incidental charges, the sum of 62.9 Dollars; the whole amounting to 2101 Dollars.

Ordered, That the same be paid.

Resolved, That to-morrow be assigned for taking into consideration the Report of the Committee on General Washington’s Letter of the 24th of March.

Adjourned to ten o’clock, to-morrow.

Saturday, April 13, 1776.

Resolved, That an Order for 20,000 Dollars be drawn

on the Treasurers, in favour of James Mease, Commissary, for the use of the Pennsylvania Battalions, he to be accountable.

Mr. Mease having applied to Congress for advice how to conduct himself in paying the Sixth Pennsylvania Battalion,

Resolved, That the Queries propounded by Mr. Mease, be referred to the Committee for procuring Fire-Arms.

The Committee of Claims reported, that there is due,

To Robert Erwin, the balance of his account for Wagon hire, the sum of 436 Dollars.

every such offence, forfeit the sum of one hundred pounds, over and above the money then in such agents hands; one-third part whereof shall belong to his Majesty, and the remaining two-third parts to the said Royal Hospital, to be recovered, with costs of suit, by action of debt, bill, plaint, or information, in any of his Majesty’s courts of record, in which no essoin, protection, privilege, or wager of law, or more than one imparlance, shall be allowed.

XXIX. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any fraud, collusion, or deceit, shall be wittingly or willingly made, used, committed, permitted, or done, or suffered, in making, stating, or balancing, any such accounts, then every person or persons who shall be thereof duly convicted, and his and their aiders and abetters, shall forfeit and pay, for every such offence, over and above the penalties and punishments inflicted by this act, the sum of one hundred pounds; one-third part whereof to be to the use of his Majesty, and one other third part to the use of the said Hospital, and the remaining third part to the informer who shall sue for the same, to be recovered, with costs of suit, by action of debt, bill, plaint, or information, in any court of record, in which no essoin, protection, privilege, or wager of law, or more than one imparlance, shall be allowed.

XXX. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Register or Registers of his Majesty’s High Court of Admiralty, and all other Courts of Admiralty in Great Britain, shall, from time to time, duly enter or register, or cause to be entered or registered, in one or more book or books, to be by him or them kept for that purpose only, all letters of attorney that shall be exhibited by any agent or agents for any prize or prizes which shall be taken by any of his Majesty’s ships or vessels of war, within fourteen days after the same shall be so exhibited or delivered to such Register or Registers, at his or their respective offices; which registry shall contain the day of delivery and entry, the dates of the letters of attorney, the names and places of abode of the agents, the names of the prizes taken, together with the names of the ships or vessels by which such prizes shall have been taken; and the said Register or Registers shall, on the 26th day of March, and the 30th day of September, or within forty days thereafter, in every year, transmit or deliver unto the Treasurer of the said Hospital, or to the lawful deputy of such Treasurer for the time being, a true copy or transcript, under his or their hand or hands, of all such entries as aforesaid, within the preceding half year; and if such Register or Registers shall neglect or refuse to make and keep such entries, or to transmit or deliver such copies thereof as aforesaid, within the respective times herein-before limited for that purpose, he or they shall, for every such offence, forfeit the sum of one hundred pounds, to be recovered by action of debt, bill, plaint, or information, in any of his Majesty’s courts of record, in which no essoin, protection, privilege, wager of law, or more than one imparlance, shall be allowed.

XXXI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Register or Registers of all and every the Court and Courts of Admiralty in any of his Majesty’s dominions, shall yearly and every year, upon the 23d day of October, or within three calendar months next after the same, make out and transcribe true copies of all and every such letter and letters of attorney as shall be so registered in the said Court or Courts, to which the Judge and Judges of the said Court and Courts shall affix his and their seal of office; and then the said Register and Registers shall transmit the same to the Treasurer of the said Royal Hospital at Greenwich, to be there registered, and to be inspected by any person gratis, the charges of which copies, and affixing the seal or seals thereto, and transmitting the same to the Treasurer of the said Hospital, shall be paid by the said agent or agents at the time of making such registry as aforesaid; and in case such Register or Registers shall neglect or refuse to transscribe and transmit such copy and copies of the said letter and letters of attorney in manner aforesaid, (any ship or ships in that time sailing from such port or place to any port or place in Great Britain,) such Register and Registers so neglecting or refusing shall forfeit the sum of five hundred pounds, to be recovered by him or them who will sue for the same, by action of debt, bill, plaint, or information, in any court of record in Great Britain, or in any other part of his Majesty’s dominions, in which no essoin, protection, privilege, or wager of law, or more than one imparlance, shall be allowed.

XXXII. And for the more effectual making of such letters of attorney evidence of the agency of the person or persons to whom the same shall be made, Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That true copies of such letter and letters of attorney, and of transcripts under seal, transmitted by the said Register or Registers of the Court and Courts of Vice-Admiralty within any of his Majesty’s dominions, and registered by the said Treasurer of Greenwich Hospital, shall, from time to time, and at all times hereafter, be good and sufficient evidence of the agency of the person or persons to whom such letters of attorney is or shall be made; and from time to time, and at all times hereafter, shall be admitted, without further or other proof thereof, to be legal evidence in all his Majesty’s courts of record of law or equity; any law, custom, or usage, to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding.

