as by virtue of an act made and passed in the last feffion of parliament, (intituled, An act for opening and making a new road from the east end of Newftreet in the parish of Saint John Southwark, to and through the feveral places therein mentioned; and for keeping the faid road in repair for the future) a new road is now opened through the parishes of Saint Mary Magdalen Bermondfey, Saint Mary Rotherhithe, and Saint Nicholas and Saint Paul Deptford, for the better convenience of his Majefty's subjects in pasfing and repaffing to and from London Bridge, and the places beforementioned: and whereas the access to fuch new road, through the faid parish of Saint John, is now very dangerous in the night-time, for want of proper lights, and a well regulated watch: and whereas a proper provision for that purpose would not only be a great fecurity to the perfons and properties of all his Majefty's fubjects, paffing and repaffing to and from Deptford Dock and the other places aforefaid, in the night-time; but also would be a great fafeguard against fires that might deftroy great quantities of naval ftores always repofited in warehoufes on the banks of the river Thames in those parts; and would be of the utmost ufe in cafe of accidents by fire amongst the shipping in the river Thames; in both which cafes great numbers of the most experienced artificers and tradesmen, refiding in those parts, could be more capable of affording their affiftance when required, upon emergencies in the night-time; but forafmuch as a proper provision cannot be made for fetting up proper lights, and establishing a well regulated watch, for the good purposes aforefaid, by the laws now in being; may it please your Majefty, at the humble request of several merchants and traders of the city of London, and mafters and owners of ships, and alfo of the minifter, church wardens, and other principal inhabitants of the said parish of Saint John Southwark, that it may be enacted, &c.

The veftry to appoint the number and fort of lamps; and a number of watchmen, and a bedel; and their several duties and wages, and make regulations for enlightening the streets, and elect a committee. The conftables, bedels, and watchmens times of duty; and power of apprehending night-walkers, and other fufpected perfons. Veftry impowered to make a pound rate on the inhabitants; to be confirmed by two juftices, and collected half-yearly. Collectors refusing to act, to forfeit 10l. and others to be appointed, &c. The parish church, and other publick buildings, and perfons, to be rated. Affeffiments not to exceed 10 d. in the pound. Perfons aggrieved may appeal to the quarter feffions. Perfons paying to thefe rates, &c. not to gain any fettlement thereby. Veftry may borrow money upon the credit of the rates; not exceeding 2001. Forty shillings penalty of breaking or extinguishing lamps, &c. The lamps vested in the churchwardens, &c. Two juftices to hear and determine differences. Justices may mitigate the penalties to one moiety.

САР.

CAP. XIX.

An act for making more effectual feveral acts of parliament paffed for cleanfing and making navigable the channel from the Hithe at Colchester to Wivenhoe in the county of Effex; and for repairing and cleansing the streets and lanes of the town of Colchester.

WH

HEREAS by an act of parliament passed in the ninth and 9 & 10 W.3, tenth years of the reign of his late majesty King William the c. 19. Third, intituled, An act for cleanfing and making navigable the channel from the Hithe at Colchester to Wivenhoe, feveral duties were granted and made payable, for goods, wares, and merchandizes, that bould be brought in and to the faid channel, and fhould be landed at, or shipped from Wivenhoe or the New Hithe in Colchester aforefaid, or between either of the faid places, for the term of twenty one years, for the uses and purposes in the faid act mentioned; and feveral powers were thereby given unto and vefted in the mayor, aldermen, affiftants, and common council of the town and borough of Colchester only, for appointing collectors and general receivers of the faid duties, and for recovering and getting in the fame, in fuch manner as in the faid act is particularly mentioned; which faid a&t, and all the powers and authorities thereby given, and one moiety or halfpart of the duties thereby granted and made payable (except upon corn and grain) were, by another act paffed in the fifth year of the reign of his late majefty King George the Firft, continued in force until the first day of May, one thousand feven hundred and forty; and further power was thereby given to the faid mayor and commonalty of Colchefter only, for recovering the fame duties: and whereas by another alt paffed in the thirteenth year of the reign of his prefent Majefty, intituled, An act for further enlarging the term granted 13 Geo.2.c.30. by an act paffed the ninth and tenth years of the reign of King William the Third, For cleanfing and making navigable the channel from the Hithe at Colchefter to Wivenhoe; and for making the faid act, and another act of the fifth year of the reign of his late majesty King George the Firft, For enlarging the term granted by the faid act of the ninth and tenth years of the reign of King William the Third, more effectual; it is enacted, That the faid two former alts, and all and every the powers and authorities thereby reSpectively given, together with fuch additional powers, as are in the faid act of the thirteenth year of his prefent Majefty mentioned, fhould be continued, and be in force from the first day of May, one tboufand feven hundred and forty, for ever; and that the duty on fea coal should, from and after the faid first day of May, one thousand feven hundred and forty, be three pence a chaldron, and no more; which duty was, by the faid act of the thirteenth of his present Majefty, continued and made payable, from the faid first day of May, one thousand Jeven hundred and forty, for and during the term of forty years; and by the Jaid act it was declared, That no other duty (except the arrears due under the faid former acts, or either of them) hould be raised upon any other goods, wares, merchandizes, or things

