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Postage Act 1815
(55 Geo 3 c.103, 22nd June 1815)

An Act to regulate the Postage of Ship Letters to and from Ireland.
[ 22d June 1815 ]

WHEREAS it is expedient to alter so much of the several Acts in force in Ireland as relates to the Rates of Postage of Ship Letters, and to the several Regulations respecting such Letters, and to grant other Rates of Postage in lieu of such former Rates; 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, from and after the Day of July One thousand eight hundred and fifteen, so much of an Act made in the Parliament of Ireland, in the Twenty third and Twenty fourth Years of His present Majesty's Reign, for establishing a Post Office in Ireland; and also so much of an Act of the last Session of Parliament, for repealing certain Duties upon Letters and Packets sent by the Post within Ireland, and granting other Duties in lieu thereof, as granted a Rate of Postage of One Penny for every Letter or Packet directed on board, or brought or sent from on board any Ship or Vessel riding or stopping in any Port within Ireland, over and above all other Rates chargeable on any such Letters; and also so much of the said recited Act of the Twenty third and Twenty Fourth Years of His Majesty's Reign, as directs that the Sum of One Penny shall be paid to the Masters of Ships or Vessels, or other Persons, for every Letter or Packet delivered to the Deputy Post Master of the Port or Place in Ireland at which such Ships or Vessels shall touch or arrive; and all Penalties, Restrictions and Regulations, in the said last recited Act mentioned respecting such Letters, shall be and the same is and are hereby repealed, save and except only so far as relates to the Recovery of any Rates imposed by any such Act, which may be remaining unpaid.

II. And be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for His Majesty's Postmasters General Ireland, and their Deputy and Deputies by them thereunto authorized, to and for the Use of His Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, to demand, have, receive and take for every Letter and Packet which shall be brought by Ships and Vessels other than Packet Boats, from Places within His Majesty's Dominions (other than Great Britain), and from any Kingdoms and Countries beyond the Seas into Ireland, the Sum of pence Irish Currency, for every Single Letter; and for every Double Letter, and for every other Letter and Packet exceeding a Quarter of an Ounce in weight, the Sum of One Shilling Irish Currency in Addition to any Inland or Internal Postage which may arise upon the Inland Conveyance of such Letters and Packets in Ireland.

III. And be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for His Majesty's said Postmasters General of Ireland, and their Deputies, to receive Letters and Packets directed to Places within His Majesty's Dominions (other than Great Britain), or to Kingdoms and Countries beyond the Seas, from any Person or Persons who may bring the same to any Post Office in Ireland, and who may be desirous to forward such Letters themselves, and to affix upon each Letter and Packet such Stamp, Mark of Postage or Designation, as the said Postmasters General in their Discretion shall think proper and order; and thereupon to demand and receive for the Use of His Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, a Rate of Postage of One third Part of the Rates and Duties payable by Law for such respective Letters and Packets, if the same were conveyed by Packet Boats; and in cases where no Rate of Postage is already established, then to demand, have, receive and take for such Letters and Packets, Rates, as near as can be ascertained, equal to One third Part of what is now paid for Letters sent beyond the Seas, and upon Payment thereof, to return such Letters and Packets to the Person or Persons bringing the same; and that it shall and may be lawful for such Person and Persons to forward such Letters and Packets to the Places to which they may be directed, by any Ships or Vessels that he or they may think proper, not being Packet Boats, without incurring any Penalty therefore, and without Payment of any other Rate or Duty of Postage; any Law, Statute, Custom or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding.

