A.D. 1721. r Anno o&avo Georgii Regis. . C. 11,12. 367 CAP.' XI. An A& for reftoring and rebuilding the Haven and Piers of Bridport in the County of Dorfet, and for making a Sluce there. P R. 'I. ITTHEREAS good Harbours and Ports for Shipping are the greateft Encouragement to Trade « W and Navigation, upon which the Riches and Strength of this Kingdom do chiefly depend : ' And whereas the Borough or Town of Bridport in the County of Dorfct, was heretofore by Reafon of ' the Haven or Port there, a Place of great Trade and Commerce, and as fuch have been taken Notice of ' by feveral Charters of his Majefty's Rcyal Predcceilbrs, and other antient Records ; but by Reafon of a ' great Sicknefs, which heretofore happened in the faid Borough or Town, and fwept away the greateft. ' Part of the wealthy Inhabitants thereof, and by other Accidents, the faid Haven became neglected and ' choaked with Sands, and the Piers thereof fell to Ruin, to the great Decay of the Trade of the faid Bo- ' rough ; and as now there is no Security for Ships that happen to come, or be driven by Strefs of Wea- ' ther into the deep and dangerous Bay, wherein the faid Haven formerly was, Shipwrecks frequently ' happen, and the Lives and Eftates of many of his Majefty's Subjects are loft, which might be prevented, ' if the faid Haven and Piers were reftored and rebuilt with proper and convenient Sluce orSluces to ' fcour and cleanfe the fame, and the ancient Trade of the faid Borough thereby might be revived, his ' Majefty's Cuftoms much augmented, and the Value of Lands adjacent be greatly improved : To the ! ' End therefore that the faid Haven or Harbour, and Piers, may be reftored and rebuilt, and fuch Sluce ' or Sluces made, with proper and convenient Keys, Wharfs and Landing Places, for loading and un- 4 loading of Ships :' Be it enacted, &c. " The Bailiffs and Capital Burgeffes of Bridport in Com. Dorf. appointed Truftees for repairing the Haven " and Piers there, &c. And they or their Affigns may, after June 24, 1721. affign a Place near Bridport " Mouth, where the faid Harbour, Piers, Sluces, &c. fhall be made, where the Materials ftiall be laid, " &c. The major Part of the Bailiffs, &c. may remove Rocks and Stones on the Sea-Shore, within three " Miles from Bridport Mouth ; may have free Paffage, &c. But they fhall agree with the Owners, &c.
- of the Ground. If any Perfons refufe to agree, or through Difability cannot, two Juftices of Dorfet-
5 Jhire may iffue Precepts to the Sheriff of that County, for impanelling a Jury. The Sheriff to return " twenty-four qualified Perfons, to whom the Parties interefted may have legal Challenges. The firft " twelve being fworn, fhall affefs Damages to the Proprietors. The Juftices to give Judgment for the " Sums afleffed. There fhall be paid to the Collectors for every weigh of Salt, Laft of Wheat, Rye, &c. " Chaldron of Coals and Tun cf other Goods, imported and exported ltd. Every Ship, 6fc. of ten " Tun Burthen, or above, to pay zd. per Tun. The Bailiffs, C5V. may convey the Duties as a Secu- " rity for Money borrowed. When the Bailiffs, dsrV. are repaid the Money laid out, the Duties fhall " ceafe : And from t -.enceforth each Weigh of Salt, Laft of Whe3t, &c. Chaldron of Coals and Tun of " other Goods, &c. imported or exported, ihall pay only 6 d. And each Ship, &c. id. per Tun. Sa- " ving to the Lords of Symondjbury, Burton and Botbenhampton, all their Rights, &c. CAP. XII. An Ad: giving further Encouragement for the Importation of Naval Stores, and for other Pur- pofes therein mentioned. ' ^'"X7 HEREAS in the third and fourth Years of the Reign of her late Majefty Queen Anne, a good 3 & 4 Amir,
- VV Law was made for encouraging the Importation of Naval Stores from her Majefty's Planta- c ' IO -
' tions in America, by an Acvf which commenced the firft Day of Jan ary one thoufand feven hundred and ' five, and continued from thence forward for the Space of nine Years ; and by an Act made in the twelfth "Anna?, Stat.x, ' Year of her faid late Majefty's Reign, the aforefaid Act is continued from the Time of the Expiration of c< 9*
- the fame, for the further T-. rm of eleven Years, and from thence to the End of the next SefTion of Par-
' liament ; and by the Act laft mentioned, Encouragement is given for the Importation of Naval Stores ' from that Part of Great Britain called Scotland, to that Part of Great Britain called England, during the ' Remainder of the Time limited for granting Premiums to the Importers of Naval Stores from America? ' by the faid Acts : And whereas, in Confequence of the faid Encouragement, it is found by Experience ' that great Quantities of good and merchantable Pitch and Tar (Part of the Naval Stores mentioned in ' theYaid Acts) have been imported into this Kingdom from the faid Plantations in America, which Pitch
- and Tar have been found ufeful for the Service of his Majefty's Navy, and it is necellary to give fur-
' ther Encouragement therein : And whereas it is probable that the Owners of large Tracts of Land in;
- the faid Plantations, and in that Part of Great Britain called Scotland, lying near the Sea, and upon na-
' vigable Rivers, would be induced to fow the fame with Hemp, if farther Encouragement were given
- for that Purpofe :' May it therefore pleafe your moft Excellent Majefty, that it may be enacted, and be
it enacted by the King's moft Excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spi- ritual and Temporal, and Commons, in thisprefent Parliament aflembled, and by the Authority of the fame. That the Premium or Reward of fix Pounds, given by the faid Acts for every Ton of Hemp Premium for Ton of Hemp, &c. continued -from Expiration of the Ail iz Anns, for 16 Years, &c, ' Farther continued by 16 Geo, 2,, c, a6, 24 Geo. i»:. 57-' a "d 31 GeeyZ. i. 35, 1 water-