whatsoever;

whatfoever; which faid duty of three pence for every chaldron of fea coals, granted as aforefaid, and the duties which were or should be in arrear under the faid former acts, should and might be raised, levied, and recovered, in fuch manner as prefcribed by the faid former acts; and the faid mayor and commonalty of Colchester only were by the laft-mentioned act vefted with further power for fuing for, and recovering the faid duty thereby granted, and the arrears under the faid former acts: and whereas a very large lock, which was several years fince erected in the faid channel, and has been found to be of very great use and fervice to the navigation, is now in a decaying condition, and much out of repair; and the faid channel, in fome parts thereof, is become much choaked up, fo that the navigation thereof is greatly obftructed; which has been occafioned principally by there being great arrears of the duties granted by the faid recited as for many years due, and fill unpaid; and also a large fum of money remaining in the hands of the reprefentatives of the late receiver general of the faid duties, which ought to have been recovered, and applied for amending and repairing the faid lock, and cleanfing and supporting the navigation of the faid channel: but, as the power and authority of the mayor and commonalty of Colchester bath ceased for many years laft paft (in whofe names only the faid duties were to be recowered, and legal discharges given for the fame, by and under the authorities of the faid feveral acts) the fame duties, and the arrears thereof, cannot now be recovered and collected, for want of fufficient power to give legal discharges for the fame; and there being no other fund for raising money to amend and keep in repair the faid lock, and cleanfe the faid channel, and preferve the navigation thereof, the fame cannot now be done, without fome further provifion be made for that purpose by the aid and authority of parliament: may it therefore pleafe your Majefty, that it may be enacted, &c.

The feveral parcels of land, locks, and channels, and the feveral powers, &c. which were granted to the corporation of Colchester, &c. are vested in the juftices of the east division of the county of Effex, and the commiffioners named herein, for the term of 30 years. Additional duty of 3 d. a chaldron on coals to be paid for 30 years. Commiffioners may borrow money, and align over the duties as a fecurity. Six days notice to be given of the time of meeting for borrowing money. Commiflioners may place out in the funds, any money that shall be in the receiver general's hands, &c. not immediately neceffary, &c. and may appoint and remove collectors, and other officers. The prescriptive rights of the borough of Colchester reserved. Landlords, &c. to pave the streets before their houfes. Surveyors of the highways to view the streets, and fee that the fame are paved, and to make returns of fuch landlords, whofe pavements shall be out of repair; and to give notice for repairing thereof, and may cause the fame to be amended, after 20 days neglect. If the tenant fhall pay, he may deduct the fame out of the rent. Juftices may make prefentments of default in the pavement of the streets. Perfons aggrieved may appeal.

CAP. XX.

An all for encouraging the growth and culture of raw filk in his Majefty's colonies or plantations in America. WHEREAS it will greatly tend to the increase and improvement of the filk manufactures of this kingdom, to encourage the growth and culture of filk in his Majefty's dominions in Ame

rica, to be im

rica; may it therefore please your Majefty, that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's most excellent majefty, by and with the advice and confent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this prefent parliament assembled, and by the authority of the fame, That from and after the Raw filk of twenty fourth day of June, one thousand seven hundred and the growth of fifty, it fhall and may be lawful to import any raw filks of the the British cogrowth and culture of any of his Majefty's colonies or planta- lonies in Ametions in America, directly from thence into the port of London, ported free, fo without paying any fubfidy, cuftom, impofition, or other duty as entry be whatsoever for the fame; fo as a due entry be first made thereof made, in the custom-house, at the time of importation, in the fame manner and form (expreffing the package, marks, and numbers, together with the quantities and qualities of the respective goods) as was used and practised before the making of this act; and so as the fame be landed in the presence of, and examined by the proper officer or officers of the customs appointed for that purpofe; and fo as the fame be imported in thips or vef- and the fame fels, that may lawfully trade to his Majefty's plantations, man- imported in ned as by law is required; and on failure of the faid con- veffels that ditions or directions herein laft-mentioned, fuch filks fhall be may lawfully liable to the payment of the respective duties, as if this act had never been made.

trade.

