Plate Duty Act 1719
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1719 c. 11 |
| Year | 1719 |
(6 Geo. 1) C A P. XI. Anno Regni GEORGII Regis Magn Britanni, Franci: &Hiberni, sexto.
An Act for laying a Duty upon wrought Plate; and for applying Money arising for the clear Produce (by Sale of the forfeited Estates) towards answering his Majesty's Supply; and for taking off the Drawbacks upon Hops exported forIreland ; and for Payment of Annuities to be purchased after the Rate of four Pounds per Centum per Annum at the Exchequer, redeemable by Parliament; and for appropriating Supplies granted in this Session of Parliament; and to prevent counterfeiting Receipts and Warrants of the Officers of the South-Sea Company; and for explaining a late Act concerning foreign Salt cellared and locked up before the four and twentieth Day of June one thousand seven hundred and nineteen; and to give a further Time for paying Duties on certain Apprentices Indentures; and for Relief of Thomas Vernon , Esq; in relation to a Parcel of Senna imported in the Year one thousand seven hundred and sixteen.
I Ed. 1. st. 3. c. 20. 2 Hen 6. c. 14. 4 Hen. 7. c. 2. 18 Eliz. c. 15. For the Application of the Surplus arising from this Act, see 7 Geo 1. st. 1. c. 20. sec 29.
I. MAY it please your most Excellent Majesty; Whereas by several Laws and Statutes of this Realm now in Force it is provided and enacted, That no Goldsmith, Silversmith, or other Person whatsoever shall work or make, or cause to be wrought or made, any Silver Vessel, Plate or Manufacture of Silver, less in Fineness than that of eleven Ounces and Ten-penny Weight of fine Silver in every PoundTroy , nor put to Sale, exchange or sell any Silver Vessels, Plate or Manufacture of Silver (except as in the said Statutes, or some of them, are severally excepted) until such Time as such Vessel, Plate or manufactured Silver shall be touched, assayed and marked at the respective Cities or Places in the said Statutes mentioned, and by such Corporations, Officers or Persons as are thereby respectively intrusted for touching, assaying and marking the same; under such Pains, Penalties and Forfeitures as in and by the same Laws and Statutes are prescribed, as by the said several Laws and Statutes (Relation being thereunto severally had) may more plainly and fully appear: And whereas it is found by Experience, That the Silver Vessels, Plate and Manufactures of Silver, which were made according to the old Standard of eleven Ounces and Two-penny Weight of fine Silver, (which Standard was altered by an Act made in the eighth Year of the Reign of your Majesty's Royal Predecessor KingWilliam the Third, of glorious Memory, intituled, are more serviceable and durable than the Silver Vessels, Plate and Manufactures of Silver which have beenmade according to the said Standard of eleven Ounces and Ten-penny Weight of fine Silver in every PoundTroy:' Be it therefore 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 the said old Standard of eleven Ounces and Two-penny Weight of fine Silver at least, to be contained in every Pound Weight Troy of Silver Vessels, Plate or other Manufactures of Silver made or to be made or wrought, after the first Day of June one thousand seven hundred and twenty, shall be restored, revived and take place instead of the said new Standard of eleven Ouncesand Ten-penny Weight of fine Silver at least in every such PoundTroy.
II After 1 June 1720, no Goldsmith, &c. obliged to work any Plate according to the new Standard of 11 oz. 10 d. wt. &c.
II. And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the said first Day ofJune one thousand seven hundred and twenty no Goldsmith, Silversmith or Plate-worker shall be obliged by force or virtue of the said former Laws and Statutes, or any of them, to work or make, or cause to be wrought or made, any Silver Vessel, Plate or Manufacture of Silver, according to the said new Standard of eleven Ounces and Ten-penny Weight of fine Silver at least in every Pound Troy, or be restrained from putting to Sale, exchanging or felling any Silver Vessels, Plate or Manufactures of Silver, so as the same do contain eleven Ounces and Two-penny Weight of fine Silver at least, in every Pound Troy , and be touched, assayed and marked in such Manner and Form, as in and by the said former Laws and Statutes, and by this present Act, are provided and established for touching, assaying and marking the same.
