May 17an. c. 26.

C. .

and

ud

Su convention betwan France anrused to acts of 1. kong: a. bago: 7

on Cong: c.24. Consuls del rurning

2.

ako at

Trustee in the room of the one fo dying, removing, or disabled. The sheriff shall attend and take the pollat such election, entering the paines of the persons voted for in a distinct column, and the name of every freeholder giving his vote under the name of the person he votes for; and when no freeholders appear to vote, the sheriff shall close the poll, and return the same to the next Court to be held for his County, upon oath, certifying the name of the person elected, to be by the Clerk recorded.

II. EVERY person elected in manner directed by this act, shall, to all in.. tents and purposes, be a Trustee of the town for which he was chosen.

III. So much of all Acts of Asembly as are contrary to the purview and meaning of this Act, are hereby repealed,

a

152,

At a Generel Alsembly, begun and held at the Public Buildings,

in the Town of Richmond, on Monday, the 6th Day of Mary, in the Year of our Lord 1782.

CHAP. VI.
An Ad concerning Wrecks,
[Passed the 20th of June, 1732.]

Prcamble,
IW

THEREAS many vessels, have been and may hereafter be stranded on goods or other property belonging to such vessels may be embezzled and itolen, to the great injury of the owners : For remedy whereof, Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That it shall be lawful for the Governor, with advice of Council, and he is hereby required, to appoint and commision two discreet persons in each of the counties bordering on the sea or bay shores in this state, whose Commiffigners to he business and duty it shall be, on the earliest intelligence, or on application to appointed on the ica and them made, by or on behalf of any owner or commander of a ship or other bay choses. vefiel, being in danger of being itranded, or being stranded, to command any Constable or Constables, to be appointed by them for that purpose, nearest the Tlcir duty on intellicoast where such ship or vessel shall be in danger, to fummon as many men as gence of a vesicl Niandthall be thought neceffary to the allistance of fuch Mip or vesiel; and if there ed or in danger. fhall be any ship or vefsel belonging to the State riding near the place, the Commiffioner or Commissioners shall have power to demand of the commanding officer of such ship or vessel, affittance by their boats and such hands as they can conveniently spare; and if any commanding officer shall neglect to give such affistance, he shall forfeit one hundred pounds, to be recoyered by the officer or owner of the ship in distress, with colis, in any Court of Record within this Commonwealth. The Commillioner or Commillioners, and the commanding officer of any ship or veslel, and all others who fail aflilt in preserving any ship Thole who afft in fava or other vessel in distress, or their cargoes, shall, within forty days, be paid a ing a vesel or cargo eo

have a reward; reasonable reward by the commander or owner of the ship or other vessel in diftress, or by the merchant whole vesiel or goods shall be saved; and in default thereof, the vessel or goods shall remain in the cuftody of the Commissioner or Commiflioners until all charges be paid, or security given for that purpose, to and may retain vesel the satisfaction of the parties. And in case the parties shall disagree, touching or goods till reward paid the monies deserved by the persons employed, it thall be lawful for the com- or secured. mander of such vessel saved, or the owner of the goods, or merchant interested, to choose one indifferent person, and also for the Comınissioner or Commillioners Reward how to be to nominate one other indifferent person, who shall adjust the quantum of the ascertained, gratuities to be paid to the several persons, and such adjultments thali be binding on all parties, and to be recoverable with coits in any Court of Record within this Commonwealth, by action on the case. If no person shall claim the goods faved, the Commissioners, or one of them, shall take poífeflion thereof, and caule Proceeding isthe goods a true description of the marks, numbers, and kinds of such goods to be advertised faved be no claimed. four weeks in the Virginia Gazette, and if no person shall claim the same within three months, public fale thall be made thereof, (but if perishable, the goods shall be forthwith fold) and after charges deducted, the refidue of the money, with an account of the whole, shall be transmitted to the Treasurer, who Thall keep an account of the fame, for the beneft of the owners, who upon proof of his property to the satisfaction of the Auditors, íhall upon their warrant receive the same. If any person, besides those empowered by the Commissioners, or one of penalty on those who

in

any

intermedile without them, Mall enter or endeavor to enter on board any vessel in distress, without power from Copomis the leave of the commanding officer, or in case any person shall moleft them in tioners.

