of his Office, according to the Provisions of the said Treaty and Instructions and Regulations as aforesaid. V. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the Governor or Lieutenant Governor, or Principal Magistrate of the Colony or Settlement in which such Court shall sit, within the Possession of His Britannic Majesty, to fill up every Vacancy which shall arise in such Court, either of Judge, Arbiter, or any Officer thereof appointed by His Majesty as aforesaid, according to the Provisions contained in the before-recited Regulations annexed to the said Treaty as aforesaid, ad interim, until such Vacancy or Vacancies shall be thereafter filled by some Person or Persons appointed by His Majesty for that Purpose. VI. And be it further enacted, That every Judge and Arbiter appointed by His Majesty, or ad interim as aforesaid, shall, before he shall enter upon the Execution of any of the Duties of such his Office, take an Oath in the Presence of the Principal Magistrate then residing and acting in the Colony, Settlement, or Place in which the Court shall be appointed to reside; which Oath every Magistrate in any Colony, Settlement, or Place belonging to His Majesty, in which such Court shall be appointed, is hereby authorized to administer in the Form following; (that is to say), I A. B. do solemnly swear, That I will, according to the best of my Skill and Knowledge, act in the Execution of my • Office as faithfully, impartially, fairly, and 'without Preference or Favour, either for Claimants or Captors, or any other Person; and that I will, to the best of my Judgment and Power, act in pursuance of and according to the Stipulations, Regulations, and Instructions contained in the Treaty between His Majesty and His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, signed at Stockholm on the Sixth Day of November in the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and 'twenty-four. So help me GOD.' And every Secretary or Registrar appointed by His Majesty, or ad interim as aforesaid, under the Provisions of the said Treaty, Instructions, and Regulations, and of this Act, shall, before he enters on the Duties of his said Office, take an Oath before the British Commissary Judge as aforesaid, who is hereby empowered to admi. nister the same, in the Form following; (that is to say), I A. B. do solemnly swear, That I will, according to the best of my Skill and Knowledge, act in the Execution of my Office; and that I will conduct myself with due Respect to the Authority of the Judges and Arbiters of the Commission to ⚫ which I am attached, and will act with Fidelity in all the Affairs which may belong to my Charge, and without Preference or Favour, either for Claimants or Captors, or any other Persons. So help me GOD.' VII. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the said Judges or either of them, or for any such Secretary or Registrar, and they are hereby respectively empowered, to administer Oaths, to take the Depositions of all Parties, Witnesses, and other Persons who may come or be brought before them to be examined, or for the Purpose of deposing in the Course of any Proceeding before the said Judges, or before the said Judges and Arbiter, in the Cases in which such Arbiter shall act with the said Judges under the said Treaty, Instructions, and Regulations, or this Act; and it shall also be lawful for the said Judges, or for the said Judges and Arbiter, in the Cases aforesaid, to summon before them all Persons whom they may deem it necessary or proper to examine in relation to any Suit, Proceeding, or Matter or Thing under their Cognizance, and to send for and issue Precepts for the producing of all such Papers as may relate to the Matters in question before them, and to enforce all such Summonses, Orders, and Precepts, by such and the like Means, Powers, and Authorities, as any Court of Vice Admiralty may do. VIII. And be it further enacted, That every Person who shall Punishing Perwilfully and corruptly give false Evidence in any Examination or sons guilty of Deposition or Affidavit had or taken upon or in any Proceeding Perjury. before the said Judges, or Judge and Arbiter, under the said Treaty, Instructions, and Regulations, or this Act, shall be deemed guilty of Perjury, and being thereof convicted, shall be subject and liable to all the Punishments, Pains, and Penalties to which Persons convicted of wilful and corrupt Perjury are liable; and every such Person may be tried for any such Perjury, either in the Place in which the Offence was committed, or in any Colony or Settlement of His Majesty near thereto, in which there is a Court of competent Jurisdiction to try any such Offence, or in His Majesty's Court of King's Bench in England; and that in case of any Prosecution for such Offence in His Majesty's said Court of King's Bench, the Venue may be laid in the County of Middlesex. IX. And be it further enacted, That from and after the passing of this Act it shall not be lawful for any Person to commence, prosecute, or proceed in any Claim, Action, or Suit whatever in the High Court of Admiralty, or in any other Court, or before any Judges or Persons whomsoever, other than the several Mixed Courts of Justice appointed under and by virtue of the said Treaty and this Act, for the Condemnation