552 Assembly Proceedings, May 10-June 9, 1692.

Lib. L. L.
No. 1.

An Act touching Coop^rs and the
Gage of Tobbacco Hogsheads.

p. 231

Whereas Severall complaints have been made by diverse
Merchants Masters of Ships & others of the unreasonable size
of Tobacco Cask made in this Province whereby they are dis-
abled to answer such freight as they agree for, and thereby
discouraged to bring in their Ships hither which may turn to
an apparent decay of Trade if not timely prevented, And that
the Coopers Employed to make Cask and sett up Tobacco
Hogsheads, do for the most part either through Idleness or
Wilfullness neglect refuse or delay to set up and finish the
quantity of Hogsheads & Tobacco Cask to be sett up and
made till very late in the year, and till Shipping time be
almost done, to the great prejudice of Merchants Planters and
Inhabitants in this Province Be it therefore Enacted by the
King and Queens most Excellent Maj^ts by and with the advice
and consent of this Generall Assembly and by the Authority
of the same, That all Tobacco Hogsheads that shall hereafter
be made within this Province shall be of the size of forty four
Inches in length and thirty one Inches in the head, and not
under the size of forty three Inches in length and thirty Inches
in the head, And that what Cooper or Coopers or other person
or persons that shall make Tobacco hoggs^hds and do not
observe the Gage aforesaid, shall forfeit the said Cask and
upon Complaint thereof made be censured for his or their
default by each respective County Court where such pson or
persons do Inhabit. And that any Cooper or Coopers person
or persons whatsoever that shall agree with any of the Inhab-
itants of this Province and undertake with him or them to set
up or make his or their Tobacco Hogsheads or Cask, shall
and are hereby enjoyned to Set up and finish one half of the
said Tobacco Hogsheads or Cask by the Tenth Day of Octo-

p. 232

ber next and so by the Tenth day of October in any year,
And the said Cooper or Coopers person or persons so agree-
ing or undertaking to sett up the said Cask as aforesaid, shall
and are also hereby Enjoyned to sett up and finish the other
Moyety or half part of the said Tobacco Hogsheads or Cask
by or before the Tenth day of Decemb^r next coming, and by
or before the Tenth day of Decemb^r in any year. And if any
Cooper or Coopers person or psons whatsoever within this
Province so agreeing and undertaking the same as aforesaid,
shall wilfully or otherwise neglect or refuse to make sett up
Compleate and finish the said Tobacco hogsheads and Cask
aforesaid in such proportion and by such times as aforesaid
shall forfeit the sum of one hundred pounds of Tobacco for
every Tunn of Cask and Tobacco Hogsheads left at that time