STATUTES, PROCLAMATIONS, RULES, ORDERS, ETC. 871 



manders in Chief respectively; and upon complaint and proof made 

 before his Majesty, his heirs and successors, or such as shall be by 

 him or them thereunto authorized and appointed, by the oath of 

 two or more credible witnesses, that any the said Governors or Com- 

 manders in Chief have neglected, to take the said oath at the times 

 aforesaid, or have been wittingly or willingly negligent in doing 

 their duty accordingly, the said Governor so neglecting or offending 

 shall be removed from his government, and forfeit the sum of one 

 thousand pounds sterling. 



" V. And whereas by the said Act of the fifteenth of King Charles 

 the Second, intituled, An Act for the Encouragement of Trade, the 

 Governors of the Plantations are impowered to appoint an officer for 

 the performance of certain things in the said Act mentioned, which 

 said officer is there commonly known by the name of the Naval Offi- 

 cer: And whereas through the connivance or negligence of the per- 

 sons so appointed by the Governors of the said plantations, divers 

 frauds and abuses are or have been committed ; " Be it therefore en- 

 acted by the Authority aforesaid, That all and every the said officers 

 already appointed shall, within two months after notice of this Act 

 in the respective Plantations, or as soon as conveniently it may be, 

 give security to the Commissioners of the Customs in England for 

 the time being, or such as shall be appointed by them, for his 

 Majesty's use for the true and faithful performance of their duty; 

 and all and every person or persons, who shall hereafter be appointed 

 to the said office or employment, shall within two months, or as soon 

 as conveniently it may be, after his or their entrance upon the said 

 office or employment, give sufficient security to the Commissioners of 

 the customs as aforesaid, for his Majesty's use, for the true and faith- 

 ful performance of his or their duty; and in default thereof, the per- 

 son or persons neglecting or refusing to give such security, shall be 

 disabled to execute the said office or employment; and until such se- 

 curity given, and the person appointed to the said office or em- 

 522 ployment be approved by the Commissioners of the Customs as 

 aforesaid, the respective Governor or Governors shall be 

 aTiswerable for any of the offences, neglects or misdemeanors, of the 

 person or persons so by him or them appointed. 



VI. And for the more effectual preventing of frauds, and regulat- 

 ing abuses in the Plantation trade in America, be it further enacted 

 by the authority aforesaid, That all ships coming into, or going out 

 oJ, any of the said Plantations, and lading or unlading any goods or 

 commodities, whether the same be his Majesty's ships of war, or mer- 

 chant ships, and the masters and commanders thereof, and their lad- 

 ings, shall be subject and liable to the same rules, visitations, searches, 

 penalties and forfeitures, as to the entering, lading or discharging 

 their respective ships and ladings, as ships and their ladings, and the 

 commanders and masters of ships, are subject and liable unto in this 

 Kingdom, by virtue of an Act of Parliament made in the fourteenth 

 year of the reign of King Charles the Second, intituled, An Act for 

 preventing Frauds, and regulating Abuses in his Majesty's Customs: 

 And that the officers for collecting and managing his Majesty's reve- 

 nue, and inspecting the Plantation trade, in any of the said Planta- 

 tions, shall have the same powers and authorities, for visiting and 

 searching of ships, and taking their entries, and for seizing and se- 

 curing or bringing on shore any of the goods prohibited to be inv 



