An Act for granting certain Duties in the British Colonies and Plantations in America; for allowing a Drawback of the Duties of Customs upon the Exportation, from this Kingdom, of Coffee and Cocoa Nuts of the Produce of the said Colonies or Plantations; for discontinuing the Drawbacks payable on China Earthen Ware exported to America ; and for more effectually preventing the clandestine Running of Goods in the said Colonies and Plantations.

WHEREAS it is expedient that a Revenue should be raised, in Your Majesty's Dominions in America, for making a more certain and adequate Provision for defraying the Charge of the Administration of Justice, and the Support of Civil Government, in such Provinces where it shall be found necessary; and towards further defraying the Expences of defending, protecting, and securing, the said Dominions; We, Your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Commons of Great Britain, in Parliament assembled, have therefore resolved to give and grant unto Your Majesty the several Rates and Duties herein after mentioned; and do most humbly beseech Your Majesty that it may be enacted, and be it 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 Twentieth Day of November, One thousand seven hundred and sixty seven, there shall be raised, levied, collected, and paid, unto His Majesty, His Heirs, and Successors, for and upon the respective Goods herein after mentioned, which shall be imported from Great Britain into any Colony or Plantation in America which now is, or hereafter may be, under the Dominion of His Majesty, His Heirs, or Successors, the several Rates and Duties following; that is to say,

For every Hundred Weight Avoirdupois of Crown, Plate, Flint, and White Glass, Four Shillings and eight Pence.

For every Hundred Weight Avoirdupois of Green Glass, One Shilling and Two Pence.

For every Hundred Weight Avoirdupois of Red Lead, Two Shillings.

For every Hundred Weight Avoirdupois of White Lead, Two Shillings.

For every Hundred Weight Avoirdupois of Painters Colours, Two Shillings.

For every Pound Weight Avoirdupois of Tea, Three Pence.

For every Ream of Paper, usually called or known by the Name of Atlas Fine, Twelve Shillings.

For every Ream of Paper called Atlas Ordinary, Six Shillings.

For every Ream of Paper called Bastard, or Double Copy, One Shilling and Six Pence.

For every single Ream of Blue Paper for Sugar Bakers, Ten Pence Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Paper called Blue Royal, One Shilling and Six Pence.

For every Bundle of Brown Paper containing Forty Quires, not made in Great Britain, Six Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Brown Cap, not made in Great Britain, Nine Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Brown Large Cap, made in Great Britain, Four Pence Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Paper called Small Ordinary Brown, made in Great Britain, Three Pence.

For every Bundle, containing Forty Quires, of Paper called Whited Brown, made in Great Britain, Four Pence Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Cartridge Paper, One Shilling and One Penny Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Paper called Chancery Double, One Shilling and Six Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Genoa Crown Fine, One Shilling and One Penny Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Paper called Genoa Crown Second, Nine Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called German Crown, Nine Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Fine Printing Crown, Nine Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Second Ordinary Printing Crown, Six Pence Three Farthings.

For every Ream of Paper called Crown Fine, made in Great Britain, Nine Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Crown Second, made in Great Britain, Six Pence Three Farthings.

For every Ream of Paper called Demy Fine, not made in Great Britain, Three Shillings.

For every Ream of Paper called Demy Second, not made in Great Britain, One Shilling and Four Pence Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Paper called Demy Fine, made in Great Britain, One Shilling and One Penny Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Paper called Demy Second, made in Great Britain, Nine Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Demy Printing, One Shilling and Three Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Genoa Demy Fine, One Shilling and Six Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Genoa Demy Second, One Shilling and One Penny Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Paper called German Demy, One Shilling and One Penny Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Paper called Elephant Fine, Six Shillings.

For every Ream of Paper called Elephant Ordinary, Two Shillings and Five Pence Farthing.

For every Ream of Paper called Genoa Fools Cap Fine, One Shilling and One Penny Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Paper called Genoa Fools Cap, Nine Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called German Fools Cap Second, Nine Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Fine Printing FoolsCap, Nine Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Second Ordinary Printing Fools Cap, Six Pence Three Farthings.

For every Ream of any other Paper called Fools Cap Fine, not made in Great Britain, One Shilling and Ten Pence Halfpenny.

For every Ream of any other Paper called Fools Cap Fine Second, not made in Great Britain, One Shilling and Six Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Fools Cap Fine, made in Great Britain, Nine Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Fools Cap Second, made in Great Britain, Six Pence Three Farthings.

For every Ream of Paper called Imperial Fine, Twelve Shillings.

For every Ream of Paper called Second Writing Imperial, Eight Shillings and Three Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called German Lombard, Nine Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Medium Fine, Four Shillings and Six Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Genoa Medium, One Shilling and Ten Pence Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Paper called Second Writing Medium, Three Shillings.

For every Ream of Painted Paper, not made in Great Britain, Six Shillings.

For every Ream of Paper called Fine Large Post, One Shilling and Ten Pence Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Paper called Small Post, One Shilling and One Penny Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Paper called Fine Genoa Pot, Six Pence Three Farthings.

For every Ream of Paper called Second Genoa Pot, Six Pence Three Farthings.

For every Ream of other Paper called Superfine Pot, not made in Great-Britain, One Shilling and Six Pence.

