as Coasters, shall previous to their sailing, produce to either of the Intendants of Trade within this State, a true Manifest under Oath, of all the Provisions which he hath on board said Vessel for the Use of his Crew, specifying therein the different Qualities and Quantities of Provisions which he hath on board such Ship or Vessel; and thereupon the said Intendant shall give to the Master of such Ship or Vessel a Bill of Stores, permitting him to carry the Provisions therein specified; provided it shall appear to the said Intendant that the Quantity therein contained is not more than sufficient for the Use of the Crew of such Ship or Vessel. AND be further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Commander of every armed Vessel, applying at the Secretary's Office for a Commission, or Letters of Marque and Reprisal, shall previous to his receiving the same, render a true Manifest under Oath, of all the Provisions which he hath on board such Ship or Vessel, for the Subsistence of the Crew thereof, specifying therein the different Quantities and Qualities of Provisions; and thereupon the said Secretary shall deliver to the Commander of such private Ship or Vessel of War a Bill of Stores, permitting him to carry the Provisions therein specified; provided it shall appear to him that the Quantity therein contained is not more than is sufficient for the Crew of such Ship or Vessel of War. AND be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Intendants of Trade, within this State, or either of their Deputies, be and they are hereby directed to search every Vessel within their respective Districts, as well private Vessels of War as Merchantmen or Coasters; and if they shall find on board a greater Quantity of Provisions than is contained in said Bill of Stores, that it shall and may be lawful, and the said Intendants or either of them, or either of their Deputies, are hereby directed and fully empowered to seize the Quantity more than is contained in said Bill of Stores, and to lodge an Information against the same, before the Judge of the maritime Court within this State, who is hereby directed to proceed therein, agreeable to the Act for the Trial of Prize Causes within this State, and on Condemnation thereof shall order and decree said Goods to be sold at public Vendure, and shall order that One-Third Part thereof, after deducting all Charges of Trial and Condemnation, be delivered to the Informer or Prosecutor, 1 and the other Two-Thirds to be paid into the GeneralTreasury, to and for the Use of this State. AND be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every Master of a Vessel, as well private Vessels of War as Merchantmen or Coasters, who shall be detected in carrying or having on board his said Ship or Vessel any greater Quantity of Provisions than is in this Act specified, shall forfeit and pay as a Fine, to and for the Use of this State, the Sum of Five Hundred Pounds lawful Money, to be recovered by Bill, Plaint or Information, in any Court of Record within this State. AND be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That dried and pickled Fish be added to the Number of prohibited Articles referred to in the afore-recited Resolve of Congress. AND be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That this Act shall continue and be in Force, until the Fifteenth Day of November next, unless sooner repealed by this Assembly; and that a Copy thereof be inserted in the Providence Gazette Three Weeks successively, that all Persons concerned may have Notice thereof. PASSED AT DECEMBER SESSION, 1778. [P. 16.] An ACT for supplying the Army within this State with Forage, Fuel, WHEREAS the Honorable the Continental Congress, Act for supplyby a Resolution of the Thirtieth of November last, recom- with Forage, &c. mended to the Government of this State (wherein a Part of the Army is now stationed) to take such Measures in Aid of the Forage-Masters (who shall first use every Endeavour to purchase the same) for the procuring sufficient Quantities of Forage, at reasonable Rates, as shall in their Opinion be effectual, and most likely to procure a speedy Supply: And whereas great Uneasiness hath arisen from the Manner in which Forage and other necessary Supplies have been obtained from the Inhabitants of this State; for preventing whereof in future, and in order that due Supplies may be procured, so far as this State can supply, agreeably to the above Recommendation: BE it therefore Enacted by this General Assembly, and by the Authority of the same, That so often as it shall happen that the Army, or any Part thereof, within this State, shall be in Want of Forage, Grain, Fuel, Teams, Horses, or other Articles or Things for the Support of the Army, or any Part thereof, or for removing of Cannon, Baggage, Stores, or other Things belonging to and for the Use of the Army, and the Quarter-Masters, or their Deputies, or other Officers, cannot, with the Consent of the Owners or possessors of such Forage, Grain, Fuel, Teams, Horses, or any other Thing or Article, for the necessary Use of the Army, obtain the same, the said Quarter-Masters, their Deputies, or other Officers, shall make Application to his Excellency the Governor, or his Honor the DeputyGovernor, or either of the Assistants, or Justices of the Superior Court of Judicature, Court of Assize and General Gaol Delivery, and inform what Articles or Things are wanted for the Army, and the Necessity of having the same; and shall thereupon inform his Excellency the Governor, or other Officer in the civil Department, herein