or Restitution of any Ship or Cargo or Slaves, or for any Compensation or Indemnification, or for any Loss or Damage, or for any Injury sustained by such Ship, Cargo, or Slaves, or by any Persons on board any such Ship, in consequence of any Capture, Seizure, or Detention under the Authority or in pursuance of the Provisions of the said Treaty, or of the Instructions and Regulations thereto annexed, or of this Act; and that the Pendency of any Claim, Suit, or Proceeding instituted or which may be instituted before any of the said Mixed Courts so to be appointed under the Authority of the said Treaty and this Act, for the Condemnation or Restitution of any Ship or Cargo or Slaves taken, seized, or detained by virtue of the said Treaty, or of the Instructions and Regulations thereto annexed, or for any Compensation or Indemnification for any Loss or Damage in consequence of the taking, seizing, or detaining any such Ship, or the final Adjudication, Condemnation, Judgment, or Determination of any such Mixed Court, as the Case shall require, may be pleaded in Bar or given in Evidence under the General Issue; or in case no such Claim, Suit, or Proceeding shall have been instituted before any such Mixed Court, then 7 & 8 GEO. IV. the D d No Claims or Suits for Ships captured, &c. to be brought, except before Mixed Courts appointed pursuant to Treaty. This Act not to affect any thing in any Act for Suppression of the Slave Trade. General Issue the said Treaty, Instructions, and Regulations, and this Act, may in like Manner be pleaded in Bar, or given in Evidence under the General Issue; and every such Plea in Bar, or Evidence so given under the General Issue, shall be deemed and adjudged to be a good and complete Bar to any such Claim, Action, Suit, or Proceeding in the said High Court of Admiralty, or in any Court or Place other than such Mixed Courts; any thing in any Act or Acts, or Law or Laws, to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding. X. And be it further enacted, That nothing in this Act contained shall be deemed or construed in anywise to alter, suspend, affect, relax, or repeal any of the Clauses, Penalties, Forfeitures, or Punishments contained and enacted in any Act or Acts made for the Suppression or Prevention of the Slave Trade; but that all such Acts, and all Clauses, Regulations, Penalties, Forfeitures, and Punishments therein respectively contained, shall remain in full Force and Virtue, any thing in this Act contained to the contrary notwithstanding. XI. And be it further enacted, That if any Action or Suit shall may be pleaded. be commenced, either in Great Britain or elsewhere, against any Person or Persons, for any thing done in pursuance of the said Treaty, or the Instructions or Regulations, thereto annexed, or of this Act, the Defendant or Defendants in such Action or Suit may plead the General Issue, and give this Act and the Special Matter in Evidence at any Trial to be had thereupon, and that the same was done in pursuance and by the Authority of the said Treaty, Instructions, or Regulations, or of this Act; and if it shall appear so to have been done, the Jury shall find for the Defendant or Defendants; and if the Plaintiff shall be nonsuited, or discontinue his Action after the Defendant or Defendants shall have appeared, or if Judgment shall be given upon any Verdict or Demurrer against the Plaintiffs, the Defendant or Defendants shall recover Treble Costs, and have the like Remedy for the same as Defendants have in other Cases by Law. 56 G. 3. c. 98. 4 G. 4. c. 23. W CAP. LV. An Act to consolidate the Boards of Stamps in Great Britain of From 5th Oct. Powers of the of Stamps for Great Britain and Ireland respectively should be < under the Management and Control of One Board of Commissioners; and that for that Purpose the Commissioners of Stamps in Great Britain should be by this Act constituted Commissioners of a Board of Stamps for the Management of the said Duties in the whole of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland;' Be it therefore enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That from and after the Fifth Day of October, One thousand eight hundred and twenty seven, the Persons respectively being on that Day Commissioners of Stamps for Ireland shall cease to be such Commissioners, of Stamps in and that all Powers and Authorities at that Time vested in them Ireland shall shall no longer be vested in or exercised by them; and that from cease, and the and after the said Fifth Day of October the Persons respectively Commissioners being on that Day Commissioners of Stamps for Great Britain of Stamps in shall, without any further Commission or other Authority than this Act, be and become Commissioners of Stamps for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, for the Collection and Management of the Revenues respectively arising in and throughout the whole of the said United Kingdom from Stamps, or from any other Duties which by any Act or Acts shall on the said Fifth Day of October be under the Management of the Commissioners of Stamps in Great Britain and Ireland respectively; and that the said Duties shall thenceforth be collected by and paid to the said Commissioners of Stamps for the said United Kingdom, in the same Manner as such Duties shall theretofore have been collected by and paid to the Commissioners of Stamps for Great Britain and the Commissioners of Stamps for Ireland respectively. Great Britain shall act for the United King dom. His Majesty to appoint such Persons as he thinks fit to be Commis II. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, from time to time, from and after the said Fifth Day of October, to appoint, under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, such Persons as he shall think fit to be Commissioners of Stamps for sioners. the said United Kingdom; and that as well the said Commissioners to be appointed by His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, as aforesaid, as the said Commissioners by this Act constituted Commissioners of Stamps for the said United Kingdom, shall respectively be and remain Commissioners of Stamps during His Majesty's Pleasure. to repeal or alter any Act, except as herein authorized. III. Provided always, and be it enacted, That nothing in this Nothing herein Act contained shall extend or be construed to extend to repeal or alter any Act or Acts, or any Provision in any Act or Acts in force, relating or having reference to any Duties under the Management of the Commissioners of Stamps in Great Britain or Ireland respectively, at or immediately before the passing of this Act, except so far as such Act or Acts, or any Provisions therein, are expressly repealed or altered by this Act. IV. And be it further enacted, That any Three or more of such Commissioners of Stamps shall constitute a Board of Commissioners of Stamps for the whole of the United Kingdom; and that such Board shall have, use, and exercise, throughout the Dd 2 United All Powers vested in Commissioners generally may be executed by any Three or more of them. Powers vested in any stated Number of Commissioners may be exercised by such Number. All Orders, &c. in force at the passing of this Act to remain in force. United Kingdom, all and every such Powers and Authorities as are now given to or vested in, or as might be used and exercised by the whole of such Commissioners of Stamps, or by any Num. ber of them, under or by virtue of any Act or Acts in force at or immediately before the passing of this Act, in Great Britain or Ireland respectively; and all such Powers and Authorities shall be and are hereby given to and vested in such Board of Commissioners of Stamps for the United Kingdom for the Time being, as fully and effectually, to all Intents and Purposes what soever, as if such Powers and Authorities, and all Clauses, Regulations, Provisions, Penalties, and Forfeitures in any Act or Acts relating thereto respectively, were severally and respectively repeated and re-enacted in this Act, and made Part thereof; and all Rules, Orders, Regulations, Acts, Matters, and Things, which shall be made, directed, and done by such Board of Commissioners, in anywise concerning any Duties or Revenues under the Control and Management of the Commissioners of Stamps in Great Britain or Ireland respectively, or relating to the Collection or Management of such Duties and Revenues respectively, and which by any Act or Acts, Law, Usage, or Custom, in force at or immediately before the passing of this Act, are or were authorized or required to be made or done, or which might be made or done, by the Commissioners of Stamps in and for Great Britain or Ireland respectively, in relation to the said Duties or Revenues respectively, shall be and be deemed to be as good, valid, and effectual in the Law, to all Intents and Purposes, as if made or done under any such Act or Acts by the Commissioners heretofore separately acting for Great Britain or Ireland respectively, or any Number of them; and all Persons whosoever, in any and every Part of the United Kingdom, shall be subject and liable to the same Pains and Penalties for doing, or omitting to do, any Act, Matter, or Thing relating to or in anywise concerning any of such Duties or Revenues respectively, contrary to any Orders or Directions, Rules or Regulations, of such Commissioners of Stamps for the United Kingdom, as such Persons respectively would have been subject and liable to for doing, or omitting to do, the same Acts and Matters or Things respectively, contrary to any Order or Direction of the Commissioners of Stamps for Great Britain or Ireland respectively, by virtue of any Act or Acts in force at or immediately before the passing of this Act: Provided always, that in all Cases where by any Act or Acts in force in Great Britain and Ireland at or immediately before the passing of this Act, any Act, Matter, or Thing is expressly authorized or required to be done by any particular or described Number of Commissioners of Stamps less than Three, all such Acts, Matters, and Things being done by such lesser Number of Commissioners shall be good, valid, and effectual, to all Intents and Purposes: Provided also, that all Orders, Directions, Rules, and Regulations in force at the Time of the passing of this Act, which are not altered or varied by this Act, or contrary to any of the Provisions thereof, shall remain in full Force and Effect until the same shall be abrogated, annulled, altered, or varied by the Commissioners of Stamps for the United Kingdom under this Act. V. And, |