therefrom, come under the principal heads following, the regulations ought thereto to be severally applied: that is to say, that provision should be made by the said regulations,

1st, For duly qualifying ships for the said traffic;

2nd, For the mode and conditions of permitting the said trade to be carried on upon the coast of Africa;

3rd, For the treatment of the negroes in their passage to the West India islands;

4th, For the government of the negroes which are or shall be employed in his Majesty's colonies and plantations in the West Indies :

registered.

Be it therefore enacted, that every ship Ships to be or trading vessel which is intended for the negro trade, with the name of the owner or owners thereof, shall be entered and registered as ships trading to the West Indies are by law to be registered, with the further provisions following:

and sur

1. The same entry and register shall con- Measured tain an account of the greatest number of veyed. negroes of all descriptions which are proposed to be taken into the said ship or trading vessel; and the said ship, before she is permitted to be entered outwards, shall be surveyed by a ship-carpenter, to be appointed by the collector of the port from which the said vessel is to depart, and by a surgeon, also appointed by the collector, who hath been conversant in the service of the said trade, but not at the time actually engaged or covenanted therein; and the said carpenter and surgeon shall report to the collector, or in his absence, to the next principal officer of the port, upon oath, (which oath the said collector or principal officer is hereby empowered to administer,)

her measurement, and what she contains in builder's tonnage, and that she has feet of grated portholes between the decks, and that she is otherwise fitly found as a good transport vessel.

slaves

Number of 2. And be it enacted, that no ship emlimited. ployed in the said trade shall upon any pretence take in more negroes than one grown man or woman for one ton and half of builder's tonnage, nor more than one boy or girl for one ton.

Provisions. 3. That the said ship or other vessel shall lay in, in proportion to the ship's company of the said vessel, and the number of negroes registered, a full and sufficient store of sound provision, so as to be secure against all probable delays and accidents, namely, salted beef, pork, salt-fish, butter, cheese, biscuit, flour, rice, oat-meal, and white peas, but no horse-beans, or other inferior provisions; and the said ship shall be properly provided with water-casks or jars, in proportion to the intended number of the said negroes; and the said ship shall be also provided with a proper and sufficient stock of coals or firewood.

Stores.

4. And every ship entered as aforesaid shall take out a coarse shirt and a pair of trousers, or petticoat, for each negro intended to be taken aboard; as also a mat, or coarse mattress, or hammock, for the use of the said negroes.

The proportions of provision, fuel, and clothing to be regulated by the table annexed to this act. Certificate 5. And be it enacted, that no ship shall thereof. be permitted to proceed on the said voyage or adventure, until the searcher of the port from whence the said vessel shall sail, or such person as he shall appoint to act for him, shall report to the

collector that he hath inspected the said stores, and that the ship is accommodated and provided in the manner hereby directed.

trade to be

6. And be it enacted, that no guns be Guns for exported to the coast of Africa, in the said inspected. or any other trade, unless the same be duly marked with the maker's name on the barrels before they are put into the stocks, and vouched by an inspector in the place where the same are made to be without fraud, and sufficient and merchantable arms.

masters to

bonds.

7. And be it enacted, that, before any Owners and ship as aforesaid shall proceed on her voy- enter into age, the owner or owners, or an attorney by them named, if the owners are more than two, and the master, shall severally give bond, the owners by themselves, the master for himself, that the said master shall duly conform himself in all things to the regulations in this act contained, so far as the same regards his part in executing and conforming to the same.

II. And whereas, in providing for the second object of this act, that is to say, for the trade on the coast of Africa, it is first prudent not only to provide against the manifold abuses to which a trade of that nature is liable, but that the same may be accompanied, as far as it is possible, with such advantages to the natives as may tend to the civilizing them, and enabling them to enrich themselves by means more desirable, and to carry on hereafter a trade more advantageous and honorable to all parties:

And whereas religion, order, morality, and virtue are the elemental principles, and the knowledge of

letters, arts, and handicraft trades, the chief means of such civilization and improvement: for the better attainment of the said good purposes,

Marts to be established

1. Be it hereby enacted, that the coast on the coast. of Africa, on which the said trade for negroes may be carried on, shall be and is hereby divid ed into marts or staples, as hereafter follows. [Here name the marts.] And be it enacted, that it shall not be lawful for the master of any ship to purchase any negro or negroes, but at one of the said marts or staples.

Governors

and coun

2. That the directors of the African Comsellors. pany shall appoint, where not already ap pointed, a governor, with three counsellors, at each of the said marts, with a salary ofto the governor, and of to each of the said counsellors. The said governor, or, in his absence or illness, the senior counsellor, shall and is hereby empowered to act as a justice of the peace, and they, or either of them, are authorized, ordered, and directed to provide for the peace of the settlement, and the good regulation of their station and stations severally, according to the rules of justice, to the directions of this act, and the instructions they shall receive from time to time from the said African Company. And the said African Company is hereby authorized to prepare instructions, with the assent of the Lords of his Majesty's Privy Council, which shall be binding in all things not contrary to this act, or to the laws of England, on the said governors and counsellors, and every of them, and on all persons acting in commission with them under this act, and on all persons residing within the jurisdiction of the magistrates of the said mart.

stationed.

appointed.

3. And be it enacted, that the Lord High Ships of war Admiral, or commissioners for executing his office, shall appoint one or more, as they shall see convenient, of his Majesty's ships or sloops of war, under the command severally of a post-captain, or master and commander, to each mart, as a naval station. 4. And be it enacted, that the Lord High Inspectors Treasurer, or the commissioners for executing his office, shall name two inspectors of the said trade at every mart, who shall provide for the execution of this act, according to the directions thereof, so far as shall relate to them; and it is hereby provided and enacted, that, as cases of sudden emergency may arise, the said governor or first counsellor, and the first commander of his Majesty's ship or ships on the said station, and the said inspectors, or the majority of them, the governor having a double or casting vote, shall have power and authority to make such occasional rules and orders relating to the said trade as shall not be contrary to the instructions of the African Company, and which shall be valid until the same are revoked by the said African Company.

be pur

5. That the said African Company is here- Lands may by authorized to purchase, if the same may chased. conveniently be done, with the consent of the Privy Council, any lands adjoining to the fort or principal mart aforesaid, not exceeding acres, and to make allotments of the same; no allotment to one person to exceed (on pain of forfeiture)

acres.

and school

houses, and

6. That the African Company shall, at Churches, each fort or mart, cause to be erected, in a convenient place, and at a moderate cost,

hospitals to

be erected.