Chapter XXXII: Part 32

s. 19. “And be it enacted, That if any Person shall file any Bill in any Court for the Discovery of the Name of any Person concerned as Printer, Publisher, or Proprietor of any Newspaper, or of any Matters relative to the printing or publishing of any Newspaper, in order the more effectually to bring or carry on any Suit or Action for Damages alleged to have been sustained by reason of any slanderous or libellous Matter contained in any such Newspaper respecting such Person, it shall not be lawful for the Defendant to plead or demur to such Bill, but such Defendant shall be compellable to make the Discovery required: Provided always, that such Discovery shall not be made use of as Evidence or otherwise in any Proceeding against the Defendant, save only in that Proceeding for which the Discovery is made.

s. 20. “And be it enacted, That the Printer, Publisher, or Proprietor of every Newspaper shall, within Twenty-eight Days after the last Day of every Calendar Month, pay or cause to be paid the Duty chargeable on all and every Advertisement and Advertisements contained in or published with such Newspaper during the said Calendar Month to the Receiver General of Stamps and Taxes, or to the proper Officer appointed to receive the same, at the Head Office for Stamps in the Cities of _Westminster_, _Edinburgh_, or _Dublin_ respectively, if such Newspaper shall be printed or published within any of the said Cities, or within Twenty Miles thereof respectively, and if the same shall be printed or published in any other Part of the United Kingdom, then to the Distributor of Stamps in whose District such Newspaper shall be printed or published; and if any Printer, Publisher, or Proprietor of any Newspaper shall neglect to pay within Ten Days next after Notice given to him by any Officer of Stamp Duties, after the Expiration of the said Term of Twenty-eight Days, the Duty on any such Advertisement, it shall be lawful for the Commissioners of Stamps and Taxes and their Officers, and they are hereby required, to refuse to sell or deliver, and also to give Notice to and to require any Vendor of such stamped Paper to refuse to sell or deliver, to or for the Use of such Printer, Publisher, or Proprietor, any such stamped Paper for printing such Newspaper thereon until all Arrears of Advertisement Duty, to the Payment of which such Printer, Publisher, or Proprietor may be subject, shall be duly paid and discharged up to and for the last Day of the Month next preceding the Month in which such Payment shall be made.

s. 21. “And be it enacted, That One printed Copy of every periodical literary Work or Paper (not being a Newspaper), containing or having published therewith any Advertisements or Advertisement liable to Stamp Duty, which shall be published within the Cities of _London_, _Edinburgh_, or _Dublin_ respectively, or within Twenty Miles thereof respectively, shall, within the Space of Six Days next after the Publication thereof, be brought, together with all Advertisements printed therein, or published or intended to be published therewith, to the Head Office for Stamps in _Westminster_, _Edinburgh_, or _Dublin_, nearest to which such literary Work or Paper shall have been published, and the Title thereof, and the Christian Name and Surname of the Printer and Publisher thereof, with the Number of Advertisements contained therein or published therewith, and any Stamp Duty by Law payable in respect of such Advertisements shall be registered in a Book to be kept at such Office, and the Duty on such Advertisements shall be there paid to the Receiver General of Stamps and Taxes for the Time being, or his Deputy or Clerk, or the proper authorized Officer; and One printed Copy of every such literary Work or Paper as aforesaid which shall be published in any Place in the United Kingdom not being within the Cities of _London_, _Edinburgh_, or _Dublin_, or within Twenty Miles thereof respectively, shall, within the Space of Ten Days next after the Publication thereof, be brought, together with all such Advertisements as aforesaid, to the Head Distributor of Stamps for the Time being within the District in which such literary Work or Paper shall be published, and such Distributor is hereby required forthwith to register the same in manner aforesaid in a Book to be by him kept for that Purpose, and the Duty payable in respect of such Advertisements shall be thereupon paid to such Distributor; and if the Duty which shall be by Law payable in respect of any such Advertisements as aforesaid shall not be duly paid within the respective Times and in the Manner herein-before limited and appointed for that Purpose, the Printer and Publisher of such literary Work or Paper, and every other Person concerned in the printing or publishing thereof, and the Publisher of any such Advertisements, shall respectively forfeit the Sum of Twenty Pounds for every such Offence; and in any Action, Information, or other Proceeding for the Recovery of such Penalty, or for the Recovery of the Duty on any such Advertisements, Proof of the Payment of the said Duty shall lie upon the Defendant.

