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Naval officer

such tobacco, or driving such waggon or cart, shall produce a certificate to the ferry keeper from the inspector of some warehouse within this commonwealth, specifying the marks and weights of such tobacco, and that the duties imposed thereon had been paid according to law. No person shall carry tobacco over the said river in any other manner than in hogsheads of the legal size, under the pain of forfeiting five pounds for every such offence, to the use of the informer, to be recovered by information in any court of record with costs. If any ferry keeper carry or permit to be carried over the said river, any tobacco contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, it shall be deemed a forfeiture of his bond, and the attorney for the commonwealth in the county in which such ferry keeper resides, shall thereupon move for judgment for the penalty of the said ferry keeper's bond, giving ten days previous notice of such motion, and the court shail grant judgment, and award execution in the same manner as against the collectors of the public taxes; and the sheriff of such county shall account to the clerk of the county for the proceeds of such execution; one moiety of which the clerk is hereby required to pay into the treasury in the same manner as other public monies, and the other moiety to the informer. Any person attempting to carry tobacco over the said river at any other place, without a certificate as aforesaid, shall forfeit five pounds for every such offence, to be recovered by information in any court of record, with costs, and applied, one moiety to the use of the informer, and the other moiety to the use of the county where such attempt shall be made, towards lessening the county levy.

XXXIII. And be it further enacted, That the naval Northamp office in Northampton county, shall, from and after the keep his of passing of this act, be kept at the court house of the said county.

ton where to

fice.

XXXIV. And be it further enacted, That all forfeiPenalties ap- tures by this act to the use of the commonwealth, shall propriated. be appropriated in the first instance to the salaries of

the naval officers and searchers; and thereafter to the contingencies of government.

XXXV. And be it enacted, That this act shall commence and be in force on the twentieth day of January,

one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven, and not

sooner.

XXXVI. So much of all and every act or acts, as comes within the purview of this act, shall be, and is hereby repealed.

CHAP. XLI.

An act for placing the naval officers on the civil list.

I. WHEREAS the profits arising to the naval officers, are much larger in many instances than the legislature Preamble, expected at the time the officers were appointed, and it being expedient to give every aid to the public revenue, where the same can be attained with justice, aud without increasing the burthens of the good citizens of this commonwealth:

II. Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, Naval officers That from and after the twentieth day of January, one placed on the thousand seven hundred and eighty seven, the several civil list. naval officers, in lieu of their former commissions and fees, shall have and receive the following salaries annually that is to say: The naval officer for Elizabeth river district, three hundred pounds; the naval officer Salaries. for James river district, two hundred pounds; the naval officer for York river district, one hundred and fifty pounds; the naval officer for Rappahannock district, two hundred pounds; the naval officer for Potowmack district, two hundred and fifty pounds; the naval officer for Accomack district, fifty pounds; and the naval officer for Northampton district, fifty pounds; to be paid quarterly, and in like manner as the salariés of other officers of civil government: And moreover there shali hereafter be paid and allowed to each of the said naval officers a commission of one per cent. on all monies by them respectively received and paid into the treasury, by virtue of their office, and also a commission of three fourths of one per cent. on the amount of all bonds for duties by them taken. And whereas great inconveni

Vessels may clear out at Norfolk or Hampton.

Naval officers to reside

where office kept.

ences arise by vessels being allowed to run up James river, without making entry before they get to Bermuda hundred: For remedy whereof,

III. Be it enacted, That the master or commander of all vessels coming from sea, or Maryland, into Hampton road, shall be at liberty to enter and clear such vessels with the naval officer either at Hampton or Norfolk; any law to the contrary, notwithstanding.

IV. And be it further enacted, That each naval officer shall reside at the port or place where his office is kept, shall attend to the duty of his saidļoffice, and shall not directly or indirectly be concerned in trade.

Foreign ves. sels restrict ed to certain

ports,

Ports of en

ance.

CHAP. XLII.

An act to amend the act, intituled An act to restrict foreign vessels to certain ports within this commonwealth.