For every Ream of other Paper called Second Fine Pot, not made in Great Britain, One Shilling and One Penny Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Paper called Ordinary Pot, not made in Great Britain, Six Pence Three Farthings.

For every Ream of Paper called Fine Pot, made in Great Britain, Nine Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Second Pot, made in Great Britain, Four Pence Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Paper called Super Royal Fine, Nine Shillings.

For every Ream of Paper called Royal Fine, Six Shillings.

For every Ream of Paper called Fine Holland Royal, Two Shillings and Five Pence Farthing.

For every Ream of Paper called Fine Holland Second, One Shilling and Six Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Second Fine Holland Royal, One Shilling and Six Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Ordinary Royal, Nine Pence.

For every Ream of Paper called Genoa Royal, Two Shillings and Five Pence Farthing.

For every Ream of Paper called Second Writing Royal, Four Shillings and One Penny Halfpenny.

For every Ream of Paper called Second Writing Super Royal, Six Shillings.

For every Hundred Weight Avoirdupois of Paste-boards, Mill-boards, and Scale-boards, not made in Great Britain, Three Shillings and Nine Pence.

For Every Hundred Weight Avoirdupois of Paste-boards, Mill-boards, and Scale-boards, made in Great Britain, Two Shillings and Three Pence.

And for and upon all Paper which shall be printed, painted, or stained, in Great Britain, to serve for Hangings or other Uses, Three Farthings for every Yard square, over and above the Duties payable for such Paper by this Act, if the same had not been printed, painted, or stained; and after those Rates respectively for any greater or less Quantity. …

And it is hereby further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, … that all the Monies that shall arise by the said Duties (except the necessary Charges of raising, collecting, levying, recovering, answering, paying, and accounting for the same) shall be applied, in the first Place, in such Manner as is herein after mentioned, in making a more certain and adequate Provision for the Charge of the Administration of Justice, and the Support of Civil Government, in such of the said Colonies and Plantations where it shall be found necessary; and that the Residue of such Duties shall be paid into the Receipt of His Majesty's Exchequer, and shall be entered separate and apart from all other Monies paid or payable to His Majesty, His Heirs, or Successors; and shall be there reserved, to be from time to time disposed of by Parliament towards defraying the necessary Expences of defending, protecting, and securing, the British Colonies and Plantations in America.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That His Majesty and His Successors shall be, and are hereby, impowered, from time to time, by any Warrant or Warrants under His or Their Royal Sign Manual or Sign Manuals, countersigned by the High Treasurer, or any Three or more of the Commissioners of the Treasury for the time being, to cause such Monies to be applied, out of the Produce of the Duties granted by this Act, as His Majesty, or His Successors, shall think proper or necessary, for defraying the Charges of the Administration of Justice, and the Support of the Civil Government, within all or any of the said Colonies or Plantations. …

And whereas by an Act of Parliament made in the Fourteenth Year of the Reign of King Charles the Second, intituled, An Act for preventing Frauds, and regulating Abuses, in His Majesty's Customs, and several other Acts now in Force, it is lawful for any Officer of His Majesty's Customs, authorized by Writ of Assistants under the Seal of His Majesty's Court of Exchequer, to take a Constable, Headborough, or other public officer inhabiting near unto the Place, and in the Day-time to enter and go into any House, Shop, Cellar, Warehouse, or Room or other Place, and, in case of Resistance, to break open Doors, Chests, Trunks, and other Package there, to seize, and from thence to bring, any kinds of Goods or Merchandize whatsoever prohibited or uncustomed, and to put and secure the same in His Majesty's Store-house next to the Place where such Seizure shall be made: And whereas by an Act made in the Seventh and Eighth Years of the Reign of King William the Third, intituled, An Act for preventing Frauds, and regulating Abuses, in the Plantation Trade, it is, amongst other Things, enacted, that the Officers for collecting and managing His Majesty's Revenue, and inspecting the Plantation Trade, in America, shall have the same Powers and Authorities to enter Houses or Warehouses, to search for and seize Goods prohibited to be imported or exported into or out of any of the said Plantations, or for which any Duties are payable, or ought to have been paid; and that the like Assistance shall be given to the said Officers in the Execution of their Office, as, by the said recited Act of the Fourteenth Year of King Charles the Second, is provided for the Officers in England: But, no Authority being expressly given by the said Act, made in the Seventh and Eighth Years of the Reign of King William the Third, to any particular Court to grant such Writs of Assistance for the Officers of the Customs in the said Plantations, it is doubted whether such Officers can legally enter Houses and other Places on Land, to search for and seize Goods, in the Manner directed by the said recited Acts: To obviate which Doubts for the future, and in order to carry the Intention of the said recited Acts into effectual Execution, be it enacted, and it is hereby enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the said Twentieth Day of November, One Thousand seven hundred and sixty seven, such Writs of Assistants, to authorize and impower the Officers of his Majesty'sCustoms to enter and go into any House, Warehouse, Shop, Cellar, or other Place, in the British Colonies or Plantations in America, to search for and seize prohibited or uncustomed Goods, in the Manner directed by the said recited Acts, shall and may be granted by the said Superior or Supreme Court of Justice having Jurisdiction within such Colony or Plantation respectively. …