Importation Act 1758
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1758 c. 34 |
| Year | 1758 |
(32 Geo. 2) C A P. XXXIV.
'W H E R E A S the Importation of Woollen Broad Cloth of the Manufacture of into any Ports or Places within theLevant Seas, by or on the Behalf of British Subjects, is not only a manifest Discouragement and Prejudice to the Woollen Manufactures of Great Britain , but is also a Means of affording Relief to the Enemy, and thereby enabling them to carry on the War against these Kingdoms:' Now for the more effectually preventing such Destructive Commerce for the future, May it 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, no Woollen Broad Cloth, or Woollen Goods, of the Manufacture ofFrance , shall directly or indirectly be imported or carried into any Port or Place in the Levant Seas, within the Limits of any Letters Patent or Charter granted to the Governor and Company of Merchants of England trading into the Levant Seas, commonly called The Turkey Company , by or on the Account of any Member of the said Company, or any Subject of this Realm.
II nor may English Goods be so imported, except directly from Great Britain,
II. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Woollen Broad Cloth, or other Woollen Goods, of the Produce or Manufacture of this Kingdom, shall be imported into any Port or Place in theLevant Seas, within the Limits of the said Company's Charter, except directly from this Kingdom, by, for, or on account of any British Subject; unless the Importer shall produce to his Majesty's Ambassador, or to the Consul, or Vice Consul, or other proper Officerappointed by theLevant Company, at the Port or Place where such Goods shall be imported, a Certificate upon Oath from the Exporter or Shipper of such Goods, at the Port or Place where the same Goods were last exported from, that the same were brought or received from Great Britain ; and in such Certificate shall be described the Name of the Ship or Vessel, and also of the Master thereof, and the particular Day or Time when the same Goods were imported into such last loading Port or Place from Great Britain ; which Certificate shall be attested by the British Consul, or Person acting as Consul in his Absence, residing at such last loading Port or Place; and the said Shippershall also produce to the saidBritish Consul, or Person acting as Consul in his Absence, the Bill or Bills of Lading of the said Goods, which shall have been given or made out upon the shipping thereof from Great Britain ; and the said Consul, or Person acting as Consul in his Absence, shall take Notice in the Attestation of such Certificate, that such Bill or Bills of Lading were produced to him.
III Consul to enter a Duplicate of such Certificate in a Book to be kept for that Purpose;
III. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That upon granting every Certificate for the Exportation ofBritish Cloths or other Woollen Manufactures of this Kingdom, for any Port or Place within the Limits of the Charter of the Levant Company, the Consul, Vice Consul, or Person acting as such, is hereby required to enter a Duplicate of the said Certificate in a Book to be by him kept for that Purpose, in which Book the said Duplicate being entered at the Timeof granting the Certificate, shall be signed by the Exporter or Shipper of the Goods taking the Oath before required to be taken upon making out such Certificate; which Book and Entry of the Duplicatesof all such Certificates shall be referred to, and received as shall Evidence, in all Disputes which may arise with Respect to the Truth or Authenticity of such Certificates; and such Entries shall and may be examined by all Parties without Fee or Reward.
IV Where the Certificate shall be suspected, the Consul is to signify the same to the Importer, and take double Security;
IV. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That in all Cases where the Consul, or Person acting as such, shall receive Information, upon Oath, setting forth good Reason to suspect the Truth or Authenticity of any Certificate, the said Consul, or Person acting as such, shall and is hereby required to signify such Information to the Importer, and to take Security in double the Value of the Goods; which Security shall be forfeited, in Case, upon a Reference to the Entries and Booksof the Consul, or Person acting as such, at the Port from whence such Goods shall be pretended to be imported, it shall appear that no such Certificate was granted; such Security to be assigned to the Informer for his sole Use and Benefit.
V Notice of such disputed Certificate to be transmitted to the Consul at the Port where the same shall be alledged to have been granted;
V. Provided always, and it is hereby enacted, That as often as any such Objections shall be made to any Certificate produced by any Importer of Woollen Cloths, or Manufactures, into any Port or Place within the Limits of the Charter of theLevant Company, and Security shall be taken of the said Importer as by this Act is directed to be taken; that in every such Case, the Ambassador, Consul, or Person acting as such, shall by the first Opportunity transmit to the Consul, or Person acting as such, at the Port or Place at which such disputed Certificate shall be alledged to have been granted, Notice of such Dispute, requiring from such Consul or Person, at the same Time, an Attestation under his Hand and Seal, determinining whether the Certificate in Dispute was granted by him; and such Attestationshall be transmitted by the said Consul, or Person acting as such, by the first Opportunity, to the Ambassador, Consul, or Person acting as such, at the Port or Place where the Dispute shall arise, who is hereby required, upon the Receipt thereof, to lay such Attestation before the said Importer; and in case the Certificate be by such Attestation verified...
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