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A Supplementary Act to the Act, entitled An Act for laying
an Imposition on Negroes, and on several Sorts of Liquors
imported, and also on Irish Servants, to prevent the Import-
ing too great a Number of Irish Papists into this Province.
Whereas there is a certain Clause in the said recited Act,
encouraging Residents of this Province to build and purchase
Ships and Vessels, thereby acquitting them from the Payment
of several Duties on Negroes, Rum, &c. and it being repre-
sented to this General Assembly, That sundry Abuses have
been committed by several Persons, Residents of this Province,
by purchasing Vessels, and obtaining Registers, suggesting
themselves to be sole Owners, when perhaps they have sud-
denly disposed of a great Part of their Interest in the said
Vessels to Persons not residing here, and have still had the
Benefit of the said Clause, as if all the Owners had actually
resided here, after such Sale, to the defrauding of the Public:
For prevention of which Abuses for the future, it is prayed
that it may be Enacted.
II. And be it Enacted, by the Right Honourable the Lord
Proprietor, by and with the Advice and Consent of his Lord-
ship's Governor, and the Upper and Lower Houses of Assem-
bly, and the Authority of the same, That the Owner or
Owners of every Ship or Vessel residing in this Province,
shall be obliged, either at the Time of Entry of such Ship or
Vessel, or some Time before her Clearance, to apply him or
themselves to the Naval Officer of the District where such
Ship or Vessel shall load or unload, which Officer aforesaid
is hereby impowered and obliged to tender to, and such Owner
or Owners are hereby obliged to take, the following Oath, viz.
" You A. B. C. do swear that you are the true and only
' Owners of the Ship E. and have continued so, ever since
' the Time of the purchasing the Register by you now pro-
' duced; and that you have not purchased the said Vessel, nor
' obtained the Register aforesaid, to the Use of, or in Trust
' for, any other Person or Persons whatsoever, nor for the
' Sake of evading the Payment of any Duties, in Favour of
' any Person or Persons whatsoever, that are not actually
' Residents within this Province.
III. Provided, That in case any Inhabitant of this Province;
Owner as aforesaid, shall depart this Province, and go beyone
the Seas about his reasonable Affairs, and Shall not be absent
therefrom for above the Space of Twelve Months, in case
any Vessel should happen in his Absence to require his Oath
as aforesaid, such absent Person's Oath in such case may be
dispensed withal, the other Owners Residents (if any there
be) taking the same Oath, and the Benefit intended by the
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Bacon
Chap.
XXVI
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