A. D. 1774. ^^5 



the commiflioners of the longitude ftill to give rewards, not exceeding 

 ;^io,ooo, for any improvement in that great nautical defideratum, 

 either by time keepers, or by folar and lunar tables, which ihall be 

 found by fatisfa6tory trials to be more perfedl than thofe already in 

 the poflellion of the public. They were alfo directed to give propor- 

 tional rewards for any other improvements in naval affairs. [14 Geo. 

 Ill, c. 66.] 



June — The perminion of carrying rice from South Carolina, Georgia, 

 and the Floridas, to the fouthern parts of Europe and the Wefl-Tndia 

 iflands was prolonged till the year 1781. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 67.] 



The moft defedive of the gold coins were already driven out of the 

 circulation by the fucccilive regulations for increafmg the fm.allefl legal 

 weight at which they fhould be allowed to be current, and that weight 

 was now fixed at five pennyweights eight grains for guineas, the fame 

 ftandard which has been kept up ever fince. On this occafion parlia- 

 ment determined, that all further lofs arifing from this lafl abridgement 

 of the allowance for wear Ihould be born by the pubUc, and for that 

 purpofe voted a fum not exceeding /^2, 500,000 to make good the defi- 

 ciency and recoinage of the light gold, which the officers of the reve- 

 nue were now directed to take in payment and convey it to the bank. 

 [14 Geo. Ill, c. 70.] 



The exportation of tools and utenfils ufed in the manufadures of 

 cotton, linen, wool, and lilk, was prohibited under the penalty of ^^'200 

 to be paid by the fljipper, and ;^20o by the commander of the veflcl 

 receiving them onboard. [14 Geo. Ill, c. 71.] 



Whereas a new manufacture of fluffs, made entirely of cotton fpun 

 in this kingdom, had lately been introduced, and fome doubts were af- 

 certained, whether it was lawful to ufe it, it was declared by parliament, 

 to be not only a lawful, but a laudable, manufadure, and therefor per- 

 mitted to be ufed, on paying three pence per fquare yard when printed, 

 painted, or ftained with colours. [i.| Geo. Ill, c. 72.] 



All the laws hitherto made for guarding the excife duties payable by 

 diftillers being found infufficient, a new adl was pafled containing firidl- 

 er regulations. In the fame adt a remedy was provided againfl fraudu- 

 lent demands for the drawback of one third of the duty on Ibap, allow- 

 ed to manufadurers of woollen goods and bleachers of linen (who ufed 

 to reprefent the foap ufed by them as foreign) by limiting it, after the 

 24"" of June 1774, to one third of the duty on home-made foap. [14 

 Geo. Ill, f. 73.] 



The duty on great raifins, being found difproportionately high, was 

 reduced to the fame rate that is paid upon other raifins imported. [14 

 Geo. Ill, c. 74.] 



Parliament determined to pay off a million of the various three-per- 

 cent annuities, of which a miUion and a half was paid off in the year 

 ' 4 A2 



