lieu thereof; and to enable the said Company to raise a further Sum of Money, and to enlarge the Powers and Provisions of the several Acts relating to the said Railway.

Cap. xlix.

[17th May 1824.]

An Act for making a Railway from Palace-Craig in the Parish
of Old Monkland in the County of Lanark to the Forth and
Clyde Canal near Kirkintillock in the County of Dumbarton.
[17th May 1824.]

Cap. 1.

An Act for enlarging the Powers and Provisions of an Act of 59 6.3. c.lxv. His late Majesty, intituled An Act for taking down and rebuilding the Parish Church of Blackburn in the County Palatine of Lancaster, and for providing additional Burial Ground, and for equalizing the Church Rates in the said Parish, and other Purposes. [17th May 1824.]

Cap. li.

An Act for establishing and regulating a Market, and for erecting
a Town Hall and Market Place, in the Township of Bilston in
the County of Stafford.
[17th May 1824.]

Cap. lii.

An Act for repealing so much of an Act of the Thirteenth Year
of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Third, inti-
tuled An Act for appointing Wardens and Assay Masters for
assaying Wrought Plate in the Towns of Sheffield and Birming-
ham, as relates to the Town of Birmingham, and within Twenty
Miles thereof; and for granting further and more effectual
Powers for assaying and marking Gold and Silver Plate,
wrought or made within the said Town of Birmingham, and
within Thirty Miles thereof, and for other Purposes relating
thereto.
[17th May 1824.]

WH HEREAS an Act was passed in the Thirteenth Year of 13 G.3. c.52.

the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Third, 'intituled An Act for appointing Wardens and Assay Masters "for assaying Wrought Plate in the Towns of Sheffield and Birmingham, whereby the Towns of Birmingham and Sheffield are appointed for the assaying and marking of Wrought Silver Plate, and whereby certain Persons were incorporated a Company belonging to the Town of Birmingham, and styled "The Guardians of the Standard of Wrought Plate," with Power to appoint • Wardens and an Assayer of Silver Manufactures made or wrought in the said Town, or within Twenty Miles thereof:

$ 1.

•And Whereas by an Act passed in the Twelfth Year of the Reign 12 G.2. c.26.

of King George the Second, intituled An Act for the better pre

venting Frauds and Abuses in Gold and Silver Wares, the Stand

ard in the making of any Gold Vessel, Plate or Manufacture ‹ of Gold whatsoever, was limited to Twenty two Carats of fine Gold in every Pound Weight Troy, and in the making of any

• Silver

'

• Silver Vessel, Plate or Manufacture of Silver whatsoever, was
limited to Eleven Ounces and Two Pennyweights of fine Silver
in every Pound Weight Troy; and by an Act passed in the
Thirty eighth Year of His said late Majesty, intituled An Act
for allowing Gold Wares to be manufactured at a Standard lower
than is now allowed by Law, the Standard in the making of any
• Gold Vessel, Plate or Manufacture was allowed to be Eighteen
Carats of fine Gold in every Pound Weight Troy, and certain
Marks were thereby required to be made thereon: And
• Whereas it is by the said last recited Act declared to be lawful
for the respective Companies of Goldsmiths in London, Edin-
burgh, Birmingham and Sheffield, and other Places therein men-
tioned (being respectively duly authorized), to touch, assay and
• mark any Gold Vessel, Plate or Manufacture of Gold, to be made
' and wrought as therein specified; but inasmuch as the said Act
of the Thirteenth Year of the Reign of His late Majesty,
whereby the said Birmingham Company was established, does
not contain such Authority, the Persons exercising the Trades
or Businesses of Goldsmiths, Jewellers and Gold Plate Workers,
residing within the said Town of Birmingham and the Neigh-
'bourhood thereof, cannot exercise and enjoy the Privileges and
Advantages which by the said Act of the Thirty eighth Year of
the Reign of His late Majesty it was assumed they had and
' intended that they should have and enjoy, and great Difficul-
ties, Delays and Inconveniences are occasioned to them in re-
'gard to the assaying and marking of such Gold Manufactures;
' and it would be of great Convenience and Advantage to them
in the Exercise of their Trades if the said Company of Guar-
dians belonging to the Town of Birmingham were empowered to
examine, mark and assay Manufactures wrought or made in
• Gold, as contemplated by the said Act of the Thirty eighth Year
of His said late Majesty, in like Manner as they are empowered
by the said Act of the Thirteenth Year of His said late Majesty, to
assay Manufactures wrought or made in Silver in the said Town
' of Birmingham, and within Twenty Miles thereof: And Where-
as the Purposes of the said Act of the Thirteenth Year of the
Reign of His late Majesty might be more effectually executed
' if the said Guardians were empowered to purchase Lands and
'Buildings for an Office or Offices: And Whereas it is expedient
that the Powers and Provisions of the said recited Act of the
Thirteenth Year of the Reign of His said late Majesty, so far as
'the same relate to the Town of Birmingham, and within Twenty
• Miles thereof, should be repealed, and further and other Powers
be granted for effecting the Purposes thereof; but the several
Purposes aforesaid cannot be effected without the Aid and
Authority of Parliament:' May it therefore please Your Ma-
jesty that it may be enacted; and be it 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 Thirtieth Day of June One thousand eight
hundred and twenty four, the said recited Act of the Thirteenth
Year of the Reign of His said late Majesty King George the
Third, so far as the same relates to the said Town of Birming-

