554 A D. 1774. 



be computed from the time of their importation. The company were 

 by the fame ad obliged to keep a conftam fupply of teas at reafonable 

 prices to anfwer the confumption of Great Britain, on neglecS of which 

 the lords of the treafury may empower others to import teas from any 

 part of Europe. [ r 4 Geo. Ill, c. 34.] 



The term afligned for keeping open the free ports in Jamaica * was 

 lengthened till the i« of November 1780, and thence, as ufual, to the 

 end of the next feffion of parliament. [14 Geo. 1 11^ c. 41.] 



It being fufpeded, that a great quantity of filver coin, deficient in 

 finenefs or in weight, and purporting to be the coin of this kingdom, 

 was imported from abroad, it was enacted, that after the l*^ of June no 

 fuch coin fliould be imported ; and any fam exceeding five pounds 

 found in any vefl'el arriving in Great Britain, if found deficient in qua- 

 lity or weight, was ordered to be feized and melted down. It was alfo 

 enaded, that no perfon fhould be obliged to receive above twenty-five 

 pounds in filver money by tale, but only by weight at the rate of eji 

 the ounce, [i/^ Geo. Ill, c. 42.] 



An ad was pafled for altering the conftitution of the province of 

 MafTachufets bay, by abolifhing the democratical part of it, and re- 

 ducing it more to a refemblance of the other colonies. [14 Geo. Ill, 



c- 45-] 



To reprefs the fpirit of gambling in infu ranees upon lives and events 

 wherein the parties have no real or pecuniary intereft, all policies for 

 fuch infurances were declared unlawful : and the holders of infurances 

 upon lives were entitled only to recover the value of the intereft they 

 really have in the hves infured. [14 Geo. Ill, r. 48.] 



The commerce of Hull (or Kingfton upon Hull) being gjeatly in- 

 creafed, it became neceflary to eftablifh new quays, or wharfs, where 

 goods may be legally ftiippcd and landed. It was alfo propofed to dig 

 out a capacious bafon in the main land for the reception of the Ihip- 

 ping ; and the corporation of Hull, the brotherhood of fhipmafters, 

 and feveral other gentlemen, were formed into a company for carrying 

 on this new harbour f . To aflift a work of fuch utility, the king gave 

 a piece of crown land, and parliament granted fifteen thouiand pounds, 

 to be paid at certain periods in the progrefs of the work out of the cuf- 

 toms coUeded at Hull. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 56.] 



All the ejufting law^s for the encouragement of difcovering the long- 

 itude at fea were repealed, and one new ad paflied, which empowered 



* For fomc account of the trade liitherto car- being exempted from the fuiy of ftorms, and only 



lied on at the free ports, fee above, p. 5^6. needing to have the dcpoiittd nnid i leaned out at 



f This magnificent dock, liiiheito one of the times, will be kept iii repair at little expcnic, i£. 



' l.irgeil in Britain, was cc.mj.lcted, and opened for compared with the lor.j; p:ers projecting into 



the acmiffion of fliips on the 2 2^ of September llormy feas, which have been fo often dell roved 



1778. It is of an oval figure, enclofcd by a «all, and rebuilt. It is v.'oilliy of remark, that docks, 



or quay, all-around it, except the entrance, over fomcwhat fiuiilar, were ufed by the Carthaginians, 

 which there \f, a draw-bridge. Such a harbour 



