that I have, to the best of my knowledge and belief, delivered or caused to be delivered at the post-office at [state the place] every letter, bag, package, or parcel of letters that were on board the [state the name of the ship] except such letters as are exempted by this act."

And until such declaration shall be made and produced to the collector, comptroller, or principal officer of the customs, he or they shall not permit such ship or vessel to report. § 39.

Refusing to make declaration.—If any master of a ship or vessel shall wilfully refuse or neglect to make the several declarations by this act required, or to produce the last-mentioned declaration, he shall forfeit for every such offence the sum of fifty pounds. § 40.

Permitting vessels to sail until regulations complied with-If any collector, comptroller, or principal officer, hereby required to prohibit any ship or vessel reporting until the requisites of this act shall be complied with, shall permit such ship or vessel to report, such collector, &c. so permitting such ship or vessel to report, shall forfeit the sum of two hundred pounds. § 41.

Officers to search packages.-Such collector, comptroller, or officer, at any port or place whatsoever, who in the due execution of his duty as a revenue officer shall discover any letters or packets on board any vessel, in any port or place whatsoever, contrary to the provisions of this act, may seize all such letters and packets, and forward the same to the postmaster-general or his deputy at the port or place; and the officer seizing and sending the same shall be entitled to one moiety of the penalty which may be recovered for any such offence; and in all cases of such seizure the proof shall lie on the person in whose possession or baggage the letters or packets shall be found, that the provisions of this act have been complied with. § 42.

How money due to masters of vessels may be paid.—In case it shall happen, from any unforeseen circumstances, that the master of any ship or vessel shall, upon delivering his bags, packages, or parcels of letters, be prevented from receiving the money to which he shall be entitled, such master or commander shall nevertheless be paid the same, by the order of the postmaster-general, at such other places as may be most convenient. § 44.

Postage to be paid on delivery.-The rates of postage hereinbefore mentioned for the conveyance of letters and packets by the said packetboats, ships, or vessels, from any port in Great Britain to any port in the East Indies, shall be received by the deputies of the postmastergeneral, upon their delivery in India, and the rates of postage for the conveyance of letters from any port or place in the East Indies to Great. Britain, shall be received at the option of the parties sending the same, or upon their delivery in Great Britain or Ireland, by the deputies of the postmaster-general in India upon forwarding the same. § 45.

Letters on board after delivery at the post-office.-If, after the master of any vessel shall have delivered his letters at the post-office of any port at which he may touch, prior to his arriving at that port where the ship or vessel is to report, any letter or packet, not exempted by this act, shall be found on board his vessel, in his possession, or in the possession of any of his crew, or any passenger on board, every such person knowingly having such letter or packet in his possession, or in his baggage, shall forfeit for every letter the sum of five pounds. § 46.

Falsely superscribing letters, &c.—If any person shall falsely superscribe any letter, as being the owner, charterer, or consignee of the

vessel conveying the same, or the owner, shipper, or consignee of the goods shipped in the vessel, every such person so offending shall for every such offence forfeit the sum of ten pounds. § 47.

Recovery of penalties, &c.-One moiety of the pecuniary penalties hereby imposed shall be payable to the use of his Majesty, and the other moiety to any person who shall inform and sue for the same; to be recovered, with full costs of suit, by action of debt, bill, plaint, or information, in any of his Majesty's courts of record in Great Britain, or in the colony or place where the offence shall be committed. § 48. Provision in case three months elapse without despatching a public mail.-If, at any time after the establishment of such vessels as aforesaid, a space of three calendar months shall have elapsed without any public mail having been despatched from Great Britain to the Cape of Good Hope and the Mauritius, and the several presidencies of Fort William, Fort Saint George, and Bombay, in the East Indies, it shall be lawful for any person to send or take on board, and carry, any letters or packets from Great Britain to such of the said places to which no mail shall have been so despatched, during the time aforesaid, or from such of the places aforesaid from which no mail shall have been so despatched to Great Britain, without being subject to any of the penalties, forfeitures, payments, or restrictions in this act contained, until some public mail shall have been again despatched from Great Britain to such place, or from such place to Great Britain. § 49.

Letters to China.-Nothing in this act contained shall extend to any letters or packets to or from China, but they may be sent and carried as heretofore. § 50.

Provision in case the establishment be not carried into effect.-No person or persons shall incur any of the penalties by this act imposed, so far as the same shall relate to letters to be sent to and from India, unless the provisions hereinbefore contained, as to establishing vessels for the conveyance of mails of letters to the East Indies, shall be carried into effect within six months from the passing of this act. $51.