'

ham,

extended to

LXXVII. And be it further enacted, That all the Provisions, Regulations to Rules, Regulations, Forfeitures and Penalties respecting the which Prize Delivery by Prize Agents of Accounts for Examination, and the Agents liable Distribution of Prize Money, and the accounting for and paying Bounties and over the Proceeds of Prize and the Percentage due thereon to Proceeds disGreenwich Hospital, shall be and are hereby extended to all tributed under Bounties and Proceeds to be distributed under the Provisions of this Act. this Act to the Officers and Crews of any of His Majesty's Ships or Vessels of War, whether the said Bounty and Proceeds shall be paid to Prize Agents, or to any other Persons authorized to receive the same for the Use and Benefit of the Officers and Crews of any of His Majesty's Ships or Vessels of War.

In Actions for Acts done in pursuance of

the said Treaties

or of this Act.

LXXVIII. And be it further enacted, That if any Action or Suit shall be commenced, either in Great Britain or elsewhere, against any Person or Persons, for any Thing done in pursuance of the said Treaties, Conventions or the Instructions or Regulations thereto annexed, or of this Act, in as far as it relates thereto, the Defendant or Defendants in such Action or Suit may plead the General Issue, and give this Act and the special General Issue. 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 Treaties, Conventions, 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 Plaintiff, the Defendant or Defendants shall recover Treble Costs, and have the like Remedy Treble Costs. for the same as Defendants have in other Cases by Law.

LXXIX. And also that nothing in this Act contained in relation to the said Treaties, Conventions, Regulations or Instructions aforesaid, shall extend or be deemed or construed in any wise to alter, suspend, affect, relax or repeal any of the Clauses, Penalties, Forfeitures or Punishments contained and enacted in any other Part of this Act, but that all such Clauses, Regulations, Penalties, Forfeitures, and Punishments therein contained, shall remain in full force and virtue.

LXXX. And be it further enacted, That nothing in the other Parts of this Act contained shall extend or be deemed or construed in any wise to alter, suspend, affect, relax or repeal any of the Clauses, Penalties, Forfeitures or Punishments contained, enacted or confirmed in that Part of this Act which relates to the said Treaties, Conventions, Regulations or Instructions aforesaid.

LXXXI. And be it further enacted, That this Act may be repealed, altered or amended during this present Session of Parliament.

LXXXII. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall commence and have Effect from and after the First Day of January in the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty five.

Nothing relat

ing to the said Treaties, &c. to alter any other Part of

Act.

Nor any of the said Treaties,

&c.

Act may be altered, &c. this

Session.

Commencement of Act.

Z z

5 GEO. IV.

SCHE

6 G. 1. c. 18.

§ 1.

$ 12.

CA P. CXIV.