IV. And be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for His Majesty's said Postmaster General of Ireland, by Writing under their or either of their Hands, and under Seal of the Office of Postmasters General of Ireland, to license and authorize any Person or Persons whatsoever to collect Letters and Packets in Ireland, directed to Places within His Majesty's Dominions (other than Great Britain), and to Kingdoms ant Countries beyond the Seas, for the Purpose of being forwarded according to their Directions, by any Ships or Vessels other than Packet Boats; provided that such Persons so to be licensed, shall, previous to forwarding the same, bring such Letters and Packets to the Post Office of the Town or Place from whence such Letter or Letters or Packets is or are to be sent, to have a Stamp, Mark of Postage or Designation put thereon respectively; which Stamp, Mark of Postage or Designation the Postmasters general and their Deputies, are hereby authorized and required to put thereon; and to demand, receive and take for the Use of His Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, the same Rates of Postage as are hereby made payable for Letters and Packets to be forwarded by Persons bringing the same, in manner hereinbefore provided; and upon such Payment being made to return such Letters and Packets to the Persons so to be licensed; and that it shall and may be lawful for such authorized Persons to forward such Letters and Packets by any Ship or Vessel that he or they may think proper, not being Packet Boats, without incurring any Penalty therefore, and without Payment of any other Rate of Postage; any Law, Statute or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding.

V. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for any Person or Persons authorized by the said Postmasters General for Ireland, or by the Postmasters General for Great Britain, in Places within His Majesty's Dominions and Countries beyond the Seas, to receive from the Masters of Vessels coming from thence into any Port in Ireland, Letters and Packets which may be collected and brought by such Masters to them for the Purpose of being transmitted by the Authority of the said Postmasters General, and also to receive from Masters with such Letters at the Rate of Three Shillings for every Fifty Letters or Packets, and so in Proportion for a greater or lesser Number; and such Person or Persons so authorized by the said Postmasters General, shall make up in a Bag or Parcel, all such Letters so received, and inclose therein a Certificate of the Number of Letters contained in the same, and an Impression of the Seal which shall be used to seal such Bag or Parcel, and the Date when the same shall be sealed; and shall seal the Bag or Parcel with the Seal of which an Impression shall have been so inclosed, and deliver the same Bag or Parcel to such Masters, for the Purpose of being brought by them to the Port at which they shall arrive in Ireland.

VI. And, in order to encourage Masters of Ships and Vessels, not being Packet Boats, coming from Places within His Majesty's Dominions (except from Great Britain) and from Places beyond the Seas, be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the Masters of Vessels to collect Letters and Packets in Places within His Majesty's Dominions (except as aforesaid), and in Countries beyond the Seas, so as such Letters and Packets shall be collected for the Purpose of being transmitted by the Authority of the said Postmasters General to Ireland; and provided that such Masters shall deliver all such Letters to some Person or Persons authorized by the said Postmasters General to receive the same, for the Purpose aforesaid; and that the Masters shall, upon delivering the same, pay unto the Person or Persons so authorized, the Sum of Three Shillings for every Fifty Letters, and so in Proportion for a greater or lesser Number, and shall then receive the same Letters back from such Person or Persons so authorized as aforesaid, in a sealed Bag or Parcel; and shall, upon Delivery of such Bag or Parcel so made up and sealed in such manner as is hereinbefore mentioned, in a perfect State, at any Post Office in Ireland, be repaid the Sum of Money which they shall have so advanced as aforesaid; and also Two pence per Letter and Packet for every Letter or Packet which shall be contained in such Bag or Parcel.

VII. And be it further enacted, That if any Master of such Ship or Vessel shall open any Bag or Bags of Letters or Packets with which he shall have been entrusted, or shall take out of such Bag any Letter or Letters, Packet or Packets whatsoever, or shall not duly deliver such Bag, with the Letters and Packets, at the Place where he shall arrive, to the Person who may be authorized to receive the same, without wilful or unavoidable Delay after his Arrival, every such Master so offending shall forfeit and pay the Sum of Five hundred Pounds, One Moiety to the Use of His Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, and the other Moiety to any Person who shall sue for the same, to be recovered, with full Costs of Suit, by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint or Information, in any of His Majesty's Courts of Record in Dublin, wherein no Essoin, Protection, Privilege or Wager of Law shall be admitted.

