sack, for which they shall be allowed and paid each one the sum of eight shillings, out of the Colony Treasury; and the Captain of each of said inlisted companies shall provide a drum and a fife for the use of his company, for which he shall be paid out of the Colony Treasury, and at the expiration of their service, shall secure the same for the use of this Colony.

And be it further enacted, That the Companies raised and formed as aforesaid, shall be called out by their chief officers, and meet one half day in each fortnight, the three summer months only excepted, either in whole or in such divisions, not exceeding four in number, as the commissioned officers shall direct, for military exercise, and shall be subject to the same penalties for absence or misbehaviour as the militia by law are already subject to; which penalties shall be collected by warrant from the chief officers, and applied to the use and benefit of said company; and the said officers and soldiers shall be allowed and paid out of the publick Treasury for each half day they shall meet and exercise as aforesaid: a Captain, three shillings; a Lieutenant, two shillings; an Ensign, one shilling and six-pence; a Sergeant and Clerk, one shilling and three-pence each; and each Corporal, Fifer, Drummer, and Private Soldier, one shilling.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the officers and soldiers of the Regiments and Companies raised and formed as aforesaid, shall hold themselves in constant readiness, to march on the shortest notice, for the defence of this or any other of the United Colonies, in obedience to the orders of the Captain-General of this Colony, or other their superior officers; and when they are called out into actual service shall have and receive like wages and billeting allowance, and be subject to the same laws and regulations, as those to which the officers and soldiers already raised and inlisted for the defence of this Colony, by order of the General Assembly, are entitled or subjected.

And be it further enacted, That the Regiments and Companies raised and formed as aforesaid, shall be exempted from military duty in any other Regiment or Company, and shall continue to be held under the aforesaid regulations during the pleasure of the General Assembly, not exceeding twelve months from and after the first day of January next, and shall then be disbanded, and returned into the Regiments and Companies of Militia to which they respectively belong, and be again subject to military duty therein, said inlistment notwithstanding: Always provided, That no officer or soldier inlisted and liable to do duty as aforesaid, shall be inlisted to have or receive the sum or sums granted to said officers and soldiers for their service as aforesaid, until he or they shall completely arm themselves as is hereinbefore directed and ordered, any thing herein contained notwithstanding.

And it is further provided, The provisions of this act shall not extend to include or affect the Twenty-fourth Regiment of Militia in this Colony.

An Act for encouraging the Manufactures of Saltpetre and Gunpoioder.

Be it enacted by the Governour, Council, and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, There shall be given and paid out of the Colony Treasury, a premium or bounty of ten pounds for every hundred pounds weight of good and merchantable Saltpetre or Nitre that shall be made and manufactured in this Colony, between the 1st day of June, 1776, and the 1st day of January, 1777, and so in proportion for a greater or a lesser quantity: Always provided, That in case any proprietor of Saltpetre Works or manufacturers of Saltpetre, shall, upon application and request made to him by any person or persons, neglect or refuse to communicate a full account of the materials out of which, and the process by which such Saltpetre or Nitre is made, such proprietor or manufacturer shall not be entitled to have or receive the aforesaid bounty or premium for any Saltpetre or Nitre he shall make, any thing herein contained notwithstanding.

Be it further enacted, That a suitable number of Inspectors of Saltpetre or Nitre be appointed by the General Assembly, and that the claimants of the premium or bounty given by this or any former act for the manufacture of Saltpetre or Nitre, shall procure the Saltpetre or Nitre by them made to be inspected by one or more of said Inspectors, and shall also make oath before such Inspector, which oath such Inspector is hereby enabled to administer, that such Saltpetre or Nitre was made and manufactured in such Colony, out of materials collected therein by him or them, or for his or their account, and that no other certificate hath been had or given for the same; and thereupon said Inspector shall give to the claimant or claimants a certificate of the quantity and quality of such Saltpetre or Nitre, and that proof hath been made as aforesaid, that the same was manufactured in this Colony by such claimant or claimants; which certificate being laid before the Committee of the Pay-Table, they shall draw an order on the Colony Treasurer, to pay such claimant or claimants the amount of the aforesaid bounty or premium on such Nitre or Saltpetre, out of the Colony Treasury, and charge the same to the Colony's account, who shall accept and pay such order accordingly.

Be it also enacted, That every town in this Colony, which hath and doth send Representatives to the General Assembly, in which Saltpetre or Nitre works are not or shall not be erected, and the manufacture of Saltpetre is not or shall not be carried on by some person or persons, shall be and are hereby enjoined as soon as may be, to erect one set of such works, and carry on the manufacture of Nitre or Saltpetre in the same; and that it shall be the duty of the Selectmen of each town in this Colony, and they are hereby authorized and enjoined at the expense, and for the benefit of said town to cause such works to be erected, and said manufacture to be carried on in the same accordingly.

Be it also enacted, That no Saltpetre, Nitre, or Gunpowder, made and manufactured, or that shall be made and manufactured in this Colony, shall be exported out of the same by land or water, without the license of the General Assembly, or his Honour the Governour and Committee of Safety, under the penalty of twenty pounds for every hundred weight of such Saltpetre, Nitre, or Gunpowder, and proportionably for a greater or lesser quantity, so without license exported; to be recovered by bill, plaint, or information, in any court of record in this Colony by law proper to take cognizance thereof.

And whereas it is necessary that two Powder-Mills be immediately erected in this Colony, for manufacturing Gunpowder: Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That a bounty or premium of thirty pounds shall be paid out of the Colony Treasury, to the person or persons who shall erect the first Powder-Mill in this Colony, and shall make and manufacture therein five hundred pounds weight of good and merchantable Gunpowder; also, that a bounty or premium of thirty pounds shall be paid out of the Colony Treasury, to the person or persons who shall erect the second Powder-Mill in this Colony, and make or manufacture therein five hundred pounds weight of good and merchantable Gunpowder.

Be it further enacted, That the Inspector of Inspectors, who shall inspect and give a certificate for any quantity of Saltpetre as before directed, shall purchase and receive such Saltpetre for the Colony's use and benefit, and give his or their receipt therefore to the claimant or claimants, who shall be paid therefore out of the Colony Treasury, at such price as the General Assembly shall ascertain and affix.

And whereas it is expedient that Powder-Mills should be so situated as to accommodate the publick in the best manner: Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no Powder-Mill shall be erected In this Colony, for the manufacture of Gunpowder, without the license of the General Assembly, or, in their recess, of the Governour and Council, first had and obtained, under the penalty of thirty pounds for every such offence, to be recovered as the other foregoing penalties in this act are directed to be recovered.

An Act for restraining and punishing Persons who are inimical to the Liberties of this and the rest of the UNITED COLONIES, and' for directing proceedings therein.

Be it enacted by the Governour, Council, and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the autho-