In actions brought, proof shall lie on the defendant.-In an action or suit against any person for collecting, carrying, conveying, delivering, or sending letters or packets, contrary to the provisions in an act made in the ninth year of the reign of her late Majesty Queen Anne, intituled "An Act for establishing a general Post-office for all her Majesty's dominions, and for settling a weekly sum out of the revenues thereof for the service of the war, and other her Majesty's occasions ;" or contrary to the provisions in an act made in the forty-second year of the reign of his late Majesty, intituled "An Act for amending so much of an act passed in the seventh year of the reign of his present Majesty, as relates to the secreting, embezzling, or destroying any letter or packet sent by the post, and for the better protection of such letters and packets, and for more effectually preventing letters and packets being sent otherwise than by the post;" or in either of them, or contrary to the provisions of this act, the proof shall lie on the person or persons against whom such action or suit shall be brought, for delivering or sending letters or packets, that the same were delivered or sent according to the provisions contained in the said last-mentioned acts, or one of them, or according to the provisions contained in this present act. § 52. Application of the rates.-The monies to arise by the several rates, &c. shall be paid into the receipt of the exchequer at Westminster, and carried to and made part of the consolidated fund of Great Britain. § 53.

Limitation of actions.-If any action or suit shall be commenced for any thing done in pursuance of this act, the same shall be commenced within twelve months after the fact committed, and not afterwards; and the defendant may plead the general issue, and give this act and the special matter in evidence, and that the same was done in pursuance and by the authority of this act; and if it shall appear so to be done, or that such action or suit shall be commenced after the time before limited for bringing the same, then the jury shall find for the defendant; and, upon a verdict for the defendant, or if the plaintiff or plaintiffs shall be nonsuited, or discontinue his, her, or their action or suit, after the defendant or defendants shall have appeared, or if upon demurrer, judgment shall be given against the plaintiff, the defendant may recover treble costs, and have the like remedy for the same as any defendant hath in any other case by law. § 54.

59 Geo. III. c. 111..

An Act to repeal so much of an Act passed in the Fifty-fifth Year of his late Majesty, as relates to the Postage and Conveyance of Letters to and from the Cape of Good Hope, Ceylon, the Mauritius, and the East Indies; and to make other Regulations respecting the Postage of such Letters and Packets, and other Letters and Packets sent by

the Post.

So much of 55 Geo. III. as relates to postage from the Cape of Good Hope, &c. repealed.-Whereas an act was passed in the fifty-fifth year of the reign of his late Majesty, intituled "An Act for granting certain rates on the postage of letters to and from Great Britain, the Cape of Good Hope, the Mauritius, and the East Indies, and for making cer tain regulations respecting the postage of ship letters, and of letters in Great Britain:" and whereas it is expedient that the said act, so far as it relates to the postage and conveyance of letters, newspapers, printed prices-current, and printed papers, to and from the Cape of Good Hope, Ceylon, the Mauritius, and the East Indies, should be repealed, and that other regulations should be made in lieu thereof; be it therefore enacted, that from and after the passing of this act the said act of the 55 Geo. III., so far as relates to the postage and conveyance of letters, newspapers, printed prices-current, and printed pages, to and from the Cape of Good Hope, Ceylon, the Mauritius, and the East Indies, shall be and the same is hereby repealed. § 1.

Penalties incurred may be recovered.- Provided that any penalty which shall have been incurred for any offence contrary to the said recited act, previously to the passing of this act, may be recovered as if the said recited act had not been repealed. § 2.

The following rates of postage from India.-And it shall be lawful for his Majesty's postmaster-general to demand, have, receive, and take for every letter or packet which shall be brought into Great Britain by any ship or vessel arriving from Ceylon, the Mauritius, or any port or place within the limits of the charter of the united company of merchants of England trading to the East Indies, or from the Cape of Good Hope, the rates following; that is to say,

For every such letter or packet a sea-postage of fourpence: provided the same shall not exceed the weight of three ounces:

And for every letter or packet exceeding the weight of three ounces a sea-postage of 1s. per ounce, in addition to any inland or internal

postage which may arise upon the inland conveyance of such letters and packets.

And for the encouragement of the masters or commanders of such ships or vessels, it shall be lawful for the postmaster-general to allow to every such commander or master the sum of twopence a letter or packet, upon all such letters and packets as he or they respectively, ou their arrival from Ceylon, the Mauritius, or any port or place within the limits of the charter of the said united company, or from the Cape of Good Hope, shall deliver unto the deputy or deputies of the postmaster-general, according to the directions hereinafter contained. § 3.

Letters may be forwarded to India.-Rates for.—And it shall be lawful for his Majesty's postmaster-general, and his deputies by him authorized, in his and their discretion, to collect and receive letters and packets of letters directed to Ceylon, the Mauritius, or any port or place within the limits of the said united company's charter, or to the Cape of Good Hope, and to forward the same by any ships or vessels that he in his discretion shall think fit; and also that it shall be lawful for such postmaster-general and his deputies, to and for the use of his Majesty, his heirs and successors, to demand, have, receive, and take for every letter or packet that shall be delivered to him, or to his deputy, for conveyance in manner hereinbefore specified, the rates following; that is to say,

For every such letter a sea-postage of twopence; provided the same shall not exceed the weight of three ounces:

And for every letter or packet exceeding in weight three ounces a seapostage at the rate of 1s. per ounce; any law, statute, usage, or custom to the contrary thereof notwithstanding. § 4.

