N° IX.

Anno decimo octavo

GEORGII II. Regis.

An ACT for effectually preventing the Exportation of FOREIGN LINENS under the Denomination of British or Irish Li

nens.

SI. WHEREAS, by Reason of the Boun- Preamble.

ty or Allowances granted on the

Exportation of British and Irish Linens, evil-minded Perfons may fraudulently endeavour to export Linens of Foreign Fabrick and Manufacture, and to receive the faid Bounties or Allowances for the fame, as if the fame were of the Manufacture of Great Britain and Ireland; And whereas certain Stamps are required by Law to be put upon Linens made in that Part of Great Britain called Scotland, and in Ireland, which may have been put on Foreign Linens, in order to vend them as Linens of the Manufacture of that Part of Great Britain called Scotland, or of Ireland; for Remedy whereof, be it enacted by the King's Moft Excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords

Spiritual

to take an

Oath for the true Execu

tion of their Office.

Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, That from and after the Twenty-ninth Day of September, One thoufand feven hundred and forty-five, no Stampmafter or Lapper in Scotland or Ireland fhall any way mark, stamp, or feal any Linens whatsoever, unStampmafters til fuch Stampmafter or Lapper fhall have taken an Oath for the true and faithful Execution of his Office, before one or more Justice or Juftices of the Peace in Scotland and Ireland refpectively, (which Oath the faid Juftice or Juftices is and are hereby authorised and required to adminifter) nor until after the Owner or Manufacturer of any Linen brought to be marked or ftamped, fhall, before the Stampmafter of the Place, next adjoining to the Place of Abode of the Owner or Linens to be Maker of fuch Linen, take an Oath (which be fworn to be Oath the faid Stampmafters, feverally and of the Manu refpectively, are hereby authorifed and

flamped, muft

facture of

Scotland or
Ireland.

Conditions

of paying a Bounty on Linens exported, relating to the Stamps.

required to adminifter) that fuch Linens defired to be marked or ftamped, and every Part thereof, is and are really and truly of the Manufacture of Scotland or Ireland, and of no other Place.

§ 2. AND be it further enacted by the Authority aforefaid, That no Bounty fhall be paid or allowed on the Exportation of any British or Irish Linens, but on fuch

only

only at both Ends of every Piece whereof the Name and Place of Abode of the Manufacturer or Maker thereof, together with the Year of our Lord wherein the faid Piece was manufactured or made, and alfo a Number denoting the Order in which fuch Piece was fo manufactured or made in fuch Year, beginning with N° I. and proceeding progreffively, according to the Number of Pieces made by fuch Manufacturer or Maker in each Year, and alfo the Name and Place of Abode of the Exporter or Seller thereof for Exportation, fhall be feverally marked or ftamped in plain, diftinct, and legible Letters, Figures, and Words at length; and unless at the Ends of every Piece of fuch Linen, there fhall be marked or stamped in plain, distinct, and legible Letters, Words, and Figures, the Month and Year when, and the Name of the Port at which fuch Linens fhall be entered for Exportation, claiming the Bounty; and unless (except in the Inftance herein after-mentioned) the Ends of every fuch Piece of Linen, near which fuch Marks or Stamps fhall be made, fhall be whole and entire, as the fame were when it was cut or taken out of the Loom, any Law or Statute to the contrary thereof in any ways notwithstanding; all which Marks or Stamps fhall be marked or ftamped

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bleaching fhall

Stampmafter.

ftamped with Lamp-black and burnt Oyl, in a plain, legible, and durable Manner.

$3. AND whereas, it is a frequent Practice in Scotland to cut a Piece of Linen, after it is taken out of the Loom, into Two or more Pieces, for the Purpose of bleaching or whitening the fame, whereby One or more of fuch Pieces may not have the Maker's or Manufacturer's Name made or fet thereon, as is herein Pieces cut for before directed; for Remedy whereof, be be cut in Pre- it enacted by the Authority aforefaid, fence of a That every Piece of Cloth intended to be cut for the Purpose of bleaching or whitening, fhall be fo cut in the Prefence of the Stampmaster of the Place next adjoining to the Place of Abode of the Owner of fuch Cloth, and each Piece cut off, not having the Manufacturer's or Maker's Name and Place of Abode ftamped thereon, fhall be stamped with the Name and Place of Abode of the faid Stampmafter, and with the Name and Place of Abode of the Manufacturer and Maker thereof, together with the Year of our Lord wherein the fame was fo bleached or whitened, the Manner which the Stampmafter is hereby imof ftamping; powered and directed to stamp thereon; and no Bounty fhall be paid or allowed on Exportation of any fuch cut Piece of Cloth that fhall not have the said stamps thereon: And if any Perfon or Perfons

no Bounty without fuch Stamps:

fhall,

fhall, from and after the Twenty-fourth penalty on Day of June, One thousand feven hun-falfe Stamps; dred and forty-five, ftamp or mark any Linens, or caufe to procure any Linens to be stamped or marked, contrary to all or any of the Directions of this Act, or fhall mark or stamp, or caufe or procure the fame to be marked or ftamped, with a Mark or Stamp, expreffing the Name or Place of Abode of any Perfon or Perfons, other than that of the real and true Manufacturer or Maker thereof, or expreffing an untrue Description of the real and true Manufacturer's or Maker's Place of Abode, or of the Year of our Lord in which fuch Linen was manufactured, or of the Order in which the fame was manufactured or made, or fhall wilfully mark or fet on any fuch Linens any falfe or counterfeit Stamp, in Imitation of the Mark or Stamp used by any Manufacturer or Maker of British or Irish Linens, or fhall willfully or maliciously cut off, obliterate, wash, take out, or deftroy, or caufe or procure to be cut off, obliterated, washed, or ta- or on taking ken out, or destroyed any Stamp or Mark out Stamps; marked or stamped on Linen, fuch Perfon

or Perfons fhall forfeit the Sum of five 51. for each Pounds for every Piece of Linen so stamp- Piece; ed as aforefaid, to be fued for and recovered by Bill, Plaint, or Information, int any of his Majesty's Courts of Record at Westminster

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