1690: 2 William & Mary Sess. 2. c.7: An Act for reviving a former Act for regulating the Measures and Prices of Coals

WHEREAS an act was made in the sixteenth and seventeenth years of the reign of the late King Charles the Second,

[16 & 17 Car. 2. c. 2.]

intituled An act for regulating the Measures and Prices of Coals, which Act was to continue for three Years thence next following, and thenceforth to the End of the next Session of Parliament, and no longer, and is expired: And whereas the said Act was found to be very useful and beneficial to this Kingdom:

[Revived for seven years.]

II. Be it enacted by the King’s and Queen’s most excellent majesties, 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 act, and every clause, article, and branch therein contained, shall be, and is, and are hereby revived and continued in full force, strength, and virtue, to all intents and purposes whatsoever, and shall so stand and continue from the first day of December, one thousand six hundred and ninety, for the space of seven years, and from thence to the end of the first session of parliament then next following, and no longer.

[12 Car. 2. c. 18. s. 6.]

III. And whereas by an act made in the twelfth year of the reign of King Charles the Second, intituled, An act for encouraging and encreasing of shipping and navigation, it is among other things provided, That no goods or merchandizes shall be loaden and carried from one part of England to another, in any ship or vessel whatsoever, whereof three fourths of the mariners at least shall not be English, under the penalty of forfeiting all such goods as shall be loaden or carried in any such ship or vessel, together with the ship or vessel, and all her guns, ammunition, tackle, furniture and apparel. Now forasmuch as the high price of coals arises chiefly from the want of seamen to supply that navigation, while so many are employed in their Majesties service, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid,

[Coal ships may be navigated by foreigners during the war.]

That so much only of this last mentioned act as concerns the number and proportion of foreign seamen thereby limited to sail in English ships shall be dispensed with, and is hereby thus far dispensed with, so as it shall and may be lawful for the owner or owners of any ship or vessel, English built, and belonging to the subjects of England, whereof the master is an Englishmen trading with coals to and from Newcastle, or the parts adjacent, or any part of Wales, to the port of London, or to any other part of England, to navigate the said ship or vessel with as many foreign seamen as the said master or owners shall think fit, during the present war with France, and no longer; any thing in the said act contained to the contrary notwithstanding.

Source: Pickering, Statutes at Large, volume 9.

See also: Statutes of the Realm, volume 6.

See also: 1691 Proclamation Concerning Coals.