Rates for newspapers, &c.—And be it further enacted, that it shall and may be lawful to and for his Majesty's postmaster-general, and his deputy or deputies by him thereunto authorized, in his and their discretion, to receive newspapers or printed prices-current, and also any printed paper liable to the stamp duties and duly stamped, for conveyance to such places as aforesaid; and also that it shall and may be lawful to and for his Majesty's postmaster-general, and his deputy and deputies, to and for the use of his Majesty, his heirs and successors, to demand, have, receive, and take for the conveyance of the same, the sum of one penny for each packet not exceeding one ounce; and for each packet exceeding one ounce, at the rate of one penny per ounce; provided always, that the same be sent in covers open at the sides. § 5.

Letters, &c. may be forwarded in any other manner than through the post-office.-But nothing herein contained shall be construed to oblige any person or persons to send any letters or packets of letters, or any newspapers, or printed prices-current, or any other printed papers, to the East Indies, or to the islands of Ceylon or the Mauritius, or any port or place whatsoever within the limits of the charter of the said united company, or to the Cape of Good Hope, through his Majesty's post-office; but that it shall be lawful for all persons to send letters and packets of letters, newspapers, printed prices-current, and other printed papers, to those places in any manner that they may find practicable and convenient. § 6.

Commanders of ships or vessels bound to the East Indies required to take bags. The commanders of all ships or vessels bound to Ceylon, the Mauritius, or any port or place within the limits of the charter of the said united company, or to the Cape of Good Hope, are hereby required to receive on board their respective ships any bag or bags of

letters and packets which shall be tendered to them for conveyance as aforesaid by the postmaster-general, or his deputy and deputies, without receiving or being entitled to receive any remuneration for such conveyance. And in case any such commander shall refuse to receive on board his ship any such bag or bags of letters and packets, which shall be so tendered to him for conveyance as aforesaid, or having received on board any such bag or bags shall wilfully neglect to deliver the same on his arrival at the port or place of his destination, then and in either of such cases such commander shall forfeit and pay a penalty of two hundred pounds. § 7, 8.

Owners may receive letters by their own vessels.-It shall be lawfu for the owners, charterers, or consignees of vessels, resident in Great Britain, to receive their letters by their own vessels from Ceylon, the Mauritius, or any port or place within the limits of the charter of the said united company, or from the Cape of Good Hope, free from seapostage: Provided that such owners, charterers, or consignees shall be described as such in the address and superscription of such letters, and that such letters brought by any one vessel to any one owner, charterer, or consignee, shall not collectively exceed the weight of twenty ounces. § 16.

As also owners or consignees of goods-Also it shall be lawful for the owners or consignees of goods on board ships arriving from Ceylon, the Mauritius, or any port or place within the charter of the said united company, or from the Cape of Good Hope, to receive letters free from the sea-postage by such ships; provided that such owners or consignees shall be described as such in the address and superscription thereof; and provided it shall appear by the ship's manifest that such persons actually have goods on board such ships; and that the letter or letters brought by any one such ship, for any one such owner or consignee, shall not collectively exceed the weight of six ounces. § 17.

Penalty on persons falsely superscribing letters as owners, &c.—But if any person whatsoever shall falsely superscribe any letter, as being the owner, charterer, or consignee of the vessel conveying the same, or the owner, shipper, or consignee of the goods shipped in the vessel, every such person and persons so offending shall for every such offence forfeit and pay the sum of ten pounds. § 18.

Owners and consignees may obtain their letters from the master.— And such owners, charterers, consignees, and shippers may on the account of such ship obtain such letters as they respectively may be entitled to receive, free of sea-postage as aforesaid, from the master of such ship, before he shall make his delivery at the post-office in manner hereinafter directed; but nothing in this act shall entitle such owners or consignees to take away any letters whatever not within the limitation of weight and superscription. § 19.

Owners' letters exceeding the weight allowed.-And in case any collector, comptroller, or other officer of his Majesty's customs shall find any letter or letters, superscribed as the letters of such owners, charterers, consignees, or shippers, exceeding the weight limited by this act, then it shall be lawful for such collector, comptroller, or other officer to seize so many of the letters as shall reduce the remainder within the proper weight, and he shall take the same to the nearest post-office; and the postmaster of the place shall pay to the officer delivering the same, at the rate of sixpence for each letter or packet so seized. § 20. Masters of vessels to collect letters, and deliver them at the first postoffice and make declaration. On the arrival of any ship or vessel off