A. D. 1786. 103 



June 1 3'" — For fome time the attention of government had been very 

 much turned to the fupprefllon of every branch of fmuggling. The 

 commutation a61:, and the fmuggUng aft, had already in a great meafure 

 abohfhed the trade of thofe who made fmuggling their fole purfuit : 

 but there remained a very confiderable fmuggling bufinefs, carried on 

 by vellels in regular trade upon their arrival on the coafl ; and great 

 impofitions upon the revenue were committed by fraudulently reland- 

 ing goods (hipped for exportation upon bounties and drawbacks. In 

 order to remedy thefe evils, it was now enacted, that the commander of 

 every Britifli vefTel, taking onboard goods for any Britifh port, fhould 

 make out a manifell, figned by himfelf, and containing the name, bur- 

 then, and defcription, of the veflel, the port to which flie belongs, and 

 the commander's name, together with an exad: account of every article 

 of the cargo, with the marks, numbers, and defcription, of the packages, 

 and the place, or places, of fhipping. The commander, before he fails 

 from any port in the foreign dominions of Great Britain, mull deliver 

 his manifefl to the principal officer of the cuftoms, or, failing fuch 

 officer, to the chief magiftrate of the place, who is direded to take a 

 copy of it, and to return the original, with an indorfation of the time 

 when it was prefented, and to tranfmit his duplicate to the coUedor of 

 the port in Great Britain, to which the veffel is configned. The com- 

 manders of veffels, faiUng from ports belonging to foreign powers, muft 

 verify the contents of their manifefts by oath taken before the Britifh 

 conful, or other chief Britifh officer, at or near the port of fhipping. 

 On his arrival within four leagues of the Britifh coaft the commander 

 is required to deliver a copy of the manifefl to the firfl officer of the 

 cuftoms who ffiall board him ; and on arriving within the limits ofhis 

 port of confignment, he mufl deliver a fecond copy to the firfl officer 

 who fhall board him : and both officers are to acknowlege fuch delivery, 

 with the date, &c. on the back of the original manifefl, and to tranf- 

 mit their copies to the coUedor or comptroller of the port of confign- 

 ment. The commander and chief mate of every veffel breaking bulk, 

 or delivering any goods whatever, before permifTion to unload is duely 

 obtained, unlefs in cafes of abfolute necefhty, are made hable to fines of 

 ;;{'200 each. The certificates, required by former ads on the importa- 

 tion of particular goods, flill continue to be required. The commander 

 and chief mate of every veffel outward bound mufl give bond with 

 fecurity for ^^"200 each, that they will not allow any goods to be delivered 

 illegally, nor give any obflrudion to the officers of the revenue in the 

 execution of their duty. To prevent frauds in receiving bounties or 

 drawbacks, the packers or their foremen are required to make oath to 

 the contents of all bales packed by them ; and debentures are to be 

 made out in the names of the real owners of the goods. With refped 

 to goods exported to Ireland, Guernfey, or Jerfey, the bounties or draw- 



