On the Fluvanna, from Scott's to Battersby's, or Noble Ladd's, in Albemarle, for a man three pence, for a horse the same.

Saving to

persons ex

And for wheel carriages the same in proportion to the rates herein last mentioned, as is allowed at public ferries: Provided nevertheless, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to oblige any person or persons to pay for ferriages at any of the said empted. county ferries, who, before the making of this act, was or were exempted from the same, by reason of his, her, or their estate or interest in the county were such ferries are kept.

IV. And for the better and more orderly keeping Regulation of public ferries, Be it further enacted by the authori- of ferry ty aforesaid, That the court of every county, where- keepers. in such ferries are, or shall be appointed, shall have, and is hereby declared to have authority of ordering and directing, what boat or boats, and the number of hands which shall be kept at each ferry respectively; and the owner of the land, whereon any such ferry is or shall be, shall, within six months after passing this act, give bond with one surety, in the court of the county wherein such ferry is, and in the penalty of twenty pounds, with condition, That he will duly keep such ferry, or cause the same to be kept accordi to law, and will give immediate passage to all public messengers and expresses, when required from time to time; and in case any such person shall neglect or refuse to give such bond, or to cause the same to be given on his behalf, he shall forfeit and pay forty shillings for every month's refusal or neglect, to the king, his heirs, and successors, for the better support of this government, and the contingent charges thereof, recoverable with costs, by action of debt or information, in any court of record, where the same shall be cognizable.

V. And for ascertaining what shall be accounted What shall public messages and expresses, It is hereby declared, be public exThat all expresses sent by the Secretary of this colo- presses. ny, or any member of the council, or by the sheriff of any county, or a commander in chief, colonel, lieutenant-colonel, or major, to the governor or commander in chief of this dominion, for the time being, or sent by such governor or commander in chief, or by the clerk of the council, to any person, or sent by any

Sheep, goat. For every sheep, goat, or lamb, one fifth part of the ferriage of one horse.

Hogs,

er rates.

For every hog, one fourth of the ferriage of one horse. According to the prices herein before settled at such ferry respectively, and no more.

Penalty on And if any ferry keeper shall presume to demand taking great and receive, from any person or persons whatsoever, any greater rate than is herein before allowed, for the carriage and ferriage of any thing whatsoever, he or they, for every such offence, shall forfeit and pay to the party grieved, the ferriage demanded, and received, and ten shillings, to be recovered with costs, before any justice of peace, of the county where such offence shall be committed.

ries.

II. And that where a ferry is by this act appointed County on one side of a river or creek, and none on the other courts may appoint op- side answerable thereto, it shall be lawful for the reposite fer- spective county courts, to appoint an opposite ferry, and to allow the respective rates herein before directed, and the said courts are also hereby impowered to appoint a ferry over any river or creek, within their respective counties, where the same shall be found And ferries convenient, and to contract with the keeper of such for their mi- ferry or of any public ferry, to set over the militia of the county, on muster days, and to raise an allowance for the same in their county levy; Provided al ways, That no such allowance shall be raised for any ferry over a river or creek into another county.

litia.

Other fer

fies.

III. And that it shall be lawful for the keepers of the several county ferries, herein after mentioned, respectively, to demand and take for ferriage, the following rates, that is to say,

On the river Occoquan in Prince William, for a man three pence, for a horse the same.

Nominy, in Westmoreland, for a man four pence, for a horse the same.

-Mattox, in the same county, for a man three pence, for a horse the same.

Pappahanock creek, in Richmond county, for a man three pence, for a horse the same.

Piscataway, in Essex, for a man three pence, for a horse the same.

On James river, at Branch's in Henrico, for a man three pence, for a horse the same.

From Jacob Micheaux's to Thomas Atkins's, for a man three pence, for a horse the same.

On the Fluvanna, from Scott's to Battersby's, or Noble Ladd's, in Albemarle, for a man three pence, for a horse the same.

And for wheel carriages the same in proportion to the rates herein last mentioned, as is allowed at public ferries: Provided nevertheless, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to oblige any person persons ex

Saving to

or persons to pay for ferriages at any of the said empted.
county ferries, who, before the making of this act,
was or were exempted from the same, by reason of
his, her, or their estate or interest in the county were
such ferries are kept.

