by inundations, they appropriate to that object the 500,000 florins of Holland, mentioned in article I.

VI. Their high mightineffes acknowledge the full right of abfolute and independent fovereignty of his imperial majefty over all the part of the Efcaut, from Antwerp to the end of the country of Saftingen, conformably to the line of 1664, which it is agreed shall be cut, as the yellow line S. T. indicates, which falls back in T. on the limit of 1664, on the fide of Brabant; as is indicated by the chart figned by the respective ambaffadors. The ftates general renounce, in confequence, the receiving and levying of any toll and impoft in that part of the Efcaut, on any title, or under any form whatfoever; as alfo the abstructing in any manner the navigation and trade of his imperial majefty's fubjects; nor fhall the latter be permitted to extend it further than is granted by the treaty of Munfter of the 30th of January: 1648, which fhall, in that refpect, remain in full force and vigour.

VII. Their high mightineffes fhall evacuate and demolish the forts of Kruis-Schand, and of Frederick Henry, and cede the foil to his imperial majesty.

VIII. Their high mightineffes, willing to give to his majesty the emperor a fresh proof of their defire to re-establish the most perfect harmony between the two ftates,confent to evacuate and give up to the difpofal of his imperial majefty the forts of Lillo and of Liekenfhoek, with their fortifications, in the ftate they are now in ; the ftates general referving to themfelves to withdraw from them the artillery, and the ammunition of every kind..

IX. The execution of the two

articles above above mentioned fhall take place fix weeks after the exchange of the ratification.

X. The ftates general having yielded to the defire which the em peror had intimated to them, of having the forts of Lillo and Liekenfhoek in their prefent state, their high mightineffes expect, from the friendship of his imperial majefty, that he will be pleafed to cede and' give up to them all the rights he may have formed on the villages, called of Redemption, other than thofe of which he may have already difpofed by exchanges, with the principality of Liege. The count de Mercy, not being fufficiently. inftructed, was pleased, at the requeft and prayer of the mediator, to take this propofal, ad referen dum.

XI. His majefty renounces the pretenfions he had formed on the Ban and villages of Bladel and Reuffel.

XII. The count de Mercy demands that the village of Poftel, which, he fays, is already fubject to the dominion of the emperor, be ceded to his imperial majefty by the ftates general, who, to that effect, fhall renounce all pretenfions; be it understood, that the effects of the Abbey of Poftel, fecularized by the ftates general, fhall not be claimed. The ambaffadors of Holland have been pleased, on the prayer of the mediator, to take this article, ad referendum.

XIII. It is agreed, that the pecuniary pretenfions from fovereign to fovereign are compenfated and abolished; and, as to those which individuals may claim on one part and the other, commiffioners fhall be appointed to liquidate them.

XIV. Commiffioners-fhall alfo [4 a] 2

be

be nominated to reconnoitre the limits of Brabant, and to agree in a friendly manner about fuch exchanges as might be of mutual conveniency.

XV. The treaty of Munfter, of the 30th of January 1648, fhall be the basis of the future definitive treaty, which is to be concluded in the fpace of fix weeks; and all the ftipulations of the faid treaty of Munfter fhall be retained, fo far as nothing has derogated from them. The ambaffadors of the ftates general demand the repeal of the treaty of 1731, and namely of the article V.the Count de Mercy has not thought proper to yield

thereto.

"The above articles have been digefted in the prefence of the Count de Vergennes, nominated by his Moft Chriftian Majefty to fill the function of mediator, and have been fubfcribed by the ambaffadors, under the approbation of the Emperor and of the States

commercial regulations for the encouragement of their own trade :

Therefore be it enacted, by the fenate and house of representatives, in general court affembled, and by the authority of the fame, that from and after the first day of Auguft next, and during the continuance of this act, there fhall not be exported, from any port, harbour, creek, bay, or inlet, river, or fhore, or any other place within this commonwealth, any goods, wares, or merchandize, the growth, manufacture, or produce of this, or any of the United States, in any ship, veffel, or craft of any kind, belonging (either in whole or in part) to, or being the property of, any of the fubjects of the king of Great Britain.

Provided nevertheless, and whereas proclamations and orders have been iffued by the governors of feveral parts of the British dominions, for prohibiting veffels belonging to any of the United States from entering their ports, or trafficking

there;

Be it further enacted, that in case the faid proclamations and orders fhall be reverfed, and open trade allowed to fuch veffels, and the governor of this commonwealth being certified thereof, fhall by advice of council publicly fignify the fame by his proclamation, then thall the foregoing clause of this act be difcontinued, and fhall ceafe to operate during the time fuch open trade shall be allowed,

And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, that from and after the faid firft day of August next, if any fhip, veffel, or craft of any kind, as aforefaid, be found in any port, harbour, or creek, or any other place within this commonwealth, taking on board, or having

taken

taken on board while in this commonwealth, any of the articles aforefaid, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, every fuch ship, veffel, or craft, together with their lading, shall be forfeited, and shall and may be seized by any naval officer, collector of excife, or his deputy, or by any other citizen or ci tizens of the United States, and the fame may be fued for, profecuted, and recovered, in any court of record within this commonwealth, proper to try the fame; and after deducting the charges of profecuting the fame from the grofs produce thereof,the remainder fhall be given, one moiety to the perfon or perfons who fhall have made the feizure, and profecuted the fame, and the other moiety fhall be paid into the treasury of the commonwealth, for the use of the fame.

