directed by this act, such person or persons shall forfeit the sum of five hundred pounds, and be rendered incapable of serving his Majesty, his heirs or successors, in any office whatsoever; and if any person or persons shall counterfeit, erase, alter, or falsify, any certificate required or directed by this act, or shall knowingly or willingly make use of any false certificate, or of any certificate so counterfeited, erased, altered, or falsified, such person or persons shall, for every such offence, forfeit the sum of five hundred pounds: and every such certificate shall be invalid, and of no effect.
33. And it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That one moiety of the penalties and forfeitures inflicted by this act (except in such cases where other directions are given by this act) shall be to the use of his Majesty, his heirs and successors, and the other moiety to such officer or officers of the customs as shall sue or prosecute for the same in any of his Majesty’s courts of record at Westminster or Dublin, or in the court of exchequer in Scotland, or in any court of admiralty, having jurisdiction in his Majesty’s colonies or islands respectively, where the offence shall be committed.
34. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That, from and after the first day of January one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, the penalties and forfeitures inflicted by any act of parliament relating to the trade or revenues of the British colonies or plantations in America, which shall be incurred in the said island of Newfoundland, shall be sued for, prosecuted, and recovered, in the court of vice admiralty having jurisdiction in the said island, and in no other; and if any person or persons shall think him or themselves aggrieved by any judgement, sentence, or determination of any court of vice admiralty, or other court having jurisdiction in Newfoundland, upon any suit or prosecution commenced there for any penalty or forfeiture inflicted by any act of parliament relating to the trade or revenues of the British colonies or plantations in America, it shall and may be lawful for such party to appeal from such judgement, sentence, or determination, in the first instance, to the proper court of admiralty in Great Britain, or to his Majesty in council; and that no appeal shall in such case lie or be brought in any other court or jurisdiction whatsoever, any law, custom, or usage, to the contrary notwithstanding.
35. And it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That, from and after the first day of January one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, the customs and other duties which now are or hereafter may be due and payable upon any goods or merchandizes brought or imported into, or exported or carried from, the island of Newfoundland, by virtue of this or any act or acts of Parliament, and the officers of his Majesty’s customs appointed for executing and carrying into execution the several laws relating to the trade and revenue there, shall be under the management and direction of the commissioners of his Majesty’s customs in England for the time being, under the authority and direction of the high treasurer of Great Britain, or the commissioners of the treasury for the time being, any law, patent, custom, or usage, to the contrary notwithstanding.
36. Provided always, and it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all deputations and other authorities granted by the commissioners of the customs for North America, before the said first day of January one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, to any officer or officers acting in and for the said island of Newfoundland, shall continue in force, as fully to all intents and purposes as if this act had not been made, until the deputations or other authorities so granted to such officer or officers respectively shall be revoked, annulled, or made void, by the high treasurer of Great Britain, or commissioners of the treasury for the time being.
37. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any action or suit shall be commenced against any person or persons for any thing done in pursuance of this act of parliament, the defendant or defendants in such action or suit may plead the general issue, and give this act and the special matter in evidence at any trial to be had thereupon, and that the same was done in pursuance of and by the authority of this act: And if it shall appear so to have been done, the jury shall find for the defendant or defendants; and if the plaintiff shall be nonsuited, or discontinue his action after the defendant or defendants have appeared, or if judgement shall be given upon any verdict or demurrer against the plaintiff, the defendant or defendants shall recover treble costs, and have the like remedy for the same as defendants have in other cases by law.
An act to amend and render more effectual the several laws now in force for encouraging the fisheries carried on at Newfoundland, and parts adjacent, from Great Britain, Ireland, and the British dominions in Europe; and for granting bounties, for a limited time, on certain terms and conditions.
