An Act for Supernumerary Armes to be proportionable according to the Number of every persons Negroes within these His Majesties Leeward Carribee Islands in America

Forasmuch as it is highly reasonable that every Inhabitant of these His Majesties Leeward Caribbee Islands in America should be well armed as well for the defence of His Majesties said Islands, as the preservation of their own lives & Estates, Wee Your Majesties most dutiful, Loyall & obedient Subjects the Governor in Chief of the Said Leeward Caribee Islands, the Generall Council, & Generall Assembly now convened, & mett in Nevis, most humbly pray Your Most Excellent Majesty, that it may be Enacted and Be it, & it is hereby enacted by the authority aforesaid, That any person that is owner, & possessor (in his own right, or in trust of any other person) of ten negroes, shall find one Supernumerary Gun, or fire Arm [illegible], & above what he, or they are obliged to find in the Militia of each Island for the Number of Servants they are obliged, by the Acts of their respective Islands to keep allthough they have not Such Servants actually living with them, & every person that is owner as aforesaid of twenty Negroes, to find two, & for every thirty Negroes three, and for every fourty Negroes four; & for every thirty Negroes over & above the Number of fourty, one Gun for every thirty Negroes over, & above the Said first fourty. Which Guns, or fire armes shall be well fixed, & fall four foot long in the Barrill, & the bore of the one half Sufficient to carry a Ball of eighteen to the pound, & the other half a Ball of twelve to the pound, & of the value of thirty Shillings sterling in England. And every person appointed by this Act to find such Gunns, or fire armes, shall to every Such Gunn find one good fireable Cartridge Box, & have allwaies in readiness Sixteen Cartridges well filled with power, & Ball fitting the Bore of each Gun with spare [illegible], Springs, & Hammers, & six Spare flints to each said Arm or Gun as least. 

And be it further enacted, & it is hereby enacted & declared by the Authority aforesaid, That every Colonell, Lieutenant Colonell, or Major of every Regiment in the said several respective Islands from the twenty sixth of March in the year Our Lord one thousand seven hundred, & three, shall have power, & legal Authority to Summon all person by this Act appointed to find Supernumerary Armes every three Monthes at the usuall place of Rendezvous of each respective Company in the Said Severall Islands, commanding them, & every of them to appear, or send in to be viewed at times, & places aforesaid all Such Supernumerary Guns, or fire Armes with their Accoutrements as aforesaid in Order to inspect the State, and Condition thereof, And that every person appointed to finde such Supernumerary Arms, & not bringing, or sending them upon such Summons to the Island appointed as aforesaid, shall forfeit, & pay the Summ of twenty shillings, & for the default, or want of every such Gunn so fixed, & with the length, & bore aforesaid, with its accoutrements as aforesaid the Summ of three pounds, and allso that every person appointed to find Supernumerary Armes, shall upon every allarm, have them ready, fixed as aforesaid with their Accourements as aforesaid, & bring, or find send them into the parade appointed by their respective officer to by in readiness for service. 

Allwaies provided, & it is the true Intent, & meaning of the Act, that wheresoever any of the Officers aforesaid, shall either upon Allarm, or other wise see occasion of demanding Such armes, that then such officer shall upon his receiving Such Armes into his Charge, give a Note from under his hand, signifying what Number of Armes he has received. And if it should happen that any such Armes should be broke, or made unfit for service, the party to whom the said Armes shall belong, shall repaire to the Officer for a Certificate directed to the Treasurer, who is hereby empowered to pay the party two pound Money for each Arme so broke, & for every Arme made inservicable so much as may repaire it.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that for the better compelling [illegible] obedience to this Act, It shall & may be lawfull to, & for the Collenell, the Leiutenant Collonell, or Major of each respective Regiment in all, & every the Said Islands to signe Executions against Defaultors aforesaid, & to issue out Warrants under their hands, & seals for the leavying on the Goods, & Chattels of every Defaultor, the several Summs of Money, or forfeitures aforesaid. And the Field Marshall of every respective Regiment in each said Island (for the time being) is hereby commanded to execute, & levy the same by distress, & sale of the Goods of the party offending, rendering the Overplus (if any) to the Owner. But if noe Goods, or Chattells can be found, it shall & may be lawfull to & for the Governor in Chief, Lieutenant Governor, or President of each respective Island by Warrant under his hand, & Seale to the provost Marshall or his lawfull Deputy of such said Island, to take into his Custody the body, or bodies of the Party, or parties, when noe Such distress is to be found, who is hereby empowered, & commanded so to do, & such offender, or Offenders in Safe Custody to keep until he, or they shall pay his, or their respective forfeitures. And in case the Colonell, Lieutenant Colonell, or Major of each Regiment Shall neglect to issue out his or their Summons every three Months for such Devision, & Muster of the Said Supernumerary Armes with the Accoutrements as aforesaid, that then it shall, & may be lawfull for the Governor in Chief (for the time being) Lieutenant Governor, or president of such Island where such default is made, to [illegible] or fine such Colonell, Lieutentant Colonell or Major the Summ of ten pounds Current Money to be levied upon his Goods, & Chattells by warrant under the hands, & Seale of the Said Governor in Chief, Lieutenant Governor, or President of each respective Island, to the provost Marshall, or his lawfull Deputy of each Said respective Island, who is hereby commanded to levy, & execute the Same accordingly in manner & forme aforesaid. That all the penalties, fines, & forfeitures mentioned, & recited in this Act shall be paid unto the Treasurer of each respective Island, to be by then applied towards purchasing of Armes, & Ammunition for the use of Such Islands where such offence is committed.

Dated in Nevis the Sixth of December, and thirteenth Year of His Majesties Reigne, Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred, & one.