The Lower House. 267

" ing within the said province and if any shall do any such Damage
" or Injury he shall incur the heavy displeasure of us our Heirs and
" Successors the punishment of the Laws and shall Moreover make
" Satisfaction.

By which it appears that at the time of granting that Charter this
province was Considered as a fishing Colony and we conceive with
good reason as the sea Coast thereof as well as the Bay of Chasapeak
which runs through the Province together with the rivers Creeks and

Branches thereof abound with great Variety of Fish -which may be

made a useful Branch of Trade to the Inhabitants and be of Ad-
vantage to our Mother Country by Increasing the Number of Ship-
ping and Seamen.
That by Statute 15 Charles 2^d Chapter 7 Section 6 it is provided
and enacted that no Commodity of the Growth production or Manu-
facture of Europe shall be Imported into any Land Island plantation
&c in Asia Africa or America. &c but what shall be bona fide and
without Fraud Shipped in England &c provided (Section 7) that it
shall be Lawful to Ship and laid in Ships Navigated as in the fore-
going Clause is expressed in any part of Europe Salt for the Fisheries
of new England and Newfoundland &c And altho that proviso hath
not hitherto been Construed to extend to this province with great
Submission we Conceive ourselves to be clearly within the reason
of it we beg leave further to represent to your Lordship that salt
is an Article absolutely necessary for the Inhabitants of the Inland
or Back parts of this province and without large Quantitys of which
it is impossible for them to Subsist for as they are far removed from
the sea and salt rivers they are under a Necessity of giving salt to
their Stocks of Horses Cattle &c
We think it needless to urge to your Lordship the necessity there is
for giving all possible encouragement to seating the Western parts
of this province &c

L. H. J.
Liber No. 47
November 17

That the importation of salt from any part of Europe in amity
with his Majesty his heirs and Successors into this province woud
be of Advantage to his British Navigation hither is Evident as the
ships from Britain taking Freight to Portugal or other parts where
salt may be had Cheap may take in Ballast of salt for this province
and reload with Tobacco the produce thereof we therefore pray that
your Lordship will take our case into your Consideration and the
same recommend to his most gracious Majesty and both Houses of
parliament in Order that an Act may pass Explaining the provision
in the said Act of the 15 of Charles the Second Chapter 7 and Section
7 so as salt may be imported into this province from any part of
Europe in Amity with his Majesty his heirs and Successors in
Vessels owned by British Subjects and navigated according to Law.
And this Indulgence we have reason to hope for from our most
gracious Soverign and the British parliament since the like has been

p. 372