An Act to repeal so much of an Act of the Sixth Year of
King George the First, as restrains any other Corporations
than those in the Act named, and any Societies or Part-
nerships, from effecting Marine Assurances, and lending
Money on Bottomry.
[24th June 1824.]

<

HEREAS an Act was passed in the Sixth Year of the Reign of His Majesty King George the First, intituled An Act for better securing certain Powers and Privileges, to be granted by His Majesty by Two Charters, for Assurance of Ships and Merchandize at Sea and going to Sea, and for lending Money upon Bottomry; and for restraining several extravagant and unwarrantable Practices therein mentioned; whereby His Majesty was empowered to incorporate, by Two several Charters, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, Two several and distinct Companies for Assurance of Ships, Goods and • Merchandize at Sea, or going to Sea, and for lending Money upon Bottomry, by such Names as His Majesty should think proper; subject nevertheless to Redemption and Revocation in the Manner therein expressed: And it was further enacted, that 'from and after the granting or making of the said respective Charters for erecting the said Two Corporations, and passing the same under the Great Seal, for and during the Continuance of the same Corporations respectively, or either of them, all other Corporations or Bodies Politic before erected or established, or thereafter to be erected or established, and all such Societies or Partnerships as then were or thereafter should or might be entered into by any Person or Persons, for assuring Ships or Merchandize at Sea, or for any Money upon Bottomry, should, by force and virtue of the said recited Act, be • restrained

'

6

6

6

' restrained from granting, signing or underwriting any Policy or Policies of Assurance of or upon any Ship or Ships, Goods or Merchandizes, at Sea or going to Sea, and from lending any Monies by way of Bottomry; and if any Corporation or Body Politic, or Persons acting in such Society or Partnership, other than the Two Corporations intended to be established by the said recited Act, should presume to grant, sign or ' underwrite, after the Twenty fourth Day of June One thousand seven hundred and twenty, any such Policy or Policies, or make any such Contract or Contracts for Assurance of or upon any such Ship or Ships, Goods or Merchandizes, at Sea or going to Sea, or take or agree to take any Premium or other Reward for such Policies, every such Policy and Policies of Assurance of or upon any such Ship or Ships, Goods or Mer'chandizes, should be ipso facto void; and every Sum and Sums so signed or underwritten in such Policy or Policies, should be 'forfeited and recovered in Manner expressed in the said recited Act; and it was further enacted, that if any Corporation or Body Politic, or Persons acting in such Society or Partnership as aforesaid, other than the Two Corporations intended to be established by the said recited Act, or One of them, should presume to lend, or agree to lend or advance, by themselves, or any others on their Behalf, after the said Twenty fourth Day of June One thousand seven hundred and twenty, any Money by way of Bottomry as aforesaid, contrary to the said Act, the Bond or other Security for the Time should be ipso facto void, and such Agreement should be adjudged to be an usurious Contract, and the Offender therein should suffer as in • Cases of Usury: And Whereas, pursuant to the said Act, His Majesty, by One Charter, bearing Date the Twenty second Day of June One thousand seven hundred and twenty, created and established One Corporation or Body Politic, called The Royal Exchange Assurance; and by another Charter, bearing the same Date, His Majesty created and established another Corporation or Body Politic, called The London Assurance : • And Whereas it is expedient that so much of the said Act, as restrains Corporations or Bodies Politic, Societies or Partnerships, and Persons acting in Society or Partnership, from insuring Ships and Goods and Merchandizes at Sea, and from lending Money by way of Bottomry, should be repealed: May it therefore please Your Majesty that it may be enacted; and be it 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 passing of this Act, so much of the said recited Act as restrains any Corporation or Body Politic, Society or Partnership, or Persons acting in any Society or Partnership, from granting, signing and underwriting writing, reany Policy or Policies of Assurance, or making any Contract for pealed. Assurance, of or upon any Ship or Ships, or Goods or Merchandize, at Sea or going to Sea, or from lending Money by way of Bottomry, or as makes any such Contract void, or declares that the same shall be adjudged usurious, or as imposes any Forfeiture

'

દ

So much of
Act as restrains
Corporations
from Under-