1521

BALTIMORE CITY.

SILVER PLATE.

AN ACT to fix and regulate the quality of Silver Plate, manufactured and
sold, or offered for sale, in the City of Baltimore, and for other purposes,
1813, ch. 131.

Plata, &c.
shall be
stamped;
penalty.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted, by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That from and after the first day of August next, no silver-
smith, or other person whatsoever, shall sell, exchange, or ex-
pose or offer to sell or exchange, in the city of Baltimore, any
silver vessel, plate, or manufacture of silver whatsoever, over
the weight of five pennyweights, and less in fineness than
eleven ounces pure silver to every pound troy, which shall not
be stamped or marked in a conspicuous manner, with the stamp
or mark of the assay officer, whose appointment is herein after
provided for, upon pain that every such silversmith, or other
person so offending, shall for every such offence forfeit and pay
the sum of one hundred dollars, to be recovered and disposed
of as herein after is directed, and for default of not paying down
the penalty upon conviction, shall be committed by the court
in which judgment shall be given thereon, to the common gaol
of the county, there to remain and to be kept for any time not
exceeding the space of twelve months nor less than six months,
or until payment be made of the said forfeiture, and also upon
pain that such silver vessel, plate, or manufacture of silver,
which shall be sold, exchanged, or exposed or offered for sale
or exchange, without having the stamp or mark thereon as
by this act is herein after provided for, shall be forfeited, one
moiety thereof to the mayor and city council of Baltimore, for
the use of the said city, and the other moiety thereof to such
person or persons who shall sue for and recover the same.

Silver'
smiths, &c,
to send
memoran-
dums to
assayer's
office; his
duty.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted. That from and after the first day
of August aforesaid, every working silversmith, and other ma-
nufacturer of silver whatsoever, who shall at any time or times
work or make, or cause to be wrought or made, any silver
vessel, plate, or manufacture of silver whatsoever, by this act
required to be marked or stamped by the assay officer as afore-
said, shall from time to time send, with every parcel of such
silver, to his assay office, a note or memorandum in writing,
containing the day of the month and year, the Christian and
surname of the worker or maker, and place of his or her abode,
with the total weight of such parcel ; which note or memoran-
dum shall be entered by the assay officer in a book kept by him
for such purpose, and shall be afterwards filed and transmitted
monthly to the mayor's office of the city aforesaid ; and the
mayor and city council aforesaid shall and may, and they are
hereby fully authorized and empowered, monthly, or oftener if
they shall think fit, to appoint any person or persons to inspect
and examine the book or books of the assay officer aforesaid,