s. 22. “And be it enacted, That upon Information given before any Justice of the Peace upon the Oath of One or more credible Person or Persons (which Oath such Justice is hereby empowered and required to administer) that there is reasonable and probable Cause to suspect any Person of being or having been, at any Time within One Calendar Month last preceding, in any Way knowingly and wilfully engaged or concerned in printing, publishing, vending, or otherwise distributing any Newspaper not duly stamped as required by Law, or of being unlawfully possessed of any Newspapers not duly stamped as aforesaid, or that any Printing Press, Engine, Machine, Types, or other Implements or Utensils for printing is or are or have been by any Person knowingly and wilfully used within the Time last aforesaid for the Purpose of composing or printing any Newspaper not duly stamped as aforesaid, or that any such Newspapers are sold or distributed, or kept for Sale or Distribution, or are unlawfully deposited in any Place, then and in every such Case it shall be lawful for such Justice and he is hereby required, upon the Application of any Officer of Stamp Duties, to grant a Warrant under his Hand, directed to any Constable or other Peace Officer, or any Officer of Stamp Duties, or other Person or Persons named in such Warrant, authorizing and empowering him or them, with such other Person or Persons as he or they shall call to his or their Assistance, to enter and search in the Daytime, any House, Room, Shop, Warehouse, Outhouse, Building, or other Place belonging to such suspected Person, or where such Person shall be suspected of being engaged or concerned or of having been engaged or concerned in the Commission of any such illegal Act as aforesaid, or where any such Printing Press, Engine, Machine, Types, Implements, or Utensils suspected to be or to have been used for any such illegal Purpose as aforesaid shall be or be suspected to be, or where any such Newspapers as aforesaid are suspected to be sold or distributed, or kept or deposited as aforesaid; and if upon any such Search as aforesaid any Newspapers not duly stamped as aforesaid, or any Printing Press, Engine, Machine, Types, Implements, or Utensils which shall have been used in printing or publishing any such Newspaper as aforesaid within the Time last aforesaid, shall be found, it shall be lawful for the Person or Persons named in such Warrant, and his or their Assistant or Assistants, to seize and take away the same, together with all other Presses, Engines, Machines, Types, Implements, Utensils, and Materials for printing belonging to the same Person, or which shall be found in the same House, Room, Shop, Warehouse, Outhouse, Building, or Place; and all such Presses, Engines, Machines, Types, Implements, Utensils, and Materials shall be forfeited to the Use of His Majesty, and shall be proceeded against to Condemnation in His Majesty’s Court of Exchequer in _England_, _Scotland_, or _Ireland_ respectively, in like Manner as in the Case of any Goods seized as forfeited for any Breach of the Laws relating to His Majesty’s Revenues of Customs or Excise.

s. 23. “And be it enacted, That upon the Execution of any Warrant granted under this Act, authorizing any Search to be made in any House, Room, Shop, Warehouse, Outhouse, Building, or other Place, if on Demand of Admittance and Notice of any such Warrant the Door of any such House, Room, Shop, Warehouse, Outhouse, Building, or other Place shall not be forthwith opened, it shall be lawful for the Constable or other Peace Officer having the Execution of such Warrant, or for any other Person or Persons to whom such Warrant shall be directed, in the Presence of any Constable or other Peace Officer, in the Daytime, to break open such Door and to enter thereat for the Purpose of making such Search as aforesaid; and if any Person shall refuse to permit any Constable, Peace Officer, or Officer of Stamp Duties, or any other Person duly authorized in that Behalf, to enter into any House, Room, Shop, Warehouse, Outhouse, Building, or other Place for the Purpose of making any Search by or under this Act directed or authorized to be made, or shall resist, obstruct, molest, prevent, or hinder any such Constable, Officer, or Person as aforesaid in the making of any such Search, or in the Execution of any Warrant issued under or in pursuance of this Act, or in the seizing or taking away of any Goods, Chattels, Articles, Matters, or Things which may be lawfully seized or taken, or in the apprehending or detaining of any Offender or other Person who may lawfully be apprehended or detained, or otherwise in the Execution of any of the Duties, Powers, or Authorities given to or vested in any such Constable, Officer, or other Person as aforesaid by or under any of the Provisions of this Act, every Person so offending in any of the several Cases aforesaid shall forfeit for every such Offence the Sum of Twenty Pounds; and all Constables and other Peace Officers shall be and they are hereby required to be aiding and assisting in the Execution of all Warrants issued under this Act; and if any Constable or other Peace Officer shall neglect or refuse to do or perform any Service or Duty by this Act required or directed to be done or performed by him, or shall neglect or refuse to aid and assist in the Execution of any such Warrant as aforesaid, or of any of the Provisions of this Act, upon proper Application or Notice made or given to him in that Behalf, or shall neglect or refuse to execute or serve any Warrant or Summons granted or issued pursuant to any of the Provisions of this Act, every such Constable or Peace Officer shall forfeit Ten Pounds for every such Neglect or Refusal.

