East India Company Act 1697

VI. Officers may seize Salt conveying away before due Entry made, and without Warrant for Removal.

How seized Salt to be disposed of.; If not claimed within Ten Days, forfeited, &c. One Moiety to the King, the other to the Seizer; or if claimed without Proof of Entry upon Oath, forfeited, as aforesaid.; Carrying away Salt before Entry and Warrant had; forfeited, and Penalty.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That it shall and may be lawful for the said Officers so appointed to seize all such Salt w^th. shall from and after the said First Day of July One thousand six hundred ninety eight be conveying or conveyed by Day or by Night either by Land or by Water before due Entry be made of such Salt without Warrant Ticket or Licence obtained from the Commissioners of the said Dutyes upon Salt granted by this Act their Collectors or Officers or some or one of them as aforesaid for the conveying or carrying the said Salt And the Salt that shall be so seized shall be brought to the Office appointed for the same Duties next adjoyning to the Place where such Salt shall be seized there to be detained and kept And in case the Salt so seized shall not be claimed by the true and lawful Owner thereof or by one deputed under his or their Hand within Ten Days after Seizure the said Salt shall be absolutely forfeited to His Majesty His Heirs and Successors and shall be sold the next general Day of Sale to be appointed by the Commissioners or their Officers respectively after the said Days are expired the One Moiety or Half Part of the Proceed thereof (all necessary Charges being first deducted out of the whole) to be paid to the Use of His Majesty His Heirs and Successors and the other Moiety or Half Part to be paid to the Party or Parties who seized the same And in case such Salt so seized shall be claimed within Ten Days by the true and lawful Owner thereof or by one deputed thereunto under his Hand and if the said Owner or Claimer shall nevertheless neglect or refuse to make it appear before the next Justice of the Peace of the County where such Seizure shall be made by the Oath of One or more credible Witnesses Which Oath the said Justices are hereby impowred to administer that the said Salt so seized was or had been duly entred and a Warrant Ticket or Licence obtained for the carrying and conveying the same as aforesaid that then the said Salt shall likewise be forfeited to His Majesty His Heirs and Successors And every Person who shall carry or convey or cause any Salt to be carryed and conveyed before due Entry made and Warrant or Licence obtained as aforesaid shall likewise forfeit to His Majesty His Heirs and Successors double the Value and also Ten Shillings per Bushel and after that Rate of and for such Salt so carryed or conveyed.