I. FOR the better securing the revenue, arising from duties on imports and exports, whereby the burthen of taxes upon the people may not be encreased, and for regulating the trade of this commonwealth, whereby foreigners may be placed on a more equal footing, and the increase of seamen in this state be promoted by a due attention to internal navigation, for the extension of the commerce thereof;

II. Be it enacted, That from and after the first day try and clear. of April next, the following places shall be, and the same are hereby established as ports of entrance and clearance for all ships and other vessels coming from or going to any port or place without this commonwealth, that is to say: For the district of Elizabeth river, the port of Norfolk, for the district of James river, the port of Hampton; for the district of York river, the port of York; for the district of Rappahannock river, the port of Urbanna; for the district of South Potowmack, for all vessels coming from or going to sea, any part of the

Chesapeak bay, or any part of the Maryland shore below Point Look-Out, at the port of Yocomico; all vessels coming from or going to any part of the Maryland shore above the said Point Look-Out, at the said port of Yocomico or at the port of Alexandria; (provided that in all cases of entrance or clearance at Alexandria, the same shall and may be made with the deputy appointed by the naval officer of the said district); for the district of Accomack, at Accomack court-house; and for the district of Northampton, the port of Cherryston. And that all vessels coming into or going out of this commonwealth shail proceed to one or other of the said ports, and shall there be subject to such regulations as are or may be by law established. And the masters or owners of such vessels shall perform and do all things which shall be lawfully demanded of them, or either of them, by the naval officers residing at the said ports respectively. And no ship or other vessel coming into or going out of this commonwealth, shall break bulk or sail from thence without a legal permit for that purpose first obtained from the naval officer at the port within the district into which such vessel shall enter, or from which such vessel may go.

III. And be it further enacted, That the following Ports of des places shall be, and the same are hereby established as livery. ports of delivery for the lading and unlading of all vessels coming into or going out of this state, that is to say; For the district of Elizabeth river, the ports of Norfolk or Portsmouth; for the district of James river, the ports of Bermuda-Hundred or City Point; for the district of York-river, the port of West-Point; for the district of Rappahannock river, the port of Tappahanock; for the district of Potowmack river, the ports of Alexandria and mouth of Quantico; for the district of Accomack, at Follys landing and Onancock; and for the district of Northampton, at Cherryston.

as to vessels

IV. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That any vessel built within the United States, and wholly Exemption owned by any of the citizens thereof, shall and may lade of United at any port or place within this commonwealth, with States. any article or articles for exportation; and that no vessel coming into any of the aforesaid districts from any port or place without this commonwealth, or going from hence to any port or place without the same, except as before is excepted and provided for, shall be VOL. XII. Q 2

River and bay craft to be registered.

permitted to break bulk or unlade or lade on board any goods, wares, or merchandize whatsoever, at any other port or place within the said districts nor until a permit for that purpose be obtained, and all lawful duties, tonnage or imposts, paid or secured to be paid as the law shall direct; and moreover the said vessels and the goods, wares, or merchandise laden therein, and the masters, owners, and crews thereof, shall be subject to, and shall do and perform all manner of regulations and things established or to be established or required by law at the aforesaid ports of delivery. Any master or owner of any vessel aforesaid, or any owner, importer, or exporter, of any goods, wares, or merchandise aforesaid, wilfully neglecting or refusing to comply with this act, shall forfeit the vessel or goods, wares, and merchandise, às the case may be; one half to the commonwealth, and the other half to the informer, to be recovered by information in the court of admiralty,

V. And be it further enacted. That all persons owning any river or bay craft, except vessels employed as ferry boats, shall register the same with the clerk of the court of the county or corporation in which such owner may reside, together with the name of skipper thereof, and the number of men employed therein, not more than one half of whom shall be slaves; and shall obtain a copy of such register from the clerk of the county aforesaid; and every owner, master or skipper of such river or bay craft when employed by the owner or master of any vessel at the ports aforesaid, shall deliver to such owner or master employing the same. if demanded, a certified copy of the said register under his hand, and shall be answerable for the safe keeping and delivery of all goods, wares, and merchandise, received on board such river or bay craft, damage from winds and weather excepted, according to the order of the person shipping the same on board thereof; and for default therein, shall forfeit and pay the full value of such goods, wares, and merchandise, with damages to the party grieved. And if any owner or master of any vessel at the ports aforesaid, shall employ any river or hay craft, not having such register, it shall be at the risque of the party employing the same; and the owner or skipper of such river or bay craft, not having such register or not conforming thereto in manning the

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