III After 1 June 1720, no Goldsmith, &c. to work or put to Sale any Plate less in Fineness than 11 oz. 2 d. wt. 12 Geo. 2. c. 26.
III. Provided always, and it is hereby enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the said first Day ofJune one thousand seven hundred and twenty no Goldsmith, Silversmith or other Person whatsoever shall work or make, or cause to be wrought or made, any Silver Vessel, Plate or Manufacture of Silver, less in Fineness than that of eleven Ounces and Two-penny Weight of fine Silver in every Pound Troy , or shall put to Sale, exchange or sell any Silver Vessel, Plate or Manufacture of Silver, made after the said first Day of June one thousand seven hundred and twenty (unless it be Silver Wire, or such Things as in respect of their Smallness are not capable of receiving a Mark) until such Time as such Vessel, Plate or Manufacture of Silver shall be touched, assayed and marked in Manner and Form prescribed by the said Laws and Statutes, or any of them, for touching, assaying and marking of the said Standardof eleven Ounces and Ten-penny Weight fine at least in every PoundTroy , in case the same Standard had continued; and that all and every the Rules, Directions, Powers, Privileges, Pains, Penalties, Forfeitures, Clauses, Matters and Things, enacted or provided in or by any of the former Laws and Statutes of this Realm, which at or until the Time of making this Act were or are in Force for preserving or securing the said Standard of eleven Ounces and Ten-penny Weight of fine Silver at least in every PoundTroy , or for touching, assaying, marking or allowing for good the Silver Plate of that Standard, shall be continued, applied, practised and put in Execution for preserving and securing the Standard of eleven Ounces and Two-penny Weight of fine Silver at least in every Pound Troy (by this Act revived and intended to be established) and for the touching, assaying, marking and allowing the same, as fully and effectually to all Intents and Purposes, as if the same Rules, Directions, Powers, Privileges, Pains, Penalties, Forfeitures, Clauses, Matters and Things, were again particularly repeated and re-enacted in and by this present Act; any Thing in the said former Laws or Statutes, or any of them, contained to the contrary notwithstanding.
IV. And we your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal Subjects, the said Commons ofGreat Britain in Parliament assembled, being fully resolved to furnish such Supplies as are necessary for defraying the Expences and Occasions of the Publick, have for that End and Purpose cheerfully and unanimously given and granted, and do by this Act give and grant to your Majesty the several and respective Rates and Duties herein after mentioned, for and upon all Silver Plate to be made or wrought in Great Britain , or to be imported or brought into the same, and such further Sum and Sums of Money as are herein specified and appointed, in such Manner and Form as are herein after more particularly expressed, and do most humbly beseech your Majestythat it may be enacted; And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That there shall be raised, levied, collected, answered and paid unto and for the Use of his Majesty, his Heirs and Successors for ever, (subject nevertheless to such Redemption as in and by this Act is afterwards provided in this Behalf) for and upon all Silver Plate which shall be imported or brought into the Kingdom ofGreat Britain , and for and upon all Silver Plate to be made or wrought within the same Kingdom, the several and respective Rates or Duties following; (that is to say) For and upon all Silver Plate made or to be made, which at any Time or Times after the first Day of June one thousand seven hundred and twenty shall be imported or brought into the said Kingdom of Great Britain (over and above all other Customs, Subsidies and Duties already imposed thereupon) a Duty after the Rate of six Pence for every Ounce Troy , and proportionally for greater or lesser Quantities, to be paid down in ready Money by the Importer thereof, from Time to Time, before the Landing of the same; and for and upon all Silver Plate which shall be made or wrought in Great Britain , or at any Time or Times, from and after the said first Day of June one thousand seven hundred and twenty, shall or ought to be touched, assayed or marked in Great Britain as aforesaid, a Duty after the Rate of six Pence for every Ounce Troy , and proportionally for any greater or lesser Quantity, to be paid by the Makers or Workers thereof respectively, and to be secured to be paid in such Manner and Form as in and by this Act are afterwards prescribed in that Behalf.
V The Duty on Plate imported to be levied as the Duty on gilt or silver Wire, 10 Ann. c. 26.
V. And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Duties by this Act imposed upon wrought Plate to be imported shall be raised, levied, recovered and...
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