s. 24. “And be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for every Person having in his Possession any Printing Press, or any Engine or Machine for printing, if he shall think fit, to deliver or cause to be delivered in the Manner herein-after mentioned a Notice thereof signed with his own Hand in the Presence of and attested by an Officer of Stamp Duties, which Notice shall specify the Christian Name and Surname and Place of Abode of the Person possessed of any such Printing Press, Engine, or Machine, and a true Description of the House or Building and Place in which the same shall be kept and used for printing; and every such Person who shall give any such Notice as aforesaid shall also at the same Time, if he shall think fit, deliver or cause to be delivered in like Manner a List of all or any of the periodical Papers for the printing of which any such Press, Engine, or Machine is used or intended to be used, and every such Person as aforesaid shall afterwards from Time to Time quarterly, that is to say, within Seven Days after the First Day of _March_, the First Day of _June_, the First Day of _September_, and the First Day of _December_ in every Year, deliver or cause to be delivered in like Manner a similar List of all or any of such periodical Papers as aforesaid; and in the meantime and from Time to Time as often as such Person shall undertake or permit the printing with any such Press, Engine, or Machine as aforesaid of any periodical Paper not specified in the last quarterly List delivered by such Person, he shall, if he shall think fit, before the Commencement of the printing of such last-mentioned Paper, or within Three Days next after any Part or Number thereof shall be first printed with any such Press, Engine, or Machine as aforesaid, give Notice of the printing thereof in manner herein-after mentioned; and every such List and Notice of Papers for the printing of which any such Press, Engine, or Machine is used or intended to be used shall be signed by the Person possessed of such Printing Press, Engine, or Machine with his own Hand, or by some Person appointed and authorised by him for that Purpose, and of whose Appointment and Authority Notice in Writing signed by the Person possessed of such Press, Engine, or Machine as aforesaid, in the Presence of and attested by an Officer of Stamp Duties, shall be given to the said Commissioners, or to the Officer to whom such Lists as aforesaid are to be delivered; and every such List and Notice of Papers printed or to be printed as aforesaid shall specify and set forth the correct Title of every such Paper, and the Name and Place of Abode of the Printer thereof as the same shall appear in the Imprint, and also the Name and Place of Abode of the Person who shall employ the Person possessed of such Press, Engine, or Machine to print or work off such Paper, or who shall engage or use any such Press, Engine, or Machine for that Purpose; and every such Notice as aforesaid relating to the Possession of any Printing Press, Engine, or Machine, and also every List or Notice of the Papers printed or to be printed therewith, shall respectively be delivered to the Commissioners of Stamps and Taxes, or to some Officer appointed by them to receive the same respectively, at the Head Office for Stamps in _Westminster_, _Edinburgh_, or _Dublin_, according as the Person giving any such Notice or List shall reside in _England_, _Scotland_, or _Ireland_, or to the Distributor of Stamps for the District in which such Person shall reside.

s. 25. “And be it enacted. That no Person who shall have duly given such Notice as aforesaid of being possessed of any Press, Engine, or Machine for printing, and shall, within the respective Periods and in the Manner herein-before limited and directed for that Purpose, have delivered Lists and Notices of all or any of the periodical Papers for the printing of which any such Press, Engine, or Machine shall be used, shall be liable to any Penalty or Forfeiture under this Act in respