Preamble.
Persons taking
up
Boats, &c.
drove from
their Moorings,
shall
give Notice
in Ten Days
to a Magistrate,
and set
up Notes
thereof in
Ten Days,
and Advertise
the same in
the Gazette
within 30
days.
the Owner
to pay Charges,
&c.
Penalty for
not performing
what is
required by
this Act.
Proviso, if
taken up on
the Eastern
Shore in the
Winter Season.
Continuance.
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WHEREAS it often happens, that Flats, Boats, and other Vessels,
are by Stress of Weather, or by Ice, drove from Landings, Moorings,
and Harbours, into the Bay, and from one River to another,
and are taken up by persons who secrete such Boats or Vessels:
To the
Intent therefore that the proper Owners may not be deprived of their
Property;
II. 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 from
and after the last
Day of March next, where any Person or Persons shall discover,
take up and
secure, any Flat, Boat, or other Vessel, drove from any Place of Mooring,
Landing, Harbour, or River, or from any other Vessel, such Person or
Persons
shall, and they are hereby obliged, in Ten Days after such Discovery,
Taking up, and Securing as aforesaid, to give Notice thereof to some
Justice
of the Peace for the County where such Flat, Boat, or other Vessel,
is taken
up and secured as aforesaid; which said Justice of the Peace shall,
sand he is
hereby required, to deliver to the Party giving such Notice, an Advertisement,
describing in the best Manner the Built and Marks of such Flat, Boat,
or other Vessel, and the Name of such Person, and Place of his Abode;
Copies of which Advertisement the said Party shall, within Ten Days
after
the Date thereof, cause to be set up in the most public Places of the
said
County, and within Thirty Days after such Date, procure the same to
be inserted
in the MARYLAND GAZETTE, and shall deliver the same Boat,
or other Vessel, to the Owner thereof. upon Payment of reasonable Cost
and
Charges for the same; he or they first Proving the Property, by his
or their
own Oath, or otherwise, before some Justice of the Peace.
III. And be it
further Enacted, That if any Person or Persons, after the
said last Day of March, shall take up and secure, any Flat,
Boat, or other
Vessel, drove fro, any place of Mooring, Landing, or Harbour, or from
any other Vessel, and shall not do and perform what is by this Act
required,
shall forfeit and pay to the owner or Owners of such Flat, Boat, or
Vessel,
the Sum of Fifty Shillings Current Money, to be recovered in a summary
way, before One Justice of the peace of the County where the party
accused
doth reside.
IV. Provided
always, That in case any such Flat, Boat, or other Vessel,
shall be taken up on the East Side of Chesapeak Bay, or the
North Side of
Susquehanna River, in the Winter Season, when it may so happen
that by
Reason of the Ice no Intercourse may be had with the City of Annapolis,
that then, and in such Case, it shall and may be lawful for the Person
or Persons
taking such Flat, Boat, or other Vessel, into his or their Custody,
or
Care, to cause such Advertisement as is herein before directed, to
be inserted
in the MARYLAND GAZETTE, within Thirty Days after the Obstruction
of such Intercourse or Communication with the said City of Annapolis
shall or may be removed.
V. This Act to continue for Three Years,
and unto the end of the next
Session of Assembly which shall happen after the Expiration of the
said Three
Years.
Examined and Compared with the Original Act, REVERDY GHISELIN,
THOMAS BACON.
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