596 Assembly Proceedings, May 16-July 11, 1747.

Session Laws

many Frauds in deceiving his Majesty's Customs, which have greatly
increased, to the very great decay of the Trade of this Province.
For prevention whereof,

No Tobacco
to be ex-
ported, 'til
first brought
to a public
Warehouse

Be it Enacted by the Right Honourable the Lord Proprietary, by
and with the Advice and Consent of his Lordship's Governor, and
the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly, and the Authority of the
same, That, for the more effectual preventing the Exportation of
Trash, bad, unsound, and unmerchantable Tobacco, all Tobacco,
which shall be made after the first Day of December next, and
which shall be exported out of this Province from and after the first
Day of December in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hun-
dred and forty-eight, shall be first brought to some, or one of the
public Warehouses herein after-mentioned; and shall be there viewed
and inspected, in Manner as herein after is expressed.

Masters of
Ships, &c.
not to take
on board

any unin-
spected

Tobacco

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no
Person shall put on board, or receive into, any Ship, Sloop, Boat, or
other Vessel, in order to be exported therein, any such Tobacco not

packed in Hogsheads, Casks, or Cases, upon any Pretence whatso-
ever; nor in any Hogshead, Cask, or Case, to be in that, or any other
Ship, Sloop, or Vessel, exported out of this Province, before the
same shall have been viewed and inspected, according to the Direc-
tions of this Act: But that all such Tobacco, to be received or taken
on board any Ship, Sloop, or other Vessel, and to be therein ex-
ported; or to be carried or put on board any other Ship, Sloop, or
Vessel, for Exportation, as aforesaid; shall be received or taken on
board at the several Warehouses for that Purpose herein after men-
tioned, or some, or one of them, and at no other Place or Places
whatsoever. And every Master, Mate, or Boatswain, which shall
arrive in this Province, in order to lade Tobacco that is to be made
and subjected to the Directions of this Act, and during the Con-
tinuance thereof, shall, before the said Ship or Vessel be permitted
to take on board any such Tobacco, make Oath, or Affirmation if a
Quaker, before the Naval Officer of the District wherein such Ship

Oath to be
administered
to Masters
and Mates
of Vessels

or Vessel shall arrive (which Oath the said Naval Officer is hereby
impowered and required to administer), " That they will not permit
" any such Tobacco to be taken on board their respective Ships or
" Vessels, except the same be packed in Hogsheads, Casks, or Cases,
" stamped by some Inspector, legally thereunto appointed: " Which
Oath they shall subscribe in a Book, to be kept by the Naval Officer
for that Purpose. And if any such Master shall cause any Person,
who is not really, and bona fide, Mate or Boatswain of the Ship or
Vessel, to come on Shore and take such Oath, he shall, for the said

Offence, forfeit and pay thirty Pounds current Money. And if any

Master or Commander of any Ship or Vessel shall take on board, or
suffer to be taken on board the Ship or Vessel whereof he is Master,
any Tobacco brought from any other Place, than some, or one of the