before named, of any Person or Persons who may be possessed of any Articles, of which the Army may be in Want, and do withhold the same: And thereupon the said Officer in the civil Department shall forthwith issue his Warrant, directed to the Sheriff or his Deputy, or either of the Constables or Town-Sergents in the County where the Person or Persons reside, who are suggested to be possessed of such Articles, and cite him or them immediately to appear before such Officer who shall grant said warrant: And upon Examination into the Matter, if it shall appear that such Person or Persons are possessed of the Articles or Things suggested, and can without very great Inconvenience spare the same, the said Officer in the civil Department shall grant his Warrant, and empower the Officer in the Military Department to take and impress the same to and for the Use of the Army. And the said Officer in the military Department shall pay therefor according to the usual customary going Price or Value of such Article or Service done; and the Person cited to appear shall pay all lawful Costs thereon; and if he neglects so to do, Execution shall and may issue therefor. And if it shall appear, upon Examination, that such Person who shall be cited in Manner as aforesaid, hath not any Articles to spare without the greatest Inconvenience, that thereupon such Person shall be dismissed. AND it is further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That whenever and so often as it shall happen, that a Warrant to cite or notify any Person or Persons who are suggested to have such Articles, and he or they cannot be ofund by the Officer who hath the Warrant of Citation or Notification, that such Officer shall make Enquiry into the Matter suggested in said Notification, and make Report thereof to the Officer who granted the same, who thereupon shall make such Order and Judgment as to him shall appear right. PROVIDED always, and it is to be understood, That nothing in this Act contained shall be xtend or be construed to extend to prevent the military Department from executing all their Force and Power for the Good of the Community at large, when and at any Time the Enemy shall actually land upon the Main, and are making Incursions into the Country. AND be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all Acts and Resolutions made and passed by this Assembly, or the Council of War, empowering the QuarterMasters to impress the aforementioned Articles, be and the same are hereby so far repealed. PROVIDED always, That nothing in this Act shall extend or be construed to extend to repeal the Acts, Orders or Resolutions of the Council of War, apportioning Wood upon the several Towns within this State, to be delivered weekly to and for the Use of the Army; but that the same be paid for according to the going Price, or Value thereof, where the same is delivered: And upon the Neglect of any Town's delivering the Wood, as is by Order of the Council of War directed, such Town where the Town-Councils have not proportioned the same shall be proceeded against as is in this Act prescribed. And in such Town where the Proportions have been made, the delinquent Persons shall be proceeded against in like Manner. AND the Secretary is ordered to publish a Copy of this Act in the next Providence Gazette. PASSED AT JANUARY SESSION, 1779. [P. 5.] It is Voted and Resolved, That the Act passed at the last Session of this Assembly, intituled, "An Act for supplying the Army within this State with Forage" etc. be and the same is hereby repealed. Act regulating the Toll to be PASSED AT MAY SESSION, 1779. [P. 20.] An ACT regulating the Toll to be taken by Millers. WHEREAS it is necessary, during the present Scarcity taken by Millers. of Corn, and the high Price of that Article, that the Quantity of Toll for the grinding the same should be reduced: Wherefore, It is Voted and Resolved, That no Miller, or other Person taking Corn or other Grain to grind, shall upon any Pretence whatever take more Toll for the grinding the same than a Twenty-fourth Part, or Three Pints, for grinding a Bushel, and so proportionably for a greater or less Quantity, upon the Penalty of forfeiting as a Fine Twelve Pounds for each Offence, the one Half thereof to the Informer, and the other Half to the Use of the Poor of the Town where such Offence shall be committed; the Offender to be tried before any one Justice of the Peace where such Offence shall be committed: and the Party offending shall be liable to pay the Party aggrieved his lawful Damages, excepting such Millers, and Persons tending Mills, as are excepted in an Act regulating Millers in their taking Toll; and that this Resolve continue in Force until the First Day of October next; any Law, Custom or Usage, to the contrary notwithstanding. Ordered, That a Copy hereof be sent to the several Town-Clerks within this State as soon as may be, that the same be set up in the most public Place in the several Grist-Mills throughout this State, not before excepted; and that it be published in the Providence NewsPapers. Act laying an Embargo. PASSED AT OCTOBER SESSION, 1779. [P. 9.] An ACT laying an Embargo. WHEREAS our Sister States of Connecticut, for a long Time since, and of Massachusetts-Bay of late, have enacted Laws for preventing the Exportation of the Necessaries and Conveniences of Life, whereby this State has been greatly injured and impoverished in its usual and wonted Commerce, and deprived of its accustomed Supplies, on which it almost essentially depended for Subsistence: And whereas out strict Attention to the more |