REASONS
humbly
Offered
for
Passing
the
Bill
now
Tendred
,
for
encouraging
the
Taking
of
Prizes
from
the
French
King
,
and
for
explaining
an
Act
made
in
the
First
Year
of
Their
now
Majesties
Reign
,
for
Prohibiting
all
Trade
and
Commerce
with
France
.
THE
intent
of
the
said
Act
was
to
impoverish
the
French
King
,
and
disable
his
Subjects
;
for
which
purpose
,
the
granting
of
private
Commissions
and
Letters
of
Mart
,
for
taking
the
Enemies
Ships
,
Men
,
and
Merchandises
,
&c.
(
as
is
usual
in
War
)
was
always
deem'd
a
very
necessary
Expedient
:
but
for
want
of
due
encouragement
,
all
persons
are
discourag'd
from
acting
under
such
private
Commissions
.
The
Benefits
that
will
arise
from
this
,
are
,
-
I.
Many
Privateers
will
●t
out
upon
this
account
and
thereby
the
number
of
Seamen
will
be
much
increased
,
and
ready
and
experienced
to
serve
His
Majesty's
Occasions
.
-
II
.
Many
French
Prisoners
will
be
taken
in
the
Prizes
they
shall
bring
in
,
which
being
exchang'd
for
our
English
Prisoners
in
France
,
will
bring
home
many
Seamen
for
His
Majesty's
Service
;
as
may
appear
by
the
Example
of
one
small
Privateer
of
ten
Guns
,
which
in
fifteen
days
time
brought
into
Guernsey
and
Dartmouth
near
an
hundred
Prisoners
.
-
III
.
For
want
of
this
encouragement
,
many
able
and
experienc'd
Seamen
,
that
are
and
may
be
taken
,
will
be
utterly
lost
,
and
condemn'd
to
the
Galleys
,
for
want
of
French
Prisoners
to
exchange
for
them
;
which
emboldens
the
Enemy
,
and
will
increase
their
number
,
to
the
empairing
of
the
Courage
of
His
Majesty's
Subjects
,
who
are
under
the
dreadful
apprehensions
that
there
is
no
Redemption
from
Slavery
and
the
Galleys
,
for
want
of
Prisoners
to
exchange
.
-
IV
.
These
Privateers
will
so
infest
the
Trade
and
Commerce
of
France
,
that
one
part
of
France
will
not
be
able
to
supply
the
others
wants
.
As
for
Example
:
Gascoigne
and
Poicton
will
not
be
able
to
supply
Britanny
,
Normandy
,
Piccardy
,
and
their
Conquests
in
Flanders
,
with
Brandy
,
Wines
,
Vinegar
,
Salt
,
Pruans
,
and
such-like
Commodities
,
which
they
can
have
from
no
other
part
;
and
moreover
,
They
will
be
able
to
obstruct
the
French
King's
Salt-Trade
,
by
which
he
furnishes
his
Gabels
,
and
by
consequence
lessen
his
Revenues
-
V.
Privateers
often
serve
for
Convoys
,
being
always
at
Command
,
and
will
secure
the
Trade
of
our
own
Co●ts
,
which
for
want
of
them
are
infested
by
our
Enemies-Men
of
War
and
Privateers
.
-
VI
.
The
Goods
taken
by
Prize
will
turn
to
great
Advantage
to
His
Majesty
in
the
Tenths
and
Customs
thereof
,
and
will
be
a
present
fund
for
the
raising
Fory
or
Fifty
thousand
pounds
.
It
may
be
objected
,
That
in
allowing
the
Privateers
Demands
,
under
such
colour
many
private
Contracts
may
be
made
to
bring
in
French
Goods
under
the
notion
of
Prize
.
For
Answer
:
-
I.
If
any
Prize
be
brought
in
,
she
must
be
condemn'd
,
which
will
cost
Ten
per Cent
.
of
her
value
,
comprehending
what
will
be
embezled
,
and
other
Charges
.
-
II
.
The
King
must
have
Ten
per Cent
.
for
his
Tenth
.
-
III
.
The
Privateers
men
must
have
one
Third
,
which
is
Thirty-three
per Cent
.
-
IV
.
For
Victualling
and
Fitting-out
the
Privateer
Ten
per Cent
.
more
at
least
may
be
added
;
so
the
whole
Charge
amounts
to
Sixty-three
per Cent
.
And
forasmuch
as
nothing
but
the
expectation
of
great
Profit
could
make
a
man
propose
bringing
in
his
Goods
after
this
manner
;
Who
,
is
it
to
be
suppos'd
,
would
adventure
,
when
the
Charge
is
so
great
as
Sixty-three
per Cent
.
besides
the
hazard
of
the
Seas
,
Customs
,
and
other
Duties
?
-
V.
The
smallest
Privateer
must
have
Twenty
men
,
or
more
;
and
altho
the
Captain
and
one
or
two
more
may
be
in
a
Confederacy
with
you
,
yet
nevertheless
you
cannot
expect
to
silence
the
Tongues
of
the
others
,
who
upon
the
least
quarrel
will
discover
the
Design
,
to
the
loss
of
all
,
besides
the
being
liable
to
the
Penalty
of
the
Act.
-
VI
.
Some
Road
or
River
must
be
appointed
where
the
Ship
is
to
be
taken
and
brought
in
by
consent
;
and
may
not
another
Privateer
come
there
and
take
cin
,
and
so
deprive
you
of
all
?
And
as
a
further
discouragement
to
such
Importation
,
it
may
be
so
provided
,
That
if
there
be
proved
any
connivance
in
bringing
in
any
Goods
under
the
notion
of
Prize
,
that
then
the
Privateers
Ship
and
the
Prize
shall
be
both
forfeited
;
one
part
to
the
Informer
,
and
the
other
to
the
King
,
besides
all
the
other
Penalties
in
the
Act
of
Prohibition
.
Therefore
it
is
hoped
the
Bill
will
pass
,
which
is
only
for
encouraging
the
taking
of
French
Pr●zes
by
Their
Majesties
Ships
of
War
and
Privateers
,
whose
Services
may
be
so
conducing
to
the
advantage
of
Their
Majesties
,
Preservation
of
their
Subjects
,
and
the
annoying
and
dispoiling
of
their
Enemies
;
which
are
so
high
Considerations
and
Inducements
,
as
not
to
be
departed
from
for
fear
of
an
imaginary
inconvenience
of
driving
a
covert
Trade
with
France
;
which
,
for
the
Reasons
abovesaid
,
(
as
matters
now
stand
)
cannot
ensue
without
great
Expence
and
Hazard
,
and
may
be
additionally
provided
against
,
so
as
to
strengthen
it
beyond
all
question
.