As foon as thall have been found practicable, the commif fioners hall certify the fame to the commiffioners of the navy, fhall choose or nominate for the experiment, without lofing their longitude beyond the limits before mentioned. IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That fuch method as soon as fuch method for the discovery of the faid longitude shall have been tried and found practicable and useful at fea, within any of the degrees aforefaid, That the faid commiffioners, or the major part of them, fhall certify the fame accordingly, under their hands and feals, to the commiffioners of the navy for the time being, together with the perfon or perfons names, who are the authors of fuch propofal; and upon fuch certificate the faid commiffioners are hereby authorized and required to make out a bill or bills for the refpective fum or fums of money, to which the author or authors of fuch proposal, their executors, adminiftrators, or affigns, fhall be entitled by virtue of this act; which fum or fums the treasurer of the navy is hereby required to pay to the faid author or authors, their navy shall pay executors, adminiftrators, or affigns, out of any money that shall be in his hands unapplied to the ufe of the navy, according to the true intent and meaning of this act. who thall make out bills for payment of the reward, and the trea furer of the the fame. The commif fioners may allow a lefs reward for any propofal of confider V. And it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That if any fuch propofal fhall not, on trial, be found of fo great use, as aforementioned, yet if the fame, on trial, in the judgment of the faid commiffioners, or the major part of them, be found of confiderable use to the publick, that then in such able ufe to the cafe, the faid author or authors, their executors, adminiftrators, publick. or affigns, fhall have and receive fuch lefs reward therefore, as the faid commiffioners, or the major part of them, fhall think reasonable, to be paid by the treasurer of the navy, on fuch certificate, as aforelaid, CAP. XVI. An act to reduce the rate of intereft, without any prejudice to parliamentary fecurities. 7HEREAS the reducing of intereft to ten, and from thence to eight, and thence to fix in the hundred, hath, from time to time, by experience been found very beneficial to the advancement of trade, and improvement of lands: and whereas the heavy burden of the late long and expenfive war hath been chiefly born by the owners of the land of this kingdom, by reafon whereof they have been neceffitated to contract very large debts, and thereby, and by the abatement in the value of their lands, are become greatly impoverished: and whereas by reafon of the great intereft and profit which hath been made of money at home, the foreign trade of this nation hath of late years been much neglected, and at this time there is a great abatement in the value of the merchandizes, wares, and commodities of this kingdom, both at home and in foreign parts, whither they are transported: and whereas for the redress of thefe mifchiefs, and the preventing the encrease of the fame, it is abfolutely neceffary to reduce the high rate of interest of fix pounds in the hundred pounds for a year to a nearer proportion with the intereft allowed for moncy in foreign ftates; be it therefore enacted by the Queen's moft excellent majefty, by and with the advice ..... advice and consent of the lords fpiritual and temporal, and com- fon fhall take cent. interest. be void. contract, which shall be made from and after the said nine and feit treble the vener, &c. II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That After 29 Sept. all and every scrivener and scriveners, broker and brokers, folici- 1714. no fcritor and folicitors, driver and drivers of bargains for contracts, fhall take who fhall after the faid nine and twentieth day of September above 5s. for take or receive, directly or indirectly, any fum or fums of mo- 100l. for a ney, or other reward or thing for brokage, foliciting, driving, or year, for brokage, &c. nor procuring the loan, or forbearing of any fum or fums of money, above 12d. beover and above the rate or value of five fhillings for the loan, fides ftamp or forbearing of one hundred pounds for a year, and so ratably, duties, for or above twelve pence, over and above the ftamp-duties, for making or remaking or renewing of the bond or bill for loan, or forbearing bond, &c. on thereof, or for any counterbond or bill concerning the fame, penalty of zol, shall forfeit for every fuch offence twenty pounds, with costs of costs, and imfuit, and fuffer imprisonment for half a year; the one moiety of pritonment for fix months; all which forfeitures to be to the Queen's most excellent majefty, one moiety to her heirs and fucceffors, and the other moiety to him or them the crown, the that will fue for the fame in the fame county where the feveral other to the offences are committed, and not elsewhere, by action of debt, profecutor. bill, plaint or information, in which no effoin, wager of law or protection fhall be allowed. newing any CAP. XVII. An alt for the Speedy and effectual preferving the navigation of the river of Thames, by topping the breach in the levels of Havering and Dagenham in the county of Effex; and for afcertaining the coal meafure. WHEREAS, the preservation of the river of Thames is of the utmost importance, as well to the city of London, as to the trade of this whole kingdom: and whereas in the year one thoufand seven hundred and feven, by a violent inundation of the said river of Thames, there happened a great breach in the walls or banks of the levels of Havering and Dagenham in the county of Effex, next adjoining to the faid river, whereby one thousand acres of land in the faid levels is overflowed, and the fame, if not speedily remedied, will tend to the apparent hazard of the navigation of the faid river, by the continual quantities of earth and gravel, which every tide are brought from the faid breach, and have already occafioned a shelf or fand bank to grow up near the mouth of the faid breach, which reaches almost half crojs the river in breadth, and near a mile in length; infomuch that if the faid breach is not stopped, and the walls or banks made good again, the navigation of the faid river of Thames is in danger of being utterly destroyed: for remedy whereof, be it enacted, &c. For 10 years from 10 July 1714. Ships coming into the port of London, to pay 3d per ton. Coalters 3 s. each voyage. Colliers d. per chalder. Names of the trustees. Trustees may appoint receivers of these duties. Duties to be applied to the stopping the breach. Accounts, &c. to be laid before the parliament. No customer, &c. to take any entries, &c. till Thefe duties are paid, on forfeiture of 50l. Collector may enter fhips, and diftrain for the duties. Truftees may borrow money on this act at 61, per cent. If fufficient money be raised within the 10 years, then the duties to ceale. EXP. XI. And whereas the practice and ufage in the port of London for many years laft paft, in the measurement of all forts of coals, commonly called fea coals, water-born, liable to the feveral duties, and chargeable with the fame by feveral acts of parliament, hath usually been made by a busbel equal to one bushel and one quart, Winchester meafure, according to the fandard in her Majefly's Exchequer and whereas fome doubts and difputes have of late arifen touching the measurement of fea coals; for preventing therefore all fuch dif putes for the future, be it enacted and declared by the authority The contents aforefaid, That the bushel commonly called the coal bushel, fhall be made round, with a plain and even bottom, and to be nineteen inches and a half from outfide to outfide, and to con13 & 14 W. 3 tain one Winchester bushel and one quart of water, according to the ftandard for the Winchefter bufhel, defcribed by an act of parliament made in the thirteenth year of the reign of his late majefty King William for fettling a duty upon malt, and all fea coals and culm chargeable with any duties by the Winchester measure, from and after the first day of August one thousand feven hundred and fourteen, shall be chargeable with the faid of a coal buthel. 5. 1.28. duties, duties, and be fold, measured, and paid by the chalder, containing thirty-fix of fuch bufhels, as aforefaid, heaped up, and no other, and fo in proportion for any greater or leffer quantity, under the like penalties and forfeitures as are by law prescribed in regard to the Winchester bushel; any law, ufage or custom to the contrary in any wife notwithstanding. XII. And for the more eafy and better afcertaining the contents of A ftandard the faid bufhel, be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, bufhel to be kept in the That the lord high treasurer, or any three or more of the com- Exchequer. miffioners of the treafury for the time being, fhall caufe an ex- The penalty of act bushel to be made of brass of the manner and dimensions a- 501. is laid on dealers in coals forefaid, and the fame to be fealed and kept in her Majefty's not using such a Exchequer as a standard for the purposes aforefaid, that recourfe bushel, by may be had thereto as occafion fhall require. f. 13. 3 Geo. 2. c.26. Lands fold by decree of commiffioners of fewers, &c. may be redeemed by the land owners before 1 Dec. 1714. Notice in the gazette of receiving propofals for ftopping the breach. Coasting hoys not chargeable. EXP. CA P. XVIII. An att for the preserving all fuch ships and goods thereof, which Jhall happen to be forced on shore, or stranded, upon the coafts of this kingdom, or any other of her Majesty's dominions. WH THEREAS by an act made in the third year of the reign of 3 Ed. 1. c. 4. King Edward the First, concerning wrecks at fea, it is enacted, That where a man, a dog, or a cat, efcape quick out of the ship, that such ship, nor barge, nor any thing in them, shall be adjudged a wreck, but the goods fhall be faved, and kept by view of the Sheriff, coroner, or the King's bailiff, and delivered into the hands of fuch as are of the town where the goods were found; so that if any fue for thofe goods, and after prove that they were his, or perished within his keeping, within a year and a day, they shall be restored to him without delay, and if not, they shall remain to the King, or to fuch others to whom wreck belongeth; and he that otherwise doth, and thereof be attainted, fhall be arvarded to prifon, and make fine at the King's will: and whereas by another act made in the fourth year of the reign of the faid Edward the First, intituled, De officio Coro- 4 Ed.1. ftat. z. natoris, concerning the wreck of the fea, it is enacted, That wherefoever it be found, if any lay hands of it, he shall be attached by fufficient pledges, and the price of the wreck shall be valued, and delivered to the town: and whereas great complaints have been made by Several merchants, as well her Majefty's fubjects as foreigners, trading to and from this kingdom, that many fhips of trade, after all their dangers at fea efcaped, have unfortunately, near home, run on fhore, or been ftranded on the coafts thereof; and that fuch fhips have been barbarously plundered by her Majefty's fubjects, and their cargoes embezilled, and when any part thereof has been faved, it has been fwallowed up by exorbitant demands for falvage, to the great lofs of her Majesty's revenue, and to the much greater damage of her Majesty's trading fubjects: for remedy whereof, be it enacted by the Queen's most Sheriffs, mayors, &c. and custom house officers to fummon men to affift fhips in diftrefs. moft excellent majefty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, in this present parliament affembled, and by the authority of the fame, That the fheriffs, juftices of the peace of every county, or county of a city or town, and also all mayors, bailiffs, and other head officers of corporations and port towns near adjoining to the fea, and all conftables, headboroughs, tything-men, and officers of the customs in all and every fuch places fhall, upon application made to them, or any of them, by or on the behalf of any commander or chief officer of any fhip or veffel of any of her Ma jefty's fubjects, or others, being in danger of being ftranded or run on fhore, or being stranded or run on fhore, are hereby impowered and required to command the conftables of the feveral ports within her Majefty's dominions, nearest to the fea coafts where any fuch fhip or veffel fhall be in danger, as aforefaid, to fummon and call together as many men as fhall be thought neceffary to the affiftance and for the prefervation of fuch fhip or veffel fo in diftrefs, as aforefaid, and their cargoes; and that if there shall be any fhip or veffel, either man of war or merchants hip, belonging to her Majefty, or any of her fubjects, riding at anchor near the place where fuch fhip or veffel is in distress or danger, as aforefaid, the officers of the cuftoms, and constables above mentioned, or any of them, are hereby impowered and required to demand of the fuperior officers of fuch fhip or veffel fo riding at anchor, as aforefaid, affiftance by their boats, and fuch hands as they can conveniently fpare, for the faid fervice and prefervation of the faid fhip or veffel fo in distress, as aforefaid; and that in cafe fuch fuperior officer of fuch fhip or veffel riding at anchor, as aforefaid, fhall refufe or neglect to give such affistance, he shall forfeit for the fame the fum of one en forfeiture hundred pounds, to be recovered by the fuperior officer of the All ships to affilt, of 1901. Reasonable falvage to be made. Goods faved from firanded faid fhip or veffel fo in diftrefs, as aforefaid, together with their II. And for the encouragement of fuch perfons as fhall give ployed |