An ACT for raising several Sums of Money, and applying the same to several uses, for subsisting for One Year the Officers and Soldiers of His Majesty’s Fiftieth and Sixtieth Regiments of Foot, quartered in this Island.

 

[Clause 2] And whereas great Injury has arisen, and may arise, to Planters and others by Ships and other Vessels coming to this Island from the Coast of Africa with Slaves, by the contagious Distemper called the Small Pox being on board such Ship or Vessel, unless public Notice thereof be given of such Distemper being on board: Therefore to prevent in future the Injury and Prejudice that may arise to the unwary and uninformed Purchaser or Purchasers of such Slaves, Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every Master or Commander of every Ship or other Vessel, at the Time of his making Report and Entry of his Vessel and Cargo of Slaves at the Office of the Receiver General, as is hereinafter directed, shall, under the Penalty of One thousand Pounds, declare on Oath, whether or not the Distemper called the Small Pox is (or at any Time since the said Ship or Vessel’s Departure from the Coast of Africa) hath been on board his said Ship or Vessel, either amongst the said Slaves, or any Persons belonging to the said Ship or Vessel; and the Owner or Owners, Consignee or Consignees, of such Ship or other Vessel, as the Time of his entering into Bond as is hereinafter directed, shall declare on Oath, that to the best of his Knowledge and Belief, whether or not the said Ship or Vessel called the [blank] whereof [blank] is Master or Commander, hath at such Time, or has had since her Arrival in this Island, the Distemper called the Small Pox on board, either amongst the Slaves, or the Officers and Mariners; and in case it shall happen that such Ship or Vessel shall have had at any Time since her Departure from the Coast of Africa as aforesaid, or hath, at the Time of her entering at the Office of the Receiver General, the Small Pox on board, then such Master or Commander, Owner or Owners, Consignee or Consignees, at the Time of their advertising the Sale of such Negro or other Slaves, in the Ship or other Vessels so imported, in the public News-papers, or otherwise shall, under the Penalty of One thousand Pounds, set forth and declare in such their Advertisements, that the said Ship or Vessel has or hath had such Distemper on board.

 

[Clause 3] And the better to ascertain, secure, and collect the said Duties, Be it Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That all Masters of Ships, Sloops, or other Vessels, which, on or after the said Thirty-first Day of December, in the present year of Our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and Seventy-four, shall arrive in any Harbour, Bay, Port, Creek, Road, haven, or Cay, in or belonging to this Island, and shall have on board any Negro or Mulatto Slaves, shall, within Forty-eight Hours, or with all convenient Speed after the Arrival of such Ships, Sloops, or other Vessels, repair to the Office of the Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, or his lawful Deputy, and there deliver, in Writing, an exact and true Account of the Number of such Negroes and Mulattoes as they shall import, and to whom consigned, and shall take the following Oath, or, if a Quaker, his solemn Affirmation, viz. “I A.B. do swear, or affirm, That the above Manifest is a just and true Report of all the Negro or Mulatto Slaves on board the Ship or Vessel called the [blank] whereof [blank] is Master; and that I have not landed or suffered to be landed or put out of my said Ship or Vessel, or delivered to any Person or Persons in, at, or near any Harbour, Port, Bay, Creek, Road, Haven, or Cay of this Island, any Negro or Mulatto Slave or Slaves; and that I will not land or suffer to be landed or put out of my said Ship or Vessel, or deliver to any Person or Persons, at any Time during this my present Voyage, any Negro or Mulatto Slave or Slaves, without first having an Order under the Hand of to whom my said Ship or Vessel, and Cargo of Negro and Mulatto Slaves belong or are consigned; which Oath, and also the Oaths hereinbefore directed to be taken, George Scott, Esquire, the Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, or his lawful Deputy, is hereby impowered and required to administer; and the Owner or Owners, Consignee or Consignees of every such Ship or Vessel, or Cargo of Slaves, shall, within Forty-eight hours after such Report is made, pay to the said Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, or his lawful Deputy, One Moiety of the said Duty of Two Pounds Ten Shillings per Head, payable by the Importer of all Negro and Mulatto Slaves imported into this Island, and give Bond, with good and sufficient Security, for the Payment of the other Moiety of the said Two Pounds Ten Shillings per Head, in Three Months from the making such Entry, and shall also enter into Bond, with good and sufficient Security, in the Penalty of One thousand Pounds, with Condition that he or they shall not deliver or suffer to be delivered any of the said Negro or Mulatto Slaves to any Person or Persons whatsoever, without first having received a Certificate from the said Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, or his lawful Deputy, certifying that the Number of Negro and Mulatto Slaves so to be delivered has been entered with him the said Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, or his lawful Deputy, and the Duties payable by the Exporters or Purchasers of Negroes or Mulattoes are actually paid; and also that he or they shall not, on his or their own Account, or on Account of the Owner or Owners of the said Negroes or Mulattoes, or otherwise, export or suffer to be exported any of the said Negroes or Mulattoes, without first having entered and paid down the Duty for such Negroes or Mulattoes to be exported; and in case any such Master, Owner, or Consigner of any Ship, Sloop, or other Vessel, which shall arrive on or after the said Thirty-first Day of December, in the present Year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Seventy-four, and having on board, or consigned to him or them, any Negroes or Mulattoes as aforesaid, shall neglect or refuse to enter and give an Account of the Number of Negroes and Mulattoes as aforesaid, and enter into Bond as aforesaid respectively, such Master, Owner, or Owners, Consignee or Consignees of such Ship, Sloop, or other Vessel, so neglecting or refusing shall, for every such Neglect or Refusal, respectively forfeit the Sum of One thousand Pounds Current Money of this Island; and the Masters of Ships, Sloops, or other Vessels, who shall be found to have acted contrary to the Tenor of the before mentioned Oath or Affirmation, or contrary to any other Oath or Affirmation required or imposed by this Act, shall be and are hereby made liable to the like Prosecutions, Forfeitures, and Punishments, as Persons guilty of Perjury in the Courts of Record of that Part of Great Britain called England.