saving the vessel or goods, or shall endeavor to hinder the saving such vessel or Or hinder those em. saving the goods, or shall deface the marks of any such goods before they be taken down

in a book by the Commisioners, or one of them, every such person shall forfeit Or deface the marks, and

pay the sum of ten pounds, to be recovered with costs, by information in any Court of Record within this Commonwealth, and applied to the use of the owners of the vessel or goods, as the case may be ; and in case of failure, to pay such forfeiture immediately, or giving security to pay the same within one

month, he, she, or they, Thall receive ten lashes on his, her, or their bare back, Commisfioners may re- by order of such Court. It shall be lawful for any commanding officer of a vessel pel force by force. in distress, or the Commissioners, to repel by force any persons as shall, without

consent as aforesaid, press on board any vesel in distress, and thereby moleft them Gonds carried from a in preserving the vessel or goods; and in case any goods shall be found upon any

; vefsel in difrels, and found in any person's person that were stolen or carried off from any vessel in distress, the person on poliesfion, to be restored. whom such goods be found, shall, upon demand, deliver the fame to the owner

or Commissioners, or to such other person as shall be authorised by the ComPenalty.

missioners or owner to receive such goods, or shall be liable to pay treble the

value, to be recovered, with costs, in any Court of Record. If any person shall Death to make a hole make or be aflisting in making a hole in any vessel in distress, or steal any pump, in a vessel in diftrets. Or fteal pump materiais materials, or goods, or shall be aiding in stealing such pump, materials, or goods, or goods; or do

from any vesel, or shall wilfully do any thing tending to the immediate loss of thing tending to the loss such vessel, fuch person shall be guilty of felony, and suffer death without benefit of the vessel.

of clergy; any Commissioner by fraud or wilful neglect, abusing the trust reposed

in him, hall, upon conviction thereof, forfeit and pay treble damages to the Penalty on Commissi- party aggrieved, to be recovered, with coils, by action on the case in any Court oner abusing his trust; of Record, and shall thenceforth be incapable of acting as a Commissioner. Any

Constable, or person, summoned by him, refusing or neglecting to give the afliftand on constable and af- ance required for the saving of any vessel or her cargo, Mall forfeit and pay fiftants for neglect,

twenty-five shillings, to be recovered before any Justice, by the Commissioners ordering the duty ; and shall be moreover subject to the payment of the same

damages, and to be recovered by the party aggrieved in the same manner, as in Act to be set up in each the case of a Commissioner. The Commissioners shall set up a copy of this Act courthouse.

once in every year in each of the Courthouses of the Counties wherein they re

spectively refide. Commissioners to give

II. PROVIDED always, and be it further enacted, That the Commissioners tond and security. appointed by virtue of this act, shall respectively give bond and security in the

Court of the County where he resides, in the sum of one thousand pounds, for the due and faithful execution of his office, and that it shall not be lawful for

such Commissioner, or any of them, to enter upon the duties of his office before If vessel totally lost, he gives bond and security as aforelaid. goods laved to pay no

M. AND be it further enacted, That where any vessel shall be stranded and duty. If vefiel cast on Shore, totally lost, goods taved from the wreck (hall not be liable to entry and duties ; 3od the damage on the but if any vessel be drove or cast on shore, and the damage fultained on the goods not more than ten goods does not appear to exceed ten per centum, in the judgment of the Comjer cent. goods to be

missioners, such goods shall be duly entered with the Naval Officer nearest the entered and pay duty.

place where the cafe happened, according to law..

1783)

At a General Assembly, begun and held at the Public Buildings,

in the City of Richmond, on Monday, the 20th Day of Cetober, in the Year of our Lord 1783.

CHAP. VII.
An Ad to authorise the Delegates of this state in Congress, to convey to the United

States in Congress assembled, all the Right of this Commonwealth to the Territory
North Weft ward of the River Oh10.7

Paffed the 20th of December, 1783.]
1.
W and

HEREAS the Congress of the United States did, by their A&t of the eighty, recommend to the several States in the Union, having claims to waste

This claujë repeated by Congrejs U. S. ť l'ide post, chap. 40.

Preamble.