IV. And for the better and more orderly keeping Regulation of public ferries, Be it further enacted by the authori- of ferry ty aforesaid, That the court of every county, where- keepers. in such ferries are, or shall be appointed, shall have, and is hereby declared to have authority of ordering and directing, what boat or boats, and the number of hands which shall be kept at each ferry respectively; and the owner of the land, whereon any such ferry is or shall be, shall, within six months after passing this act, give bond with one surety, in the court of the county wherein such ferry is, and in the penalty of twenty pounds, with condition, That he will duly keep such ferry, or cause the same to be kept accordi to law, and will give immediate passage to all public messengers and expresses, when required from time to time; and in case any such person shall neglect or refuse to give such bond, or to cause the same to be given on his behalf, he shall forfeit and pay forty shillings for every month's refusal or neglect, to the king, his heirs, and successors, for the better support of this government, and the contingent charges thereof, recoverable with costs, by action of debt or information, in any court of record, where the same shall be cognizable.

V. And for ascertaining what shall be accounted What shall public messages and expresses, It is hereby declared, be public exThat all expresses sent by the Secretary of this colo- presses. ny, or any member of the council, or by the sheriff of any county, or a commander in chief, colonel, lieutenant-colonel, or major, to the governor or commander in chief of this dominion, for the time being, or sent by such governor or commander in chief, or by the clerk of the council, to any person, or sent by any

allowance.

chief militia officer, to the governor, or to the chief commanding officer of the militia in the next county, to give intelligence of the approach of an enemy, or which shall come from beyond sea, directed to the governor, or commander in chief of this colony, shall be accounted public messages and expresses, and ferry free, within the condition and meaning of the bond aforesaid, in case such expresses be directed for his majesty's service, and signed upon the superscription by the person or persons sending the same: And his Messenger's majesty's receiver general for the time being, shall pay such messenger at the seat of this government, out of the revenues of two shillings per hogshead on tobacco, or head money, fort duties, fines, or rights, in ready money, for every mile he shall be sent forward on such public message, four pence per mile, for himself and horse, in full consideration for his going and returning; and where he shall be kept attending by order of the governor or commander in chief, five shillings per day for such attendance. Provided, That such messenger produce, from the superscriber of such express, a certificate of the messenger's name, and distance of miles; and his attendance shall also be certified by the governor. or the clerk of the council, before payment of the said reward: and if such messenger be sent by water, the same shall be paid for, at the rate of fifteen pence per day for the boat, and two shillings per day for each man employed to go in her.

Adjutant and

ing runa

ways.

VI. And it is also hereby enacted, That keepers of ferries within this dominion shall give immediate ferry free. passage to the adjutant-general of the militia, or his And consta- deputy, and one servant, with their horses, ferry free: bles conduct And also to all constables and their assistants, charged with conducting any runaway servant or slave, either to the public gaol, or to such runaway's master or owner, without charging such constable or assistants for ferriage, either going or returning: But all such ferriage, and the ferriage of such runaways, ways ferria- shall be paid by the county where the respective ferges shall be ries are kept, and repaid by the public, and levied updischarged on the owners of such runaways.

How runa

VII. And for encouragement of ferry keepers, Encouragements to fer- and in consideration of setting over public messenry keepers. gers, and the persons exempted by this act, Be it fur

ther enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all the men attending the said ferries be free of public and county levies, and from all other public services of musters, constables, clearing highways, impressment, and other things of like nature: And that keepers of ferries shall rot be chargeable with any fee for giving bond: And if the court shall find it requisite or useful that an ordinary be kept at any ferry, they may licence such ferry keeper to keep ordinary, without any fee for the license, or obtaining the same, except half the fee by law allowed to the governor; notwithstanding there be a sufficient number of other ordinaries in the same county: Provided always, That every ferry keeper so licensed to keep ordinary shall give bond and security, and be liable to the same penalties as other ordinary keepers: And that if any other per- Penalty on son whatsoever shall, for reward, set any person or other perpersons over any river or creek, whereon public fer- sons taking ries are by this act appointed, he or she so offending ferriage. shall forfeit and pay five pounds current money, for every such offence, one moiety to the ferry keeper nearest the place where such offence shall be committed, the other moiety to the informer; and if such ferry keeper inform, he shall have the whole penalty, to be recovered with costs by action of debt or information, in any county court of this dominion.

clause.

VIII. And be it further enacted, by the authority Repealing aforesaid, That all and every other act and acts, clause and clauses heretofore made, for or concerning any matter or thing within the purview of this act, except one act made in the eighteenth year of his present majesty's reign, For enabling the justices of Fairfax and Prince William counties, to levy tobacco on the said counties, to support Occoquan ferry, shall be and are hereby repealed.

IX. And be it further enacted, by the authority afore- Commencesaid, That this act shall commence and be in force ment of tnis from and immediately after the tenth day of June, act. which shall be in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty one,