STATUTES, PROCLAMATIONS, RULES, ORDERS, ETC. 1041 



enjoyed or claimed by the inhabitants thereof, to take, dry or cure 

 fish on, or within three marine miles of any of the coasts, bays, creeks 

 or harbors of His Britannic Majesty's dominions in America, not 

 included within the above mentioned limits : Provided however, that 

 the American fishermen should be admitted to enter such bays or 

 harbors for the purpose of shelter, and of repairing damages therein, 

 of purchasing wood, and of obtaining water, and for no other pur- 

 poses whatever, but under such restrictions as might be necessary to 

 prevent their taking, drying or curing fish therein, or in any other 

 manner whatever abusing the privileges thereby reserved to them: 

 And whereas no rules or regulations have been made for such pur- 

 pose, and the interests of the inhabitants of this Island, are materi- 

 ally impaired : and whereas the said Act does not designate the per- 

 sons who are to make such seizure as aforesaid, and it frequently 

 happens, that persons found within the distances of the coasts afore- 

 said, infringing the articles of the convention aforesaid, and the 

 enactments of the statute aforesaid, on being taken possession of, 

 profess to have come within said limits for the purpose of shelter, 

 and repairing damages therein, or to purchase wood and obtain 

 water, by which the law is evaded, and the vessels and cargoes escape 

 confiscation, although the cargoes may be evidently intended to be 

 smuggled into this Island, and the fishery carried on, contrary to 

 the said convention and statute : Be it therefore enacted, by the Lieu- 

 tenant Governor Council and Assembly, That from and after the 

 passing of this Act, it shall be lawful for the Officers of Her Majesty's 

 Customs, the Officers of Impost and Excise, the Sheriffs and Magis- 

 trates throughout this Island, and any person holding a commis- 

 sion for that purpose from His Excellency the Lieutenant Gov- 

 ernor, for the time being, to go on board any ship, vessel or boat 

 within any port, bay, creek or harbor in this Island, and also to 

 go on board any ship, vessel or boat hovering within three marine 

 miles of any of the coasts, bays, creeks or harbors thereof, and 

 in either case, freely to stay on board such ship, vessel or boat, 

 as long as she shall remain within such port or distance, and if 

 any such ship, vessel or boat be bound elsewhere, and shall con- 

 tinue so hovering for the space of twenty-four hours after the mas- 

 ter shall have been required to depart, it shall be lawful for any 

 of the above enumerated officers or persons to bring such ship, vessel 

 or boat into port, and to search and examine her cargo, and to exam- 

 ine the master upon oath, touching the cargo and voyage, and if there 

 be any goods on board prohibited to be imported into this Island, 

 such ship, vessel or boat, and the cargo laden on board thereof, shall 

 be forfeited, and if the said ship, vessel or boat, shall be foreign and 

 not navigated according to the law of Great Britain and Ireland, 

 and shalj have been found fishing, or preparing to fish, or to have 

 been fishing within such distance of such coasts, bays, creeks or har- 

 bors of this Island, such ship, vessel, or boat, and their respective 

 cargoes shall be forfeited, and if the master or person in command 

 thereof, shall not truly answer the questions which shall be demanded 

 of him in such examination, he shall forfeit the sum of one hundred 

 pounds. 



II. And be it further enacted, That all Goods, Ships, Vessels and 

 Boats, liable to forfeiture under this Act shall and may be seized and 



