Acts. 477

Condemned Hogshead or Hogsheads of Tobacco without leave
or licence from such Informer under the Penalty and forfeiture for
Every Hogshead of Tobacco so removed altered or Changed as

Lib. B. L. C.

aforesaid the Sum of ten Pounds Current Money to the use of such
Informer to be recovered in any County Court w^thin the Province by
Action of Debt Bill Plaint or information wherein no Essoyn Pro-
tection or Wager of Law shall be allowed Be it Enacted by the
Authority aforesaid that in Case of any Seizure of any Hogshead or
Hogsheads as aforesaid which shall be found to Exceed the Gauge
aforesaid if the Party to whom the same Belongs or in whose pos-
session the same is found shall by his own Oath or the Oath of any
Credible Witness prove to the Satisfaction of such officer as aforesaid
that the said Hogshead was made and packed before the Com-
mencement of this Act then and in such Case such Seizure shall be
immediately released and Discharged in manner aforesaid without
any Costs or Charges whatsoever to the Party so in Possession of
such Hogshead of Tobacco as aforesaid And Whereas the Inhab-
itants of this Province that Ship Tobacco on board Ships and other
Vessells upon freight are much abused by the Cropping lessning and
diminishing the Hogshead wherein such Tobacco is packed by the
masters of Ships or other Vessells or by other Persons under their
Command and Government for remedy whereof for the future Be
it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that if any Master of a Ship
or other Vessell within this Province after the first Day of October
next shall receive any Hogshead or Hogsheads of Tobacco on board
his said Ship or Vessell under his Command on freight and shall
either by himself or any other Person or officer on board his said Ship
Cut or suffer any Hogshead or Hogsheads of Tobacco to be Cutt
Cropped or lessened in their length or Breadth or by any other ways
or means abused defaced or impaired to be proved by the Oath of
any Sufficient Person to whom the Tobacco is Consigned in Great
Britain or other sufficient Witness taken before any Magistrate
according to the form of the Statute in such Cases provided and
sent hither by any other Legall proof whatsoever made in this Prov-
ince or Elsewhere shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten Pounds
Current money of Maryland to the Partie Grieved to be recovered
in any Court of Record within this Province against such Master
by action of Debt on the Case or against the Surety or Suretys of
such Master of a Ship or Vessell out of the Penalty of the impost
Bond to be given by such Master within one year after the Date
of the Bill or Bills of Lading of such Tobacco
And be it further Enacted by the Authority Advice and Consent
aforesaid that any Person who Shall Ship any Tobacco on board
any Ship or Vessell upon freight and shall suspect that such To-
bacco to be Cut Cropped or defaced Contrary to the true intent and
meaning of this Act may repair or board any such Ship or Vessell

p. 149