 

[Clause 4] And whereas many Inconveniencies have arisen and may arise, and much Mischief may be done to the Inhabitants of this Island by the Importation of old Negro Slaves from the Coast of Africa for Sale in this Island, it having been found by Experience that old Negroes are in General the People who have hitherto promoted Rebellions and rebellious Conspiracies among the other Slaves: And whereas the preventing the Importation of Negro Slaves from Africa in this Island, who are about the Age of Thirty Years, will greatly tend to the Benefit and Advantage of this Island; Be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That on or before the First Day of December, which will be in the Year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Seventy-five, during the Continuance of this Act, the Custos Rotulorum and any Two Justices of the Peace for the Parishes and Precincts of Kingston, Saint Catharine, Port Royal, Saint Thomas in the East, Saint David, Saint Mary, Saint George, Portland, Saint Ann, Trelawney, Saint James, Hanover, Westmoreland, Saint Elizabeth Vere, and Saint Dorothy, in this Island, shall by Warrant under their Hands and Seals appointed Persons of Integrity and Capacity to act as Inspectors at the different Ports or Harbours within their respective Parishes or Precincts; and that the Number of Inspectors to be appointed in each Parish or Precinct shall be as follows: for Kingston, Six; for Saint Catharine, Four; for Port Royal, Four, for Saint Thomas in the East and Saint David, Six; For Saint Mary and Saint George, Eight; for Portland, Four, for Saint Ann, Four; for Trelawney, Six; for Saint James, Six; for Hanover, Six; for Westmoreland, Six; for Saint Elizabeth, Six; for Vere, Four; and for Saint Dorothy, Four: Which said Inspectors so appointed, or any Two of them, shall, within Forty-eight Hours after the Arrival of any Ship, Snow, Brig, Sloop, or other Vessel, having on board Negroes, Mulatto or other Slaves at the Port thereof such Inspectors are appointed, repair on board such Ship, Snow, Brig, Sloop, or other Vessel, and inspect and examine such Negro, Mulatto, or other Slaves, and make a due Return thereof within Twelve Hours after such Inspection, upon Oath, into the Office of the Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, or his lawful Deputy, which Oath shall be as follows; “Jamaica ss. Personally appeared before me A.B. and C.D. Inspectors, appointed in and by an Act of the Governor, Council, and Assembly of this Island, intituled, an Act for raising several Sums of Money, and applying the same to several Uses, for subsisting, for one Year, the Officers and Soldiers of His Majesty’s Fiftieth and Sixtieth Regiments of Foot, quartered in this Island, and made Oath on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, that they have inspected and examined a Cargo of Negro and other Slaves, now on board a certain Ship or other Vessel called the [blank] whereof [blank] is Master or Commander, arrived from [blank] on the Coast of Africa, and that there were shewn to them by the said Commander of the said Ship or other Vessel, [blank] Negro and other Slaves; And these Deponents further say, that according to the best of their Knowledge, Judgment, and Belief [blank] Number of the said Negro, Mulatto, or other Slaves are of or under the Age of Thirty Years, and that [blank] of the said Negro, Mulatto, or other Slaves are above the Age of Thirty Years; and these Deponents further say, that they have not, nor any Person for them, directly or indirectly received any Fee or Reward for making this Return, or are promised or will receive from any Person whatsoever any Fee or Reward for making this return, except the Allowance of One Shilling per Head for each Negro, they shall so examine and inspect, as directed by this Law. “So Help me God.” – Which Oath shall be duly administered by any Magistrate of the Parish where such Inspection shall be made.

