OF GREAT BRITAIN. Ill 



the island of Newfoundland, by virtue of this or any act or acts of 

 parliament, and the officers of his Majesty's customs appointed for 

 executing and carrying into execution the several laws relating to 

 the trade and revenue there, shall be under the management and 

 direction of the commissioners of his Majesty's customs in England 

 for the time being, under the authority and direction of the high 

 treasurer of Great Britain, or the commissioners of the treasury for 

 the time being, any law, patent, custom, or usage, to the contrary 

 notwithstanding. 



XXXVI. Provided always, and it is hereby further enacted by 

 the authority aforesaid, That all deputations and other authorities 

 granted by the commissioners of the customs for North America, 

 before the said first day of January, one thousand seven hundred 

 and seventy-six, to any officer or officers acting in and for the said 

 island of Newfoundland, shall continue in force, as fully to all intents 

 and purposes as if this act had not been made, until the deputations 

 or other authorities so granted to such officer or officers respectively 

 shall be revoked, annulled, or made void by the high treasurer of 

 Great Britain, or commissioners of the treasury for the time being. 



XXXVII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, 

 That if any action or suit shall be commenced against any person or 

 persons for any thing done in pursuance of this act of parliament, 

 the defendant or defendants in such action or suit may plead the 

 general issue, and give this act and the special matter in evidence 

 at any trial to be nad thereupon, and that the same was done in 

 pursuance of and by the authority of this act; and if it shall appear 

 so to have been done, the jury shall find for the defendant or defend- 

 ants; and if the plaintiff shall be non-suited or discontinue his action 

 after the defendant or defendants have appeared, or if judgment 

 shall be given upon any verdict or demurrer against the plaintiff, 

 the defendant or defendants shall recover treble costs, and have the 

 like remedy for the same as defendants have in other cases by law. 



ACT OF 1789. 



(29 Geo. Ill, cap. S3.) 



AN ACT For further encouraging and regulating the Newfoundland, Greenland, 



and southern wnale fisheries. 



Whereas, as we\\ by immemorial usage as by the provisions of 

 former laws, the right and privilege of drying nsh on the island of 

 Newfoundland do not belong to any of bis Majesty's subjects arriv- 

 ing there, except from Greal Britain, or one of His Majesty's domin- 

 ions in Europe; for preventing frauds, and thereby better securing 

 to bis Majesty's said subjects <>f Great Britain, and of the other 

 British dominions in Europe, the full advantages <>f the fishery 



Carried on from the nee, and of i\\\ ing fish on the shores of the island 



of Newfoundland, I"' it declared and enacted by the Kind's most 



excellent majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords 



spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament 



assembled, and by the authority of the same. That no fish, taken or 

 caught by any of his Majesty's subjects, or other persons, arriving 



