The Bounty System. 65 



foot to each ton, girt measure, according to the customary way of 

 measuring round bodies). 



The premiums were to be awarded by the principal officers 

 of the navy, who were empowered to make out bills payable in 

 course, and elaborate provision was made for certificates of evi- 

 dence that the stores were actually of the growth of the plan- 

 tations. The imports were to be subject to the same regula- 

 tions as imported sugar, tobacco, etc., /. c, they were included 

 among the enumerated commodities whose importation was 

 restricted to the home market.. 



The eflfect of the publication of the act by the governors of 

 the several colonies was felt immediately. The petitions of 

 Bridger and of the merchants and traders to X"ew England, 

 that a person be sent over to teach the people how to prepare 

 pitch and tar properly, led to the appointment of a surveyor of 

 the woods. ^ The Massachusetts Assembly passed an act reg- 

 ulating the "assize of casks" for pitch, tar and turpentine, and 

 providing for the appointment of viewers and gangers to exam- 

 ine the size of the casks, to see that they were completely filled 

 with tar or pitch of the proper quality, and, in general, to pre- 

 vent frauds and deceits.^ Governor Seymour, of Maryland, 

 wrote in August, 1706, that Her Majesty's favor in admitting 

 stores had been very thankfully received by the inhabitants of 

 that province, many of whom had large fields jaded with to- 

 bacco, but which might be very proper for hemp, the sowing 

 and reaping of which would be no hindrance to the tobacco cul- 

 ture. The Assembly, he said, had enacted a law that hemp and 

 fiax should be current in part payment for debt. Maryland 

 could not supply masts and bowsprits, but there were great 

 quantities of pine woods, and many of the people were aiming 

 at pitch and tar, though greatly handicapped by their lack of 



^Memorial from Mr. Bridger, March i6, 1705, B. T. Plants. Gen., 

 H: 4 and petition from merchants and traders to New England, B. T. 

 New Eng., P: 35. See Part II, Ch. II. 



^Acts and Laws of H. M. Prov. of l\Iass. Bay, (Edit. 1742,) p. 130. 



