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Be it enacted by the Governour, Council, and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, There shall be given and paid out of the Colony Treasury, a premium or bounty of ten pounds for every hundred pounds weight of good and merchantable Saltpetre or Nitre that shall be made and manufactured in this Colony, between the 1st day of June, 1776, and the 1st day of January, 1777, and so in proportion for a greater or a lesser quantity: Always provided, That in case any proprietor of Saltpetre Works or manufacturers of Saltpetre, shall, upon application and request made to him by any person or persons, neglect or refuse to communicate a full account of the materials out of which, and the process by which such Saltpetre or Nitre is made, such proprietor or manufacturer shall not be entitled to have or receive the aforesaid bounty or premium for any Saltpetre or Nitre he shall make, any thing herein contained notwithstanding.
Be it further enacted, That a suitable number of Inspectors of Saltpetre or Nitre be appointed by the General Assembly, and that the claimants of the premium or bounty given by this or any former act for the manufacture of Saltpetre
Be it also enacted, That every town in this Colony, which hath and doth send Representatives to the General Assembly, in which Saltpetre or Nitre works are not or shall not be erected, and the manufacture of Saltpetre is not or shall not be carried on by some person or persons, shall be and are hereby enjoined as soon as may be, to erect one set of such works, and carry on the manufacture of Nitre or Saltpetre in the same; and that it shall be the duty of the Selectmen of each town in this Colony, and they are hereby authorized and enjoined at the expense, and for the benefit of said town to cause such works to be erected, and said manufacture to be carried on in the same accordingly.
Be it also enacted, That no Saltpetre, Nitre, or Gunpowder, made and manufactured, or that shall be made and manufactured in this Colony, shall be exported out of the same by land or water, without the license of the General Assembly, or his Honour the Governour and Committee of Safety, under the penalty of twenty pounds for every hundred weight of such Saltpetre, Nitre, or Gunpowder, and proportionably for a greater or lesser quantity, so without license exported; to be recovered by bill, plaint, or information, in any court of record in this Colony by law proper to lake cognizance thereof.
And whereas it is necessary that two Powder-Mills be immediately erected in this Colony, for manufacturing Gunpowder: Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That a bounty or premium of thirty pounds shall be paid out of the Colony Treasury, to the person or persons who shall erect the first Powder-Mill in this Colony, and shall make and manufacture therein five hundred pounds weight of good and merchantable Gunpowder; also, that a bounty or premium of thirty pounds shall be paid out of the Colony Treasury, to the person or persons who shall erect the second Powder-Mill in this Colony, and make or manufacture therein five hundred pounds weight of good and merchantable Gunpowder.
Be it further enacted, That the Inspector or Inspectors, who shall inspect and give a certificate for any quantity of Saltpetre as before directed, shall purchase and receive such Saltpetre for the Colony' s use and benefit, and give his or their receipt therefor to the claimant or claimants, who shall be paid therefor out of the Colony Treasury, at such price as the General Assembly shall ascertain and affix.
And whereas it is expedient that Powder-Mills should be so situated as to accommodate the publick in the best manner: Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no Powder-Mill shall be erected In this Colony, for the manufacture of Gunpowder, without the license of the General Assembly, or, in their recess, of the Governour and Council, first had and obtained, under the penalty of thirty pounds for every such offence, to be recovered as the other foregoing penalties in this act are directed to be recovered.
An Act for encouraging the Manufactures of Saltpetre and Gunpowder
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or Nitre, shall procure the Saltpetre or Nitre by them made to be inspected by one or more of said Inspectors, and shall also make oath before such Inspector, which oath such Inspector is hereby enabled to administer, that such Saltpetre or Nitre was made and manufactured in such Colony, out of materials collected therein by him or them, or for his or their account, and that no other certificate hath been had or given for the same; and thereupon said Inspector shall give to the claimant or claimants a certificate of the quantity and quality of such Saltpetre or Nitre, and that proof hath been made as aforesaid, that the same was manufactured in this Colony by such claimant or claimants; which certificate being laid before the Committee of the Pay-Table, they shall draw an order on the Colony Treasurer, to pay such claimant or claimants the amount of the aforesaid bounty or premium on such Nitre or Saltpetre, out of the Colony Treasury, and charge the same to the Colony' s account, who shall accept and pay such order accordingly.