William and Mary, 1691: An Act for Preserving Two Ships Lading of Bay Salt taken as Prize for the Benefitt of Their Majesties Navy [Chapter IV. Rot. Parl. pt. 1. nu. 4.]

1 W. & M. Sess. 1. c. 34. recited.

2 W. & M. Sess. 2. c. 14. recited.; Recital that Two Ships laden with Bay Salt of France are in the Port of Dover.; The said Bay Salt on board the said Ships condemned, or if condemned as Prize, to be used for the Navy.

WHEREAS by an Act made in the First Yeare of Their Majesties Reigne Entituled An Act for Prohibiting all Trade and Commerce with France It was amongst other things Provided That from and after the Four and twentieth Day of August therein mentioned no French Wines Vinegar Brandy Linen Silks Salt Paper or any other Goods or Com[m]odities whatsoever of the Growth Product or Manufacture of any of the Dominions or Territories of the French King should dureing the time in the said Act limitted be brought in by Land or Imported in any Ship or Ships Vessel or Vessels whatsoever into any Port Haven Creek or other Place whatsoever in the Kingdoms of England or Ireland the Dominion of Wales or Towne of Berwick upon Tweed or Isles of Jersey Guernsey Alderney Sark or Isle of Man from any Place or Port whatsoever And that if any such Goods or other Com[m]odities of the Growth p[re]duct or Manufacture of France or of the Territories or Dominions of the French King should be imported contrary to the said Act they should be staved spilt destroyed or burnt in such manner as is by the said Act directed And whereas by another Act made in the Second Yeare of Their Majesties Reigne Entituled An Act for the more Effectuall putting in Execuc[i]on an Act [intituled An Act (fn. 1) ] for Prohibiting all Trade [or (fn. 2) ] Com[m]erce with France thereby reciting the said former Act It is amongst other things provided That if any Officer or Officers of the Customes or Prizes should wilfully or knowingly suffer any of the said Goods Com[m]odities or Manufactures imported as Prizes or otherwise contrary to the said Act, to be admitted to an Entry or to be imbezelled and not staved spilt burnt or destroyed in such manner as by the said first Recited Act is directed Every such Officer or Officers should (being thereof lawfully convicted) forfeit the Sum[m]e of Five hundred pounds and alsoe should for ever afterwards be incapable of having or executing any Office in Their Majesties Revenue And whereas there are now in Their Majesties Harbour of Dover two Vessels Laden with Bay Salt of the Product of France and brought in there as Prizes The one called the Unicorne of the Burden of Three hundred Tuns or thereabouts & taken by Captain William Young and Captain Henry Martin or one of them The other called the Half Moon and taken by Captain Joseph Phines The first whereof is already condemned as Prize Now forasmuch as the said Bay Salt will be of present Use for the preserving of Victuals to be provided for Their Majesties Navy whereby it will be more for Their Majesties Service and the Interest of the Kingdom That the said Bay Salt so brought in and imported in the said two Vessels before menc[i]oned be preserved and applied to the Use and Purpose aforesaid then that the same should be burnt and destroyed as is directed by the said Act Be it therefore Enacted by the King and Queens Most Excellent Majesties by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual, and Temporal and Comons in Parliament Assembled and by the Authority of the same That the said Bay Salt now being and remaining in the said Vessel called the Unicorn and which is already condemned as Prize As also the said Bay Salt being and remaining in the said Vessell called the Half Moon if the same shall be condemned as lawful Prize shall be applied and disposed for the Use and Service of Their Majesties Navy And for that purpose shall be delivered unto the Comissioners for the Victualling of Their Majesties Navy or to some or one of them or to such p[er]son or p[er]sons as shall be Authorized by the said Comissioners or any three of them to receive the same to be Applied for the Use and Service of Their Majesties Navy and to no other Use or Purpose whatsoever and shall not be burnt or destroyed as in and by the said recited Acts is directed And that no Forfeiture Penalty or Disability shall be incurred by any p[er]son or p[er]sons for or by reason thereof Any thing in the [said recited (fn. 1) ] Acts contained or any other Act Statute or Law to the contrary notwithstanding

II. Commissioners for Victualling the Navy to pay for the said Salt.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That upon Delivery of the said Bay Salt to the said Comissioners for the Victualling of Their Majesties Navy as aforesaid It shall and may be lawfull to and for the said Comissioners to pay for the same unto the said p[er]son or p[er]sons by whom the said Vessel or Vessels were severally taken as aforesaid any Sume or Sumes of Money not exceeding the Rate and Price of One shilling and Six pence [for each Bushell (fn. 3) ] or of Three pounds for every Wey of the said Salt and to Charge the same to [Their Majesties Account which is thereupon to be allowed Any thing in the said Recited Acts or any other Act Statute or Law to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding

III. Disposing of the said Salt for any other Use;

Penalty 20s.

Provided always and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any p[er]son or p[er]sons shall dispose of any of the Salt before mentioned for any other Use or Uses then for the Victualling of Their Majesties Navy as is herein before menc[i]oned such p[er]son and p[er]sons shall forfeit for every Bushel of such Salt so disposed of contrary to the Intent aforesaid the Sum of Twenty shillings to be Recovered by Acc[i]on of Debt Bill Plaint or Informac[i]on in any of Their Majesties Courts of Record at Westminster wherein no Essoign p[re]tection or Wager of Law nor any more then one Imparlance shall be allowed one Moyety of such Forfeiture shall be to Their Majesties the other Moyety to him or them that will sue for the same