 

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Inspectors, making such Return as above is directed, shall have and receive the Sum of One Shilling per Head for every Negro, Mulatto, or other Slave, on board such Vessel they shall so inspect, which Sum of One Shilling per Head shall be paid to the said Inspectors, by the Consignee or Sellers of the Said Negro or other Slaves.

 

[Clause 5] And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That on or after the said First Day of December, which will be in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Seventy-five, until the Thirty-first Day of the said Month of December, there shall be paid unto His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, the said Duty of Three Pounds Ten Shillings, and no more, per Head, Current Money of this Island, for every Negro, Mulatto, or other Slave that shall be imported or brought into this Island, whether for Sale or not, who shall be reported of the Age of Thirty Years or under; and a Duty of Eight Pounds Ten Shillings, and no more, per Head, Current Money aforesaid, for every Negro, Mulatto, or other Slave so brought into this Island as aforesaid, who shall be reported above the Age of Thirty Years, to be collected and raised in the same Manner as the other Duties hereinbefore directed to be paid are to be raised and collected.

 

[Clause 6] And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Master, Owner, or Consignee of any Ship, Sloop, or other Vessel, shall refuse to permit such Inspectors to enter on board his said Ship, Sloop, or other Vessel or shall refuse to produce the Cargo of Negro, Mulatto, or other Slavs, before such Inspectors, for Inspection, within the Time before limited, or shall sell or dispose of any of the Negroes, Mulattoes, or other Slave or Slaves so by him imported, before such Inspection hath been made and reported, according to the true Intent and Meaning of this Act, every such aster, Owner, or Consignee shall, for every Offence respectively,forfeit the Sum of One thousand Pounds Current Money of Jamaica.

 

[Clause 7] And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Person or Persons, being appointed and Inspector Inspectors, shall neglect or refuse to do this Duty as required of him by this Act, every such Person shall forfeit the Sum of Five hundred Pounds Current Money of this Island for every Offence, and be rendered incapable of ever acting as an Inspector again: Provided always nevertheless, and it is the true Intent and Meaning of this Act, that if any Slaves imported shall be actually exported off this Island within Three Months after such Importation, the Sum of Forty Shillings shall be drawn back from every Negro reported to be of or under the Age of Thirty Years, and the Sum of Seven Pounds for very Negro who shall be reported above the Age of Thirty Years.

 

[Clause 8] And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That any Slaves shall have been exported (and for which the Duties had been paid according to the Directions of this Act) shall be returned into this Island unsold, the Master of the Ship or other Vessels in which such Slaves shall have been exported, or the Owner or Owners of such Slaves so returned shall make Report thereof, and of the Number of such Slaves carried out in such Ship or Vessel, and the Number thereof returned upon Oath before the said Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, or his lawful Deputy, within forty-eight Hours after the Arrival of such Ship or Vessel, which Oath the Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, or his lawful Deputy, is hereby impowered and required to administer, in order that the said Negroes may be registered by the said Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, or his lawful Deputy, together with the Names of the Owner or Owners thereof, who in such Case shall and are hereby allowed to export or sell the same in this Island, without paying any further Duty, provided the same be exported or sold withing Twelve Months after such their Return.

