64 CASE OF GKEAT BRITAIN. 



it was not to be demanded again. Payment was to be made before the 

 vessel was cleared, and the vessel and the master both stood charged 

 with the duty till paid. (App., p. 774.) 



1774. An Act of Massachusetts Bay (cap. 2) for maintaining a 

 lighthouse upon Brant Point, at the entrance of the harbour of 

 Nantucket, contained the following recital (App., p. 775) : 



Whereas the inhabitants of the island of Nantucket, at their own 

 cost and charge, have, at different times, erected three lighthouses 

 upon Brant Point, at the entrance of the harbour of Nantucket, the 

 first of which was destroyed by fire and the second by a violent gust 

 of wind ; the third is now standing, and is absolutely necessary for all 

 vessels coming in and going out of said harbour, but the inhabitants 

 of said island have hitherto borne all the charge of erecting and 

 maintaining the said lighthouse, which burthen ought, in equity, to 

 be borne by all vessels receiving advantage from that light, belonging 

 to strangers as well as to the said inhabitants who have humbly 

 petitioned this court for relief. 



Each vessel of 15 tons burthen and upwards was required to 

 74 pay 6s. yearly on its first coming in or going out. the proceeds 

 to be used for the support of the lighthouse. Vessels were not 

 to be entered or cleared till the dues were paid. 



LEGISLATION BETWEEN 1783 AND 1818. 



Between the treaty of 1783 and the treaty of 1818, further legisla- 

 tion was passed by the United States and by Nova Scotia and New 

 Brunswick authorizing the collection of additional light dues. 



1787. Nova Scotia Statute, 28 Geo. Ill, cap. 3, was passed to regu- 

 late and maintain a lighthouse on McNutt's Island at the entrance to 

 Shelburne harbour. Dues were levied on merchant vessels, other 

 than coasters and fishing vessels belonging to the province, of 4d. a 

 ton, or 2>d. if wholly belonging to any freeholder or inhabitant of the 

 province. No vessel was to be deemed a fishing-vessel unless wholly 

 employed in that business. (App., p. 591.) 



1793. Nova Scotia passed an Act (33 Geo. Ill, c. 16) to amend 

 the Acts relating to Sambro and Shelburne lighthouses. It recited 

 that the previous laws for maintaining these lighthouses had proved 

 ineffectual for that purpose, and, that many ships and vessels which 

 derived great benefits were not, by the said Act, compelled to pay. 

 It enacted that (App., p. 594) 



all registered vessels owned by any person or persons within this 

 Province, and not wholly employed in the fisheries thereof, 



which did not come into the harbour at Halifax or Shelburne, and 

 pay dues there, should pay 4d. per ton in the port to which they be- 

 longed, and that 



every ship or vessel, His Majesty's ships of war, and such transports 

 or other vessels employed in His Majesty's service, as shall by their 

 charter party be exempted from paying port charges excepted, which 