VIII. And be it further enacted, That if any Person whatsoever shall send any Letter or Packet by any Ship or Vessel of which he shall not be Owner, without having the Official Mark of the Postage having been paid thereon; or if any Master shall have on board, or carry any Letter or Packet, not being the Letter or Packet of his Owners, without such Official Mark thereon, every such Person or Persons so offending shall forfeit and pay the Sum of Five Pounds for every Letter or Packet so sent or found on board or carried as aforesaid.

IX. And be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful to and for the Collector, Comptroller or Principal Officer of His Majesty's Customs, at any Port or Place whatsoever, and they are hereby authorized and required to search every Ship or Vessel, in any Port or Place, for Letters or Packets which may be Board contrary to the Provisions of this Act, and to seize and take all such Letters and Packets, and to forward the same to the Postmasters General or his Deputy at the Port or Place; and that the Officers seizing and sending the same shall be entitled to sue for the Penalty for any such Offence, and shall be entitled to One Moiety of such Penalty when recovered.

X. And be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for such Collector, Comptroller or Officer of the Customs, and he is hereby authorized and required to administer an Oath to every such Master before he departs, that he has not any Letters or Packets which have not paid the Rates of Postage hereby imposed, on board his Ship or Vessel, not being the Letters or Packets of the Owners of his said Ship or Vessel.

XI. And be it further enacted, That on the Arrival of any Ship or Vessel in Port, the Master shall sign a Declaration in Writing, in the Presence of the Person authorized by the Postmasters General at Port or Place, who shall also sign the same, that to the best of his Knowledge and Belief he has delivered, according to the Provisions of this Act, all the Letters and Packets, or Bags or Parcels of Letters and Packets which were on board his Vessel; and that until such Declaration shall be signed, the Officer of the Customs shall not permit such Ship or Vessel to break Bulk; and in case such Master shall wilfully neglect to make such Declaration, he shall forfeit and pay the Sum of Fifty Pounds, One Moiety thereof to be paid to Informer.

XII. And be it further enacted, That if any Collector, Comptroller or Principal Officer hereby required to prohibit any Ship or Vessel from breaking Bulk until the Requisites of this Act shall be complied with, shall permit such Ship or Vessel to break Bulk, such Collector, Comptroller or Officer, so permitting such Ship or Vessel to break Bulk, shall forfeit and pay the Sum of Twenty Pounds, One Moiety thereof to be paid to the Informer.

XIII. And be it further enacted, That One Moiety of the several pecuniary Penalties hereby imposed, shall be payable to the Use of His Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, and the other Moiety to any Person who shall and will inform or sue for the same; and that all and singular the said Penalties (except the Penalty of Five hundred Pounds hereinbefore mentioned) shall and may be recovered by Information before any Two Justices of the Peace of the County, County of the City, City or Town Corporate where such Offences shall be respectively committed, upon the Oath of One credible Witness, which Oath such Justices are hereby empowered to administer; and if any Person or Persons convicted of any such Offence, shall not forthwith pay the Penalty which he, she or they shall have incurred, it shall be lawful for such Justices of the Peace to send such Person or Persons to the Workhouse, or House of Correction, there to remain at Hard Labour for such time as such Justices shall think proper, not exceeding Three Months.

XIV. And be it further enacted, That if any Person shall forge or counterfeit or cause to be forged or counterfeited any Stamp, Mark of Postage or Designation, upon any Letter or Packet hereby authorized to be so stamped, marked or designated, with Intent to avoid or prevent the Payment of the Rate of Postage hereby imposed, each and every Person and Persons so offending shall be deemed and taken to be guilty of a Misdemeanor, to be punished by Fine and Imprisonment.

XV. And be it further enacted, That the Rates and Duties imposed by this Act shall form Part of the Revenue of the Post Office of Ireland, and be applied as such.

XVI. And be it further enacted, That this Act may be amended, altered or repealed by any Act or Acts to be passed in this Session of Parliament.