916 APPENDIX TO BRITISH CASE 



Duty-free, unless the Captain or Person having the Charge or Com- 

 mand of such Ship or Vessel importing the same shall make Oath 

 before the Collector or other Principal Officer of the Customs at the 

 Port of Importation (who is hereby authorised and required to ad- 

 minister such Oath), that all the Skins imported in such Ship or 

 Vessel were really and bona fide the Skins of Seals taken and caught 

 by the Crews thereof, or by Persons employed by the Master or 

 546 Owner of such Ship or Vessel, or of some other Ship or Vessel 

 qualified as aforesaid; and such Seal Skins shall be also duly 

 entered at the Customhouse for the said Port, and landed in the 

 Presence of the proper Officer or Officers of the Customs appointed 

 for that purpose; and on failure of any of these Conditions, such 

 Skins shall be liable to pay the same Duties as they would have been 

 subject and liable to if this Act had not been made, any Thing herein 

 contained to the contrary notwithstanding. 



" XII. And whereas it has been a Practice of late Years for divers 

 Persons to seduce the Fishermen, Sailors, Artificers, and others, em- 

 ployed in carrying on the Fishery, arriving at Newfoundland, on 

 Board Fishing and other Vessels from Great Britain, and the British 

 Dominions in Europe, to go from thence to the Continent of America, 

 to the great Detriment of the Fishery and the Naval Force of this 

 Kingdom : " Now, in order to remedy the said Evil, and to secure the 

 Return of the said Fishermen, Sailors, Artificers, and others, em- 

 ployed as aforesaid, to the British Dominions in Europe, be it further 

 enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the first 

 Day of January, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, it 

 shall not be lawful for the Master, or Person having the Charge or 

 Command of any Ship or Vessel trading to or from any place within 

 the Government of Newfoundland, to carry or convey, as Passengers, 

 any such Fishermen, Sailors. Artificers, and others, employed as 

 aforesaid, from thence to any part of the Continent of America, with- 

 out the Permission under the Hand and Seal of the Governor of the 

 said Island of Newfoundland, under the Penalty of forfeiting two 

 hundred Pounds for every such Offence. 



" XIII. And whereas in several Acts, passed in the eleventh and 

 twelfth years of William the Third, the eighth of George the First, 

 and second and twelfth of George the Second, Provision has been 

 made to prevent Seamen and Manners in the Merchant Service being 

 wilfully left beyond Sea, and to secure and provide for their Return 

 home to such Part of his Majesty's Dominions whereto they belong: 

 And whereas, for want of such Provisions being extended to Seamen 

 and Fishermen going out as Passengers to Newfoundland, and hired 

 and employed in the Fisheries carried on there, great Numbers of 

 them remain in that Country at the End of every Fishing Season, 

 who would otherwise return home, and some of them have fre- 

 quently turned Robbers and Pirates;" for Remedy of which Evil, 

 be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Person or Persons 

 whatsoever shall, from and after the first Day of January, one thou- 

 sand seven hundred and seventy-six, employ, or cause to be employed, 

 at Newfoundland, for the Purpose of carrying on the Fishery there, 

 any Seaman or Fisherman going as Passengers, or any Seaman or 

 Fisherman hired there, without first entering into an Agreement or 

 Contract in Writing with every such Seaman or Fisherman, declaring 

 what Wages such Seaman or Fisherman is to have, and the Time 



