REASONS Humbly Offered, for the bringing in a BILL, to Encourage Privateers, and to Demonstrate, that such a Bill as is proposed, will not Evade the Prohibition Act, or any thing, except as to Prize Goods.
THE great Reason why Prize Goods were not allowed to be Excepted out of the Act for prohibiting Trade with France was, because by such an Exception, all French Goods would be imported by way of Merchandize under the Colour of Prize Goods, and so the design of the Act Eluded.
For the preventing which Mischief, 'tis proposed, that upon all Goods taken, and brought in as Prize, such a Value may be set, as doth not exceed Nine parts in Ten of the prime Cost, which must have been paid for them in France, if they had been bought there.
As for Instance, If Burdeaux Claret be wor [...] 7 l. a Ton in France, then let every Ton, that is brought in by way of Prize, be valued at a Tenth part less than 7 l. which is 6 l. 6 s. and let the Nine parts which belong to the Captors be delivered at that Price, to such Commissioners as shall be appointed by Their Majesties for that purpose and the Commissioners to sell it for the best advantage of Their Majesties.
And so let proportionable Rates be set upon all other Prize Goods.
By this means 'twill be next to an impossibility, that any Trade should be privately carried on with France, under the colour of Prize Goods, for no Merchant will buy Wines, or other Goods, in France, and be at the Expence of Shipping them there, and also at the further Charges of fitting out Privateers here, to go and take such Ships and Goods, when they are sure they shall lose a Tenth part of their first Cost in France, besides all their other Expences.
And the better to prevent any fraudulent Importation of French Goods by way of Merchandize, under the Colour of Prize Goods, 'tis proposed First.
I. That a Clause be added to the Bill that every Captain, Master, or other Chief Officer of the Ship, which takes a French Prize, shall bring it into such Port, &c. as is next to the place where such Prize was taken, and within 6 Hours after bringing the same into such next Port &c. to declare to the Chief Magistrate of the Port that the Vessel and Goods brought in were taken as Prize.
II. That the Captain, Master, and other Officers of the Ship, be compelled to swear, that such Vessels, and goods, so taken and brought in by them, were really, and bona fide taken as Prize.
III. If any Goods brought in, and sworn to be Prize, are not really so, but are fraudulently brought in by way of Merchandize; That in such Case the Person or Persons, detecting such Fraud, and Convicting the Master, or other Officers thereof, shall have the advantage which the Captors should have had.
IV. That after such Prize be brought in, the Captain, Master, or any other Person, shall not presume to land any of the Goods, before the same be Condemned as Prize, nor after Condemnation, without Licence from the Commissioners.
V. If any Captain, &c. do not bring in their Prizes to the next Port, (unless drove to any other Port by stress of Weather) or refuse to swear, they were really, and bona fide taken as Prize, or if they Land any of their Goods otherwise than as aforesaid: In every such Case, the Goods to be deemed Imported contrary to the Prohibition Act, and the Goods, and the Captain, Master, Officers, Mariners, &c. to be subject to the Penalties in the said Act mentioned.
VI. That a Clause be added to prevent the Farming, or taking any Grant or Lease of the Prize Goods or any part thereof, or the profits arising thereby. Together with such other Clauses as to the great Wisdom of this Honourable House shall seem Necessary.
By such a Bill, among many other Advantages that will Arise to Their Majesties and the Kingdom, First
An Addition will be made to Their Majesties Revenue.
2. The French Trade will be much streightned.
3. The French Prisoners taken by our Privateers, will be a means to redeem our English Seamen, and others, that are Captives in France. And
4. Besides the Addition which will be made to the Number of Seamen, by the Redeeming many Mariners from the French Slavery, there will be a constant Nursery of Seamen maintained by the Privateers, which will give security to be ready upon any Summons from Their Majesties, or the Lords of the Admiralty, to serve Their Majesties in Their Men of War.