STATUTES, PROCLAMATIONS, RULES, ORDERS, ETC. 881 



fifth day of March, rind any of the trees there standing or growing 

 upon any occasion whatsoever, nor shall by any ways or means what- 

 soever set on fire any of the woods of the said country, or do or cause 

 to be done any damage, detriment or destruction to the same, for 

 any use or uses whatsoever, except only for necessary fuel for the 

 ships and inhabitants, and for the building and necessary repairs of 

 houses, ships, boats and train-vats, and of the stages, cook-rooms, 

 beaches and other places for taking bait and fishing, and for drying, 

 curing and husbanding fish there ; and also that no person or persons 

 whatsoever shall, at any time after the said twenty-fifth day of 

 March, cast anchor, or do any other matter or thing, to the annoyance 

 or hindering of the hauling of seines in the accustomary baiting 



places, or shoot his or their seine or seines within or upon the 

 527 seine or seines of any other person or persons whatsoever ; and 



also that no person or persons whatsoever shall, at any time 

 after the said twenty-fifth day of March, steal, purloin or take out of 

 the net or nets of any other person or persons whatsoever, lying adrift, 

 or drover, for bait by night, nor steal, purloin or take away any 

 bait out of any fishing boat or boats, or any net or nets belonging to 

 any other person or persons. 



" XIII. And whereas several persons that have been guilty of 

 thefts, robberies, murders and other felonies upon the land in New- 

 foundland, and the islands thereunto adjacent, have many times 

 escaped unpunished, because the trial of such offenders hath hereto- 

 fore been ordered and adjudged in no other court of justice, but be- 

 fore the Lord High Constable, and Earl Marshal of England: " For 

 reformation thereof, and for the more speedy and effectual punish- 

 ment of such offences for the time to come, be it enacted by the au- 

 thority aforesaid, That all robberies, murders and felonies, and all 

 other capital crimes whatsoever, which, at any time or times after 

 the said twenty-fifth day of March shall be done and committed in or 

 upon the land in Newfoundland, or in any of the islands thereunto 

 belonging, shall and may be enquired of, tried, heard, determined 

 and adjudged in any shire or county of this kingdom of England, 

 by virtue of the King's commission or commissioners of oyer and ter- 

 miner, and gaol delivery, or any of them, according to the laws of 

 this land used for the punishment of such robberies, murders, felo- 

 nies, and other capital crimes done and committed within this realm. 



XIV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That 

 the admirals of and in every port and harbour in Newfoundland for 

 the time being, be and are hereby authorized and required (in order 

 to preserve peace and good government amongst the seamen and 

 fishermen, as well in their respective harbours, as on the shore) to see 

 the rules and orders in this present act contained, concerning the regu- 

 lation of the fishery there duly put in execution ; and that each of the 

 said admirals do yearly keep a journal of the number of all ships, 

 boats, stages, and train-vats, and of all the seamen belonging to and 

 employed in each of their respective harbours, and shall also (at their 

 return to England} deliver a true copy thereof, under their hands, 

 to His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council. 



XV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That in 

 case any difference or controversy shall arise in Newfoundland, or 

 the islands thereunto adjoining, between the masters of fishing ships 



