Lib. B. L. C.

p. 185

ACTS
Maryland ss.
At a Session of Assembly begun and held at the City of Annapolis
the 11^th Day of August in the twenty third Year of the Dominion of
the Right Honourable Charles Absolute Lord & Proprietary of the
Provinces of Maryland and Avalon Lord Baron of Baltemore &c
Annoq Dom 1737 and Ending the 16^th Day of the same month.
The following Laws were Enacted and Assented to by his Ex-
cellency Samuel Ogle Esq^r Governour

An Act to prohibit the Exportation of Grain Bread and Flour
Whereas the Great Drought which has happened this present Year
will in all Probability occasion a Scarcity of Grain within this Prov-
ince whereby the Inhabitants thereof Especially the poorer Sort are
in danger of being reduced to want and misery unless the most
Speedy and Effectual methods be taken to prevent the Exportation of
Grain Bread and Flour And Whereas his Excellency the Governour
in Order as much as in him lay to prevent so great a Calamity to
the People as the Want of bread on the third Day of this Instant
August with the Advice of his Lordships Honourable Councill issued
his Proclamation to prohibit the Exportation of any Indian Corn
Wheat or other Grain untill the fifteenth Instant and gave direction
to publish the same with utmost Expedition as the best Expedient
that Could have been used on so pressing an occasion untill the Legis-
lature could make a more Effectual Provision therein which was the
more necessary because the scarcity of Grain in Foreign Parts would
have been an Inducement to Purchasers to have given Great Rates
to such as would spare any and a Great price would probably have
tempted people to have disposed off as much as they Could though
with the Manifest Hazard of the Welfare of the Inhabitants of this
Province For prevention whereof Be it Enacted by the Right
Honourable the Lord Proprietary by and with the Advice and Con-
sent of his Lordships Governour and the Upper and Lower Houses
of Assembly and the Authority of the same That any Master or
Commander of any Ship or Vessell or any other Person or Persons
who has or have taken or laden any Wheat Indian Corn or other
Grain Meal Flour or bread on board of any ship or other Vessell
with Intent to Export the same out of this Province since the pub-
lication of the said Proclamation who shall not within twenty Days
after the Publication of this Act land the same shall forfeit such
Wheat Indian Corn or other Grain Meal Flour or bread together
with the full Value thereof one half to the Lord Proprietary the
other half to the Informer who will sue for the same to be recovered