XXXIII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no agent or agents for prizes shall be liable to be sued, impleaded, or arrested, by any person or persons who shall be made run from his Majesty’s service, in the lists to be duly certified of the names of the officers, seamen, marines, soldiers, or others, who shall be actually on board any of his Majesty’s ships of war, at the taking of any prize or prizes, until the end of three months next after the expiration of three years, limited by this act for the claiming of prizes, unless the person or persons so made run shall, before any action brought, obtain a certificate of his or their R or Rs being taken off, and the forfeiture of his or their share of such prizes being discharged by the Commissioners of his Majesty’s Navy, who subscribed the said lists, and shall produce such certificate to the said agent or agents respectively, and unless the said agent or agents, on the producing of such certificate or certificates, shall refuse to pay the said prize-money (in case the same be due and payable, according to the directions in his Majesty’s declaration) within two months after any such demand made, and such certificate produced.

XXXIV. Provided always, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to restrain his Majesty, his heirs and successors, from giving such further rules and directions to his respective Courts of Admiralty and Vice-Admiralty, as by his Majesty, his heirs and successors, with the advice of his or their Privy Council, shall be thought necessary or proper.

XXXV. Provided always, and it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That nothing herein contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to any ship or vessel the property of any person or persons residing in the said Colonies of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts-Bay, Rhode-Island, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, the three lower Counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carotina, South-Carolina, and Georgia, or any or either of them, which shall have sailed for Great Britain or Ireland, from any British sugar Colony or Plantation in the West-Indies, on or before the first day of March one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, laden with any goods or commodities which before the passing of this act might be so lawfully transported and carried in any such ship or vessel; not to any ship or vessel the property of any person or persons residing in the said Colonies of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts-Bay, Rhode-Island, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, the three lower Counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina, and Georgia, or any or either of them, which on or before the first day of January, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, shall have arrived at any of the British sugar Colonies or Plantations in the West-Indies, laden with lumber and provisions, or either of them, and, after discharging the same at such sugar Colony or Plantation, shall, on or before the first day of August, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, lade and take on board there, in order to be transported from thence into Great Britain or Ireland, any goods or commodities which may be lawfully transported from such sugar Colony or Plantation into Great Britain or Ireland respectively, in any other British vessel, upon condition that the master or person having the charge of such ship or vessel which shall have so arrived on or before the said first day of January, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, and shall have been loaded on or before the said first day of August, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, shall produce a certificate, under the hands and seals of office of the Collector and Comptroller, or other principal officer of his Majesty’s Customs for the port or place where such goods shall be laden, certifying that such ship or vessel did arrive at such sugar Colony or Plantation on or before the said first day of January, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, laden with lumber and provisions, or either of them, as the case may be; and that, after having discharged the same in such sugar Colony or Plantation, she had taken on board the several goods therein laden for Great Britain or Ireland respectively, describing the name and burthen of the ship, with the name of the master, and the contents of the cargo, with the particular marks and numbers of the packages of each sort and species of goods so laden, the port or place where, and the time when laden, and the port in Great Britain or Ireland to which the goods are consigned, and that bond and security has been given for the due landing thereof according to law; which certificate such Collector and Comptroller, or other principal officer of the customs, are hereby required and enjoined to give without fee of reward.

XXXVI. And it is hereby further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the certificates before-mentioned for such ships or vessels as shall be bound to Great Britain and Ireland, shall continue in force for six months from the dates thereof, and no longer; and the master or person having charge of such ship or vessel, upon his arrival at the port of his discharge in Great Britain or Ireland, at the time he reports his ship, is hereby required to deliver up such certificate to the Collector and Comptroller, or other principal officer of the customs at such port, on forfeiture of one hundred pounds; and if any officer or officers of the customs shall give or grant any false certificate, for the purpose required or directed by this act, such officer or officers shall forfeit the sum of five hundred pounds, and be rendered incapable of serving his Majesty, his heirs, and successors, in any office whatsoever; and if any person or persons shall counterfeit, erase, alter, or falsify any such certificate, or any license required or directed by this act, or shall knowingly make use of any false certificate or license, or of any certificate or license so counterfeited, erased, altered, or falsified, such person or persons shall, for every such offence, forfeit the sum of five hundred pounds, and such certificate or license shall be invalid and of no effect; which said penalties, if the same shall be incurred in Great Britain or within the British dominions in America, shall, and may be prosecuted, sued for, and recovered, and be divided, paid, and applied, in like manner as other penalties, inflicted by any act or acts of Parliament relating to the trade or revenues of the British Colonies or Plantations in America, are directed to be prosecuted, sued for, or recovered, divided, paid, and applied, by any act or acts of Parliament now in force; and if the said penalties shall be incurred in the kingdom of Ireland, the same shall and may be prosecuted, sued for, recovered, and applied, in such and