44^ A. D. 1766. 



the benefit of the linen manufacfiure in Ireland a quantity of gum fene- 

 ga or glim arabic, not exceeding 30 tuns annually of both together, was 

 allowed to be carried to Ireland free of duty. Permiflion was alfo given 

 to import from Mann in Briiifli fliips a quantity of bugles, not exceed- 

 ing 2 T, 000 pounds, which had been in that ifland before the 1 ft of 

 March 1765. The carriage of rum and other fpirits, hitherto confined 

 to veflels of ico tuns or upwards, was now allowed to vefTels not under 

 70 tuns. [6 Geo. II f, c. 46.] 



An additional duty of fix pence upon every gallon of fingle brandy or 

 other fpirits, and of one fliiUing upon every gallon of double brandy or 

 other fpirits, not produced in the Eritifh colonies, wasenadted to be paid 

 on importation. And the fpace of fix months, hitherto allowed to the 

 importers to warehoufe their rum or fpirits produced in the Britifh co- 

 lon es before paying the excife duties, was now enlarged to twelve 

 months. [6 Geo. Ill, c. 48.] 



In order to encourage the freedom of importation and exportation, 

 under certain limitaiions, for the advantage of the manufadures, com- 

 merce, and navigation, of Great Britain, it was thought proper to open 

 free ports in fome of our Weft-India iflands. It was therefor en- 

 acted, that after the ift of November 1766 live cattle and all other pro- 

 duce of foreign colonies in America, except tobacco, might be import- 

 ed into Prince Rupert's bay and Rofeau in Dominica in foreign vefTels 

 not having more than one deck. The ports of Kingfton, Savanna-la 

 mar, Montego-bay, and Lucea, in Jamaica were to be opened at the 

 fame time for the importation, alfo in fingle-decked vefTels, of cattle, 

 and foreign provincial produce, except fugar, coffee, pimento, ginger, 

 melafTes, and tobacco. But all foreign manufadfures were prohibited on 

 pain of forfeiting vefTel and cargo. Copper ore, cotton, ginger, dying 

 woods, hemp, indigo, melafTes, beaver fkins, and fkins and furs in gene- 

 ral, fugar, cacao, coffee, pimento, aflies, raw fdk, aiid whale fins, from 

 the Britifh colonies were alfo prohibited. It was moreover declared 

 lawful for foreign fingle-decked vefTels to carry from the free ports ne- 

 groes imported in Britifh fiiips, and all goods lawfully imported from 

 Great Britain, Irelai:id, and the Britifh colonies; except fpars, pitch, tar, 

 turpentine, tobacco, and Britifii-American iron. The reft of the a6l 

 contains regulations for carrying foreign produce to Europe, and the 

 duties on negroes and other merchandize to be paid in the free ports. 

 [6 Geo. Ill, c. 49.] 



This law appears to have been chiefly intended to encourage the 

 Spaniards to refort to the Britifh free ports now to be opened ; as it was 

 fuppoled, that they would prefer ports, where a free entry was afTured to 

 them, to thofe where they muft depend on precarious indulgence or con- 

 nivance, and be liable to feizure at the caprice of an officer. The event 

 of tliefe arrangements will appear in the tranfadions of the year 1773. 



