STATUTES, PROCLAMATIONS, RULES, ORDERS, ETC. 1313 



impost shall once in every quarter of the year pay such sums as he or 

 his deputies shall receive for the aforesaid duties, to the province 

 treasurer, to be applied to the uses aforesaid. [Passed June 22; pub- 

 lished June 25. 



No. 159. 1771, April 26: Act of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, 



1770-71, Cap. 35. 



An Act for building and maintaining a lighthouse or houses on Thatcher's Island 

 [or] [on] the mainland of Cape Ann. 



Whereas the headland of Cape Ann projects itself into the main 

 ocean in such manner as to form two deep bays; one, to the north- 

 ward, commonly called Ipswich Bay, and another, to the southward, 

 called the Massachusetts, or, more commonly, Boston Bay ; that there 

 are two very dangerous ledges of rocks which lay off from the head- 

 land, which, for want of some guide, frequently prove fatal to ves- 

 sels; and it being generally thought that a lighthouse, or houses, 

 erected on Thatcher's Island, or the mainland of Cape Ann, would 

 be very serviceable to the navigation and commerce or this province, 

 and be a means of preserving the lives and estates of a great number 

 of his Majesty's subjects, by directing the distressed, in stormy and 

 tempestuous weather, into a safe harbour; therefore, 



Be it enacted by the Governor, Council and House of Representa- 

 tives, 



[SECT. 1.] That there be a lighthouse or houses erected at the charge 

 of the province, either on Thatcher's Island or the mainland of Cape 

 Ann (as shall appear most convenient to a committee appointed by 

 this court), to be kept lighted from sun-setting to sun-rising; that 

 from and after the building of the said lighthouse or houses, and 

 kindling a light or lights therein, there shall be paid to the receiver 

 of impost, by the masters of all ships and vessels belonging to or en- 

 tering any of the harbours in the province, to whom the said light 

 shall be useful, the light duty or light-money as, by an Act of this 

 province, passed in the first year of King George the First, intituled 

 "An Act for building and maintaining a lighthouse upon the Great 

 Brewster, called Beacon Island, at the entrance of the harbour of 

 Boston," the ships and vessels entering into or going out of the har- 

 bour of Boston are held to pay ; and in case any vessels belonging to 

 any of the harbours above referred to shall arrive at the harbour of 

 Boston, and there pay the light-money to the impost officer, the said 

 officer to give his certificate to his deputies that he has received the 

 said light-money, so that it shall not be demanded again. 



And l>e it enacted, 



[SECT. 2.] That the commissioner or receiver of impost be and 

 hereby is empowered, by himself, or his deputy by him appointed, to 

 receive the said duties, and to recover the same, and give a certificate 

 therefor, in the same way and manner as by the aforerecited act is 



provided. 

 775 And be it further enacted, 



[SECT. 3.] That no ship or vessel belonging to the aforesaid 

 ports (coasters excepted) shall be cleared by the naval officer, until 

 a certificate be produced that the duty of the lighthouse be paid; and 