 

[Clause 9] And whereas there have been and still are great Abuses in collecting the several Branches of His Majesty’s Revenue, and other Duties, and, as it hath been found by Experience, that the Number of Waiters employed in that Service by virtues of the Revenue Act, have not been found sufficient, Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, be empowered, by and with the Approbation of the Commissioners for settling the Public Accounts, or any Five of them, to employ Three Waiters at Kingston, Two at Port Royal, and One in Spanish Town, who shall and may receive, out of the Monies to arise by virtue of this Act, the Sum of One hundred and Fifty Pounds per Annum to each Waiter, including what is allowed to Waiters by former laws; and the said Waiters, so appointed and approved of, shall take an Oath for the due Execution of the office and Duty of a Waiter, which Oath the said Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, is hereby impowered, authorized, and required to administer, and likewise enter into Security to His Majesty, in the Sum of One thousand Pounds each, for the due Execution of his and their Duties.

 

[Clause 10] And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, do, out of the Monies to arise by virtues of this act, maintain and keep up One Boat, and Five Negroes already purchased by the Public, to be employed in the said Boat, to put the said Waiters on board the several Ships and Vessels in the Harbours of Port Royal, Kingston, or elsewhere.

 

[Clause 11] And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the Thirty-first Day of December, in the present year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Seventy-four, our of the Monies arising or to arise by virtue of this Act, there shall be paid by the Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, or his lawful Deputies, or Weekly and every Week, to each of the Commissioned Officers now belonging to His Majesty’s Fiftieth and Sixtieth Regiments of Foot, now in this Island, during his Residence here, and to every other Commissioned Officers that shall belong to the said Regiments, and shall hereafter arrive in this Island, during his Residence here, from the Day of his Arrival here, or if commissioned here, from the Time of the Publication of his Commission or Warrant, during his Residence as aforesaid (that is to say) to the Field Officers, Captains, and Subalterns, to the Chaplains, Adjutants, and Quarter Masters, and to the Surgeons of the said Regiments and their Assistants, and no other, each Twenty Shillings per Week, provided such Officers and Surgeons constantly reside in such Quarters where their Men are quartered, or are upon some necessary Point of Duty, or they have been from under the Hand of the Governor or Commander in Chief for the Time being, or the Colonel or Commanding Officer of the said Regiments resident in this Island, to be absent within this Island: Provided that no Commissioned or Warrant Officers shall receive more than One Subsistence of Twenty Shillings per Week hereinbefore allowed, Surgeons Mates having Warrants from the General or Commander in Chief to act as Lieutenants or Ensigns excepted.

 

[Clause 12] And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all Serjeants, Corporals, Drums, and Private Men, belonging or that shall belong to the said Regiments during their Residence in this Island, shall have an additional Subsistence out of the monies arising by virtue of this Act, in Manner following (that is to say) to every Serjeant, Corporal, Drum, and Private Man, in the Parishes of Saint Catharine, Port Royal, and Kingston, Five Shillings per Week, which said Sum of Five Shillings per Week shall be paid by the Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, or his lawful Deputies, Weekly, into the Hands of the Commanding Officer of each respective Company, such Officer making Oath before any Justice of Peace to the exact Number of Men under his Command, before any such payment shall be made, and the Church Wardens or Collecting Constables where any Part of the said Regiments shall be quartered, in any of the other parishes in this Island, shall, out of the public Monies in their Hands, pay to the Commanding Officer of every Part of the said Regiment so quartered, for the Use of the Soldiers, Five Shillings per Week for every Serjeant, Corporal, Drum, and Private man, every such Commanding Officer making Oath before the Church Wardens of the parish, or any Justice of the Peace of the Parish or Precinct, to the exact Number of Men under his Command, before any such Payment shall be made; and where the said Church Wardens or Collecting Constable shall have in their Hands no public Money, or not sufficient, the Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, is hereby impowered and required to send, upon Application of the Church Wardens or Collecting Constables of such parishes, Money for the Purposes aforesaid, at the Risque of the Public, the said Church Wardens or Collecting Constable sending at the same Time to the said Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, their Accounts with the said Parish, sworn to before some Magistrate of the same Parish or Precinct, to satisfy the said Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, that the said Church Wardens or Collecting Constables have no public Money, or not sufficient in their Hands, under the Penalty of One thousand Pounds; and the Officers and Soldiers of the said Regiments are to receive such additional Subsistence during their Residence in this Island, during the Continuance of this Act, and no longer; and that no Officer or Soldier of the said Regiments shall pass for a Deficiency for any Person but himself, any Law, Custom, or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding.

