A. D.I 785- n 



iili dominions for twenty years. [25 Geo. HI, c. 42.] This is a moft 

 valuable difcovery to a maritime country, as it puts it out of the power 

 of foreigners to extort fuch prices for naval ftores in time of war, as 

 they have formerly done. The earl of Dundonald alio deferves the 

 gratitude of his country for another important improvement in the 

 method of purifying fait for the purpofes of curing filli, meat, and but- 

 ter, which he publifhed in a pamphlet entitled 'thoughts on the manufciBure 

 and trade of fait, on the herring fifJjeries, l^c. If once we can rival the 

 Dutch in the method of curing our herrings, we 7nay be fuperior to 

 them in every other advantage refpeding that great national fource of 

 opulence and maritime power. 



The practice of making infurances on veilels or merchandize without 

 fpecifying the names of the parties, on whofe account fuch infurances 

 were made, being found producHve of many evils and inconveniencies, 

 it was fir idly prohibited ; and all fuch blank policies were declared to 

 be null and void. [25 Geo. Ill, c. 44.] 



In order to check fraudulent practices in making cordage, fo danger- 

 ous to the lives of feamen and the property of merchants, feveral regul- 

 ations were enadled for diftinguifliing the various qualities of cables 

 and ropes, as alfo penalties on the commanders of veffels (excepting 

 thofe from the Eaft-Indies) negleding to make entry of foreign cordage 

 imported by them. [25 Geo. Ill, c. 56.] 



The mail coaches, agreeable to Mr. Palm.er's original plan, and alfo 

 agreeable to the ads of parliament for fome particular roads, were now 

 exempted from paying tolls on any road in Great Britain. [25 Geo. Ill, 



c- 57-] 



The fifhery of pilchards, which ufed to be an objed of very confider- 

 able importance in the fouth-wefl part of England, having declined of 

 late, the bounty was raifed from 7/" to gf on every caflc (meafuring 50 

 gallons) of pilchards exported between the 25"^ of June 1785 and 25'" 

 June 1786. [25 Geo. Ill, c. 58.] 



There was a lottery this year for 50,000 tickets, which were fold at 

 ;^i3 each, whereby government had a profit of ^3 on each ticket, being 

 in all/^150,000. [25 Geo. Ill, c. 59.] 



The abatement of duty, hitherto allowed as a compenfation for the 

 wafle upon fait, being thought too great, it was now reduced. Rigor- 

 ous penalties were inflided upon perfons convided of fmuggling flilt. 

 The permiflion to ufe foul fait as manure, on paying a low duty of four 

 pence a bulliel, was totally refcinded, as being liable to abufe. Fifli- 

 curers were prohibited from dealing in fait. And ftrider regulations 

 were made for preventing frauds in uiing fait for curing fiih. [25 Geo. 

 Ill, c. 63.] 



' Whereas the extending and improving of the Britifli fiftiery hath 

 been frequently declared by parliament to be of great importance to 

 Vol. IV. ■ K 



