456 Assembly Proceedings, July 17- Aug. 10, 1716.

U. H. J.

By the Lower House of Assembly
August the 7th 1716

May It please your Honours
The Amendments proposed by your Honours to the Bill
ascertaining the Gauge & Tare of Tob^o hhds &c. of the 6th
Instant have been read & Considered & this House agrees to
the six first proposed Amendments & also approves of the
last Clause you propose in the sd intended Bill to disburthen

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the several Branches of the Revenue intended to be raised of
any more than their separate proportions Save that in Regard
to the Treasurers trouble in receiving paying & Accounting
for the 3d for Arms &c. being not half what It is in other
monys he receives for the publick's use It is the opinion of this
House that two & an half p Cent is a sufficient Sallary for
him out of the sd three pence. This House agrees that the
Clerk of the Provincial & the Several County Clerks for the
future shall once yearly Viz. the Clerk of the Provincial under
the penalty of ten pounds Currt mony & the County Clerks
under the penalty of £5 Current mony Each make out an
Account of all Alienations ready to be delivered the Agent of
the Lord Proprietary when called for at the respective Offices.
As to the part of the Right honble the Lord Propry & the
Lord Guilford's Letter you were pleased to communicate to
us We hope that the advancing the Additional Duty of 6d p
hhd to my Lord Propry in full of his Land Rents & fines for
Alienations removes the necessity of inserting in the intended
Act the Clause in the first paragraph of that part of the said
Letter that was laid before us recommended no Tob^o Debts

arising to the Lord Propry for the future on account nf Rents

or Alienations. And as to the second paragraph of the said
Letter this House hopes your Honours being very sensible of

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the many Abuses committed by Masters of Ships or Vessels
that take in Tob^o on freight will concur that limitting the
Time for returning proof of Abuses from Great Brittain being
formerly 7 years to 2 years will be Sufficient to Satisfy those
Persons that are alarmed at that part of the said Law And
that that Limitation will be an Encouragement to Persons to
be bound for those who have not or shall not give room to be
suspected of such Abuses as by the sd Law is designed to be
prevented And as to the last paragraph intimating that there
is nothing in the Law for raising the Several Imposts on Tob^o
giving power to the Masters of Vessels or Ships who before
departure are obliged to pay the said Dutys to collect &
receive the same from the Shippers & Owners
This House is of Opinion that the Consignee or Consignees
of such Tob^o is by the Bills of Loading usually given to pay