A. D. 1783. 21 



June 24* — The ftamp-duties, impofed upon inland bills of exchange 

 and promiflbry notes by an adl of the laft fefTion, [c. ;^2'\ ^^^e enlarged, 

 and extended to foreign bills of exchange ; and receipts for fums above 

 forty {hillings were alfo fubjeded to flamps. The notes and bills of the 

 bank of England were exempted from the ftamp-duties, the bank pay- 

 ing for that diftinguifliing indulgence an annual compofition o^jC^ 2,000. 

 [23 Geo. Ill, c. 49.] 



July 1 1 "'-1 6''' — The importation of rice, &c, free of diUy till 30'^ Sep- 

 tember 1783, having been permitted by an aft [c. 9] of this feffion, it 

 was now enaded, for the encouragement of trade, that after that day 

 a drawback of the full duties flaould be allowed on the exportation of 

 rice from this kingdom. [23 Geo. Ill, c. 56.] 



Among a variety of additional ftamp-duties, there were new duties 

 laid upon bills of loading, debentures for drawbacks, transfers of the 

 flock of companies or corporations, contrads of bargains, &c. [23. 

 Geo. Ill, c. 58.] 



Senegal being ceded to France by the treaty of peace, the River 

 Gambia with Fort James, and all other fettlements, forts, or fadories,on 

 the coaft of Africa between the port of Salee and Cape Rouge, except 

 thofe ceded to France, were vefted in the company of merchants trad- 

 ing to Africa for the protedion and encouragement of the African 

 trade ; the trade being free and open to all Britifh fubjeds, together 

 with the ufe of the forts, warehoufes, &c, agreeable to the former regu- 

 lations. The fervants of the company fettled upon the coaft were pro- 

 hibited from exporting negroes upon their own account, and were 

 required to tranfmit annually an account upon oath of the difpofal of 

 the goods and ftores committed to their charge, on pain of difmiflion 

 from the fervice. And the committee were enjoined to lay an annual 

 account of the application of the money granted to them before the 

 parliament. [23 Geo. III., c. 65.] 



The high duties upon the importation of muflins, calicoes, and nan- 

 keens, operating as a premium for fmuggling them, it was found expe- 

 dient to lower the duties by fubftituting inftead of the former rates a 

 duty of eighteen per cent on the fales of thofe goods by the India 

 company ; of which ten per cent fhould be allowed as drawback upon 

 exportation. [23 Geo. Ill, c. 74.] 



Many precautions were enaded againft frauds pradifed in removing 

 foreign fpirits and teas, in the procefs of diftillation, in the carriage of 

 wines, and by relanding fugars fhipped for exportation upon the drawr- 

 baek *. [23 Geo. Ill, cc. 70, 76.] 



• In the aift, c. 70 there are, one penalty of hoifes, &c. and punifliments of death, tranfporta- 



jfjOO, three of £200, eight of ^100, one of ^60, tion, &c. The penalty of one (hilling to be levied, 



one of jfjc, one of jf20, and one of one fliilling, on the revenue officers, when proved to have mad?.. 



befiJes feveral forfeitures of goods, vefftls, boats, an improper feizure. 



