348 Assembly Proceedings, April 26-June 3, 1715.

C. P.

This Law Repealed

An Act ascertaining the Gage and tare of Tob^o hogsheads and
to prevent Cropping and defaceing Tob^o taken on board
Shipps or Vessells upon ffreight and for Laying Impositions
on Tob^o per the hogshead for the Support of Government
and for the Encourageing Settlements in this province by

p. 253

Ascertaining the Manner of paying the Alienation fines and
Quit rents to the Lord propry of this province on the Con-
ditions therein mentioned.

Forasmuch as the Laws heretofore made for Ascertaining
the gage of Tob^o hhds have in great Measure proved Ineffec-
tuall Either for want of Laying Sufficient penalties upon the
Offenders or of proper Methods to Inflict them but more
Especially itt seemes to this present Gen^ll Assembly by require-
ing a Compliance with such a gauge as has been found by
Experience to tend to the ruin of such Traders as were Strict
observers of it the Generality of our Tob^o being of soe Light
and Chaffie a Nature that it has been found wholy Impractica-
ble and in a Manner Impossible to pack or prize soe much of
itt in a hogshead of the Late gauge of thirty Inches in the
Diameter of the head as would suffice for the paymt of freight
and other Charges ariseing thereon the freighters of such
small hogsheads having been frequently brought in debt by
the smallness of the Quantity of Tob^o contained therein to the
great Damage of the Tob^o Trade particularly of the fair
Traders therein which seemes in a Manner to have brought
the Latest of the Aforementioned Laws allmost into a Genl
Contempt itt being rather more Mischievous to the ffreighters
to be brought in Debt by their Strict observance of that gauge

p. 254

then to Lose their Tob^o here for Exceeding itt for remedy
whereof for the future —
Be itt Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and
with the Advice and Const of his Majesties Governt Councill
and Assembly of this province And the Authority of the same
that from and after the Twenty ninth day of Scptr next itt
shall and may be Lawfull for any person or persons whatso-
ever Suspecting Discovering or knowing of any hogshead or
hogsheads of Tob^o that shall Exceed forty Eight Inches in the
Length of the Stave or thirty two Inches in the Diameter of
the head within the Croze or that shall Exceed thirty seven
Inches Diameter in the bulge on any Accident or pretence
whatsoever thirty six Inches Diameter in the bulge being
Supposed a Competent gauge to Call to his Assistance any
Justice of the peace Sherriffe Vestryman Church warden
Living or residing within the County where such Tob^o shall
be suspected known or discovered and to Enter into any house