Whereas the bounties granted to a certain number of vessels employed in the British fishery on the banks of Newfoundland, by an act passed in the fifteenth year of the reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An act for the encouragement of the fisheries carried on from Great Britain, Ireland, and the British dominions in Europe; and for securing the return of the fishermen, sailors, and others employed in the said fisheries, to the ports thereof, at the end of the fishing season, will expire on the first day of January one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven: And whereas, at the expiration thereof, it is expedient that new bounties should be granted, for a limited time, under certain conditions, limitations, and restrictions: And whereas it has been found by experience, that several of the provisions and regulations contained in the laws now in force for encouraging the fisheries, carried on at Newfoundland, and parts adjacent, are insufficient to answer the good purposes thereby intended, and that it is requisite that other provisions and regulations should be enacted: To that end, be it therefore enacted by the King’s most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That, from and after the first day of January one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, the respective bounties herein-after mentioned shall be paid and allowed annually, for ten years, to a certain number of ships or vessels employed in the British fishery on the banks of Newfoundland, under the limitations and restrictions herein-after expressed; that is to say, That such vessels shall appear by their register to be British-built, and wholly owned by his Majesty’s subjects residing in Great Britain, Ireland, or the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, or Man; and shall be navigated each with a master, and at least three fourths of the mariners being British subjects, usually residing in his Majesty’s European dominions; and shall be in other respects qualified and subject to the same rules and restrictions as are prescribed by an act, made in the tenth and eleventh years of the reign of King William the third, intituled, An act to encourage the trade to Newfoundland; and shall be fitted and cleared out from some port in Great Britain, or from the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, or Alderney, after the said first day of January one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, and after that day in each succeeding year, and shall proceed to the banks of Newfoundland; and having catched a cargo of fish upon those banks, consisting of not less than ten thousand fish by tale, shall land the same at any one of the ports on the north, the east, or the south side of the island of Newfoundland, between Cape Saint John and Cape Raye, on or before the fifteenth day of July in each year, and shall make one more trip, at least, to the said banks, and return with another cargo of fish catched there, to the same port: In which case, the one hundred vessels which shall first arrive at the island of Newfoundland, from the banks thereof, with a cargo of fish catched there, consisting of ten thousand fish by tale, at the least, and which, after landing the same at one of the ports within the limits before-mentioned in Newfoundland, shall proceed again to the said banks, and return to the said island with another cargo of fish, shall, if navigated with not less than twelve men each, be intitled to forty pounds each; but if any of the said one hundred vessels, so first arriving as aforesaid, shall be navigated with less than twelve men each, and not less than seven, they shall be intitled to twenty-five pounds each: Provided always, That if, in either of the cases before-mentioned, any of the one hundred vessels, so first arriving as aforesaid, shall be wholly navigated by men going out upon shares, that is to say, receiving a certain share of the profits arising from the voyage in lieu of wages, such of the said vessels as shall be so navigated by not less than twelve men each, shall be intitled to fifty pounds each; and if so navigated with a less number than twelve men, and not less than seven, shall be intitled to thirty-five pounds each. And further, that the one hundred vessels which shall next so arrive in order of time, on or before the said fifteenth day of July in each year, at the said island, with a like cargo, and shall proceed again to the said banks, and return from thence in the manner herein-before mentioned, shall, if navigated with not less than twelve men each, be intitled to twenty-five pounds each; but if such one hundred vessels, so arriving as aforesaid the next in order of time, shall be navigated each with less than twelve, and not less than seven men, they shall be intitled to eighteen pounds each: Provided also, That if, in either of the cases last mentioned, any of the vessels so arriving next in order of time as aforesaid, shall be so navigated wholly by men going out upon shares, that is to say, receiving a certain share of the profits arising from the voyage in lieu of wages, such of the said vessels, as shall be so navigated by not less than twelve men each, shall be intitled to thirty-five pounds each; and if so navigated with a less number than twelve men, and not less than seven, shall be intitled to twenty-one pounds each; upon the master or owner of every such vessel respectively producing to the collector or other principal officer of his Majesty’s customs at the port in Great Britain from whence such vessel was cleared out, or if cleared out from either of the said islands of Guernsey, Jersey, or Alderney, to the collector, or other principal officer of the customs in some port of Great Britain, a certificate under the hand and seal of the governor of Newfoundland, that the master of such vessel had produced to him a certificate, under the hands of the collector and comptroller of the customs at the port from whence such vessel was cleared out, or if cleared out from the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, or Alderney, under the hands of the governor, or deputy governor, and principal officer of the customs there, testifying that such vessel was duly qualified to proceed on such fishery in pursuance of the before recited act, made in the tenth and eleventh years of the reign of King William the third; and that it has been made to appear to his satisfaction, by a certificate under the hand and seal of the naval officer of the district in Newfoundland where such fish was landed, or where there is no naval officer, under the hand and seal of the commander of any of his Majesty’s ships stationed there, or of such officer as the governor shall approve, specifying the time of such vessel’s arrival in manner before directed, that such vessel was intitled, by the priority and time of her arrival, to one or other of the bounties therein mentioned, as the fact may be; and that the master and mate of such vessel had made oath, before such naval or other officer as aforesaid, that the number of fish taken on the first trip amounted to ten thousand at least by tale; that he had made two trips at least, and that all the fish on both trips were catched on the banks of Newfoundland by the crew of such vessel only; which certificate and oath the said governor, and naval or other officer as aforesaid, are hereby impowered and required to grant and administer to the master and mate of such vessel, without fee or reward; and upon delivering up the said certificate to such collector, the respective bounties therein mentioned shall be paid by such collector in such and the like manner, and out of the same funds, as the bounties herein-before mentioned to have been granted by the said recited act, made in the said fifteenth year of the reign of his present Majesty.