William III, 1697-8: An Act for enlarging the Time for Registring of Ships pursuant to the Act for preventing Frauds and regulating Abuses in the Plantation Trade. [Chapter XLII. Rot. Parl. 9 Gul. III. p.7.n.2]

Recital of 7 & 8 W. III. c. 22. §16; and that Merchants had sent out Ships, and through Inadvertence had omitted to register them, and make Oath pursuant to the said Act.

English-built Ships, &c. to have Nine Months from 25th March. 1698, for registering.

Whereas by an Act made in the Seventh and Eighth Years of the Reign of His present Majesty King William intituled An Act for preventing Frauds and regulating Abuses in the Plantation Trade it is amongst other Things enacted That from and after the Five and twentieth Day of March in the Year of our Lord One thousand six hundred ninety and eight no Ship or Vessel whatsoever shall be deemed or pass as a Ship of the Built of England Ireland Wales Berwick Guernsey Jersey or of any of His Majesties Plantation in America so as to be qualified to trade to from or in any of the said Plantations until the Person or Persons claiming Property in such Ship or Vessel shall register the same as followeth (that is to say) if the Ship at the Time of such Register doth belong to any Port in England Ireland Wales or to the Town of Berwick upon Tweed then Proof shall be made upon Oath of One or more of the Owners of such Shipp or Vessel before the Collector [or (fn. 1) ] Comptroller of His Majesties Customs in such Port or if at the Time of such Register the Ship belong to any of His Majesties Plantations in America or to the Islands of Guernsey or Jersey then the like Proof to be made before the Governor together with the principal Officer of His Majesties Revenue residing on such Plantation or Island which Oath is to be made and a Certificate thereof to be delivered to the Master in such Manner as in the said Act is directed and appointed And whereas several Merchants trading to the Plantations have sent out several Ships and Vessels to the said Plantations and have through Inadvertency only omitted to register them and make Oath thereof pursuant to the said Act though in every respect qualified to be registred where by some of them have been seized and incurred the Penalties of the said Act others of them in great Danger thereof which if not remedyed may tend to the Prejudice of His Majesty in His Customs to the Damage of the Plantations and to the Ruine of many of the said Merchants For Remedy whereof be it therefore enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That all Ships and Vessels of the Built of England Ireland Wales Berwick Guernsey Jersey or of any of His Majesties said Plantations in America being English Property shall have Nine Months ( (fn. 2) ) Time from the said Five and twentieth Day of March One thousand six hundred ninety eight for registring such Ships and all such Ships or Vessels being registred within the said Nine Months shall have and enjoy all such Benefit and Advantage of the said Act as they might or could have had in case they had been registred before the said Five and twentieth Day of March One thousand six hundred ninety eight Any Thing in the said Act contained or any Proceeding thereupon to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.