 

[Clause 13] And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Officer or Officers shall, without a proper Discharge, enlist any Person or Persons who have been contracted or indented Servants, under the Penalty of One hundred Pounds for each Offence.

 

[Clause 14] And forasmuch as it has been a Practice with hired or indented Servants to forge Discharges from their Masters or last Employers, and inlist themselves, Be it therefore Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, and it is hereby Declared to be the true Intent and Meaning of this Act, That no Officer who shall be so imposed on shall incur the Penalty of this Act, provided that such Officer shall, upon due Application made to him by the Owner or Employer of such Servant, shew such forged Discharge, and immediately discharge such Servant and deliver him up to the Owner or Employer.

 

[Clause 15] And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That the said George Scott the Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, be, and he is hereby appointed to receive and collect all and every Sum and Sums of Money to arise by virtue of this Act, for which he shall retain and keep, for his doing his Duty therein, Five Pounds per Centum, and no more, any Law, Custom, or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding.

 

[Clause 16] And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said George Scott, Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, shall, before he officiates pursuant to this act, with good and sufficient Security enter into Bond, in the Secretary’s Office of this Island, to our Sovereign Lord the King, His Heirs and Successors, in the Sum of Ten thousand Pounds Current Money of Jamaica, conditioned that he, his Heirs, Executors, or Administrators, shall render and give to any Assembly when sitting, or to the Commissioners for settling the public Accounts, a just and true Account of all Monies by him received and paid in pursuance of this Act, when thereunto required, for the Uses in this or any further Act mentioned; and that his Heirs, Executors, or Administrators shall pay over all such Sums of Money as he shall receive, by virtue of this Act, to such person or Persons as shall be lawfully authorized to receive the same; and in case the said Receiver General, or the Receiver General for the Time being, shall misapply or pay any Sum or Sums of Money, contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of this Act, he shall forfeit treble the Value of any such Sum or Sums of Money so misapplied, and paid contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of this Act, to be recovered against him by Action of Debt, Bill, [Plaint], or Information in the Supreme Court of Judicature of this Island, wherein no Essoin, Protection, Wager of Law, or Non vult ulterius prosequi, Imparlance, or Injunction, shall be granted or allowed, any law, Custom, or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding; One Half of which said Forfeiture shall be to the Use of His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, for and towards the Support of the Government of this Island, and the Contingent Charges thereof, and the other Moiety or half Part thereof to the Informer, or him or them who shall sue for the same.

 

[Clause 17] And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all and every Sum and Sums of Money to arise by virtue of this Act shall be, and they are hereby appropriated to and for the several uses hereinbefore mentioned, and to and for such further and other uses as shall be directed by any Act of the present or any future Assembly, and to and for no other Use, Intent, and Purpose whatsoever, any Thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.

 

[Clause 18] And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all Penalties in this Act mentioned, and not declared in what Manner they shall be recovered, shall be recovered in the Supreme Court of Judicature of this Island, by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint, or Information, wherein no Essoin, Protection, Wager of Law, Imparlance, or Injunction, shall be granted or allowed, or Non vult ulterius prosequi, be entered; One Moiety whereof shall be to the Use of His Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, for and towards the Support of the Government of this Island and the contingent Charges thereof, and the other Moiety thereof to the Informer, or him, her, or them, who shall sue for the same.

 

[Clause 19] And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That this Act, and every Clause, Matter, and Thing therein contained, shall continue and be in Force from the Thirty-first Day of December, in the present year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Seventy-four, until the Thirty-first Day of December, which will be in the Year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Seventy-five, and no longer.

 

Passed the Council This Twenty-fifth Day of November, 1774

R. lewing, Cl. count

 

I consent this Third Day of December, 1774

 

passed the Assembly this Twenty-fourth Day of November 1774.

Charles Price, Speaker.