And be it further enacted, that from and after the first day of Auguft next, there fhall not be taken out or landed from on board any fhip, veffel, or craft, not wholly belonging to, or the property of the citizens of the United States, any goods, wares, or merchandize in any port, harbour, or creek, or any other place within this commonwealth, except the Ports of Bofton, Falmouth (in Cafco Bay) and Dartmouth; and if any fhip, veffel, or craft, not wholly owned as aforefaid, fhall be found in any port, harbour, or creek, or any other place within this commonwealth, except the ports of Boston, Falmouth (in Cafco Bay) and Dartmouth, afore faid, discharging her loading, or any part thereof, or having difcharged her loading, or any part thereof, otherwife than above-mentioned, the faid fhip, veffel, or craft, together with her loading, shall be seized

and forfeited, to be recovered and appropriated as aforefaid.

And be it further enacted, that from and after the firft day of Auguft next, there fhall be paid by the mafter, owner, or confignee of every fhip, veffel, or craft, owned either in part or in whole by any foreigner, at the time of entering the said ship, vessel, or craft, into the hands of the naval officer of the ports of Bofton, Falmouth, and Dartmouth aforefaid, for the use and benefit of this commonwealth, a duty of five fhillings per ton, for each and every ton faid veffel may measure by carpenters measurement, and a farther duty of two fhillings and eightpence per ton, as light money, in addition to what by law they are now subject to pay, for the use and fervice of the light-houses; and likewife pay unto the collector of impoft or excife, for the counties of Suffolk, Cumberland, and Bristol, double the duty on the goods imported in faid veffel, as is or may be paid at that time upon the like goods imported in a veffel belonging wholly to the citizens of the United States; and a further duty of fixpence fhall be paid upon every bufhel of falt imported in any ship, veffel, or craft, owned either in whole or in part by any of the fubjects of the king of Great Britain; and previous to their breaking bulk, they fhall give bond to the faid collector for the payment of the tame.

Provided nevertheless, that the faid duty of fixpence per bushel on falt, fhall not be paid in cafe an open trade fhall be permitted in the British dominions, and during the continuance of fuch open trade fuch permiffion to be fignified by the governor's proclamation as a forefaid.

[A a] 3

;

And

And whereas fome perfons, for the fake of enjoying more extenfive privileges in commerce, have had double fets of papers for their veffels, in order that they might appear the property of one nation or another, as might best answer their purposes for the prevention of which impofitions,

Be it enacted, that from and after the first day of Auguft next, any vefiel which may appear to have two fets of papers, by the one of which fhe may appear to be the property of the citizens of the United States, and by the other the property of foreigners; or if it fhall be made to appear that any veffel that has cleared at any naval office in this commonwealth, as the property of the citizens of thefe ftates, thall afterwards enter and difcharge her cargo taken in and cleared as aforefaid, in any foreign port, as the property of a foreigner; faid veffel, upon her return into this commonwealth, fhall be forfeited, and may be feized by the naval officer of the port where the may be found, or by any other perfon or perfons, who may profecute for the fame, to be recovered, and the money arifing from fuch forfeiture to be applied as a forefaid, and the mafter of fuch veffel, fo offending, fhall forfeit and pay, for the use of this commonwealth, a fum of 100l. to be recovered as aforefaid.

And be it further enacted, that each naval officer in this commonwealth, previous to his admitting any veffel to an entry, fhall adminifter the following oath or affirmation to the mafter, or one of the principal owners thereof (provided faid veffel fhall appear to be the property of the citizens of these

And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, that if any naval officer, or his deputy, fhall prefume to enter or clear any vessel, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, or if any naval officer, collector of impoft and excife, or their deputies, fhall neglect any of the duties required of them by this act, he or they, fo offending or neglecting their refpective duties, fhall forfeit and pay the fum of 300l. one moiety thereof for the ufe of this commonwealth, and the other moiety thereof for the use of the perfon or perfons who may profecute for the fame, to be fued for and recovered in any court of record in this commonwealth, proper to try the fame; and in addition thereto fhall be rendered incapable of any further exercife of his or their refpective offices.

Provided nevertheless, that nothing in this act shall be conftrued to prevent any fhip or veffel built in this commonwealth, and owned either in whole or in part by any of the fubjects of the king of Great Britain, from taking a cargo upon her firft departure from this com

and

monwealth, upon the fame terms, and no further reftrictions than if faid veffel was owned by the citizens of these states.

And be it further enacted, that this act shall continue in full force until the United States in congrefs affembled fhall be vefted with competent power for the purpose, and fhall have paffed an ordinance for the regulation of the commerce of these states; and the period may arrive when the faid ordinance is to take effect, and no longer.

In the house of reprefentatives, June 23, 1785.-This bill having had three feveral readings, paffed to

be enacted.

its growing profperity, the necessary expences in time of peace, of protecting the trade and general interefts of the empire.

3. That towards carrying into full effect fo defirable a settlement, it is fit and proper that all articles, not the growth or manufacture of Great Britain or Ireland, fhould be imported into each kingdom from the other reciprocally, under the fame regulations, and at the fame duties, if fubject to duties, to which they are liable when imported directly from the place of their growth, product, or manufacture; and that all duties originally paid on importation into either country respectively, 66 except on arrack "and foreign brandy, and on rum, "and all forts of ftrong waters,

not

imported from the British colo"nies in the Weft Indies or Ame"rica," shall be fully drawn back on exportation to the other.

4. That it is highly important to the general interefts of the British empire, that the laws for regulating fame in Great Britain and Ireland; trade and navigation fhould be the and therefore, that it is essential towards carrying into effect the prefent fettlement, that all laws which have been made, or shall be made in Great Britain, for fecuring exclufive privileges to the fhips and mariners of Great Britain, Ireland, and the British colonies and plantations, and for regulating and reftraining the trade of the British colonies and plantations, fhall be in force in Ireland in the fame manner as in Great Britain; and that preper measures fhould from time to time be taken, for effectually carrying the fame into execution.

5. That it is further effential to this fettlement, that all goods and [A a] 4 commodities