II. Provided always, and be it further enacted by the autho- Oath to be rity aforefaid, That in order to intitle the importer and impor- made before ters of raw filk, to the exemption intended by this act, every clearing that merchant or other perfon or perfons whatfoever, who fhall, after the filk is of the growth of the twenty fourth day of June, one thousand feven hundred the British and fifty, load any raw filk on board any ship or veffel, in any plantations, of the British colonies or plantations in America, thall, before &c. the clearing out of the faid fhip or veffel from thence, make proof, on oath, before the collector and comptroller of the cuftoms, and naval officer, at the port or place where fuch raw filk fhall be put on board, or any two of them, that the raw filk, which he, fhe, or they hath or have fhipped on board the faid ship or vessel (expreffing the quantity thereof) is bona fide of the growth and culture of fome or one of the British colonies or plantations in America, exprefling the parish or place in fuch plantation where the fame was cultivated and produced, and by whom, producing fuch perfon's oath thereto made before the governor of fuch ifland or province, or before the next juftice. of the peace (which oath the faid governor or juftice of the peace, collector and comptroller of the customs, and naval offi- Mafter to cer, or any two of them, are hereby required and impowered bring a certifi to adminifter without fee or reward) and the mafter, cominan- cate from two officers of the der, or other perfon, taking charge of the fhip or veffel, on board which fuch raw filk fhall be loaded, fhall alfo bring with him a certificate or certificates from fuch collector and comptroller of the customs, and naval officer, or any two of them, as aforefaid, under their hands and feals of office (which certi ficate or certificates, such collector and comptroller of the cuf

toms,

customs,

chief officer

toms, and naval officer, are hereby required and directed to grant without fee or reward) expreffing the marks, number, tale, and weight of the raw filk, in each bale, parcel, or other package whatsoever, fo thipped or loaded on board fuch fhip or veffel, with the names, place or places of abode of the exporter or exporters thereof, from the faid British colonies or plantations in America; and the name or names, place or places of abode of fuch other perfon or perfons, who fhall have fworn the goods therein mentioned to have been of the growth and culture of the faid British colonies or plantations in America; and the name or names of the perfon or perfons to whom the which he is to fame are configned in the port of London; which certificate or deliver to the certificates, the faid mafter, commander, or other person taking of the customs charge of fuch fhip or veffel, fhall, on his arrival in the faid on his arrival port of London, deliver to the collector, comptroller, or other at London, chief officer of his Majesty's customs at the said port, at or before the entry of the faid raw filk; and at the fame time shall make oath before any one of them the faid collector, comptroller, or chief officer of his Majesty's customs (who are hereby required and impowered to adminifter the fame without fee or reward) that the faid bales and parcels, and goods contained in fuch certificate, are the fame bales and parcels, and goods, as were taken on board in the faid British colonies or plantations in America; and if any raw filk of the growth and culture of the British colonies or plantations in America, fhall, after the faid twenty fourth day of June, one thousand seven hundred and fifty, be imported, as herein before mentioned, without fuch certificate figned and delivered as herein before required, and oath made as before directed, by the mafter, commander, or other perfon taking charge of the thip or veffel in which the fame is imported; all fuch raw filks fhall be liable to the payment of the refpective duties, as if this act had never been made; any thing herein before contained to the contrary notwithstanding.

and to make oath that the goods in the

certificate are

the fame taken

on board in America;

in default thereof, the

duty is to be paid for fuch

filk.

Penalty on perfons enter. ing foreign

raw filk' as of

the growth of

the British colonies,

or of mixing

other filk

therewith, to evade payment of the duties.

III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That if any perfon or perfons fhall, from and after the faid twenty fourth day of June, one thousand seven hundred and fifty, make, or caufe to be made, an entry or entries of any foreign raw filk, under the name or description of raw filk of the growth or culture of any of the British colonies or plantations in America, or fhall mix, or caufe to be mixed, any foreign raw filk with raw filk of the growth or culture of the British colonies or plantations in America, with intent to evade the payment of the duties payable on foreign raw filk, every person or perfons fo making, or caufing to be made, fuch entry or entries, or mixing, or caufing fuch mixture or mixtures to be made, fhall forfeit and lose the sum of fifty pounds for every fuch offence, and all fuch foreign raw filk; and in cafe of any mixture, the quantity fo mixed, both of foreign and British plantation culture or growth, or the value thereof, together with the bales or other packages containing the fame, fhall be forfeited, and fhall and may be feized and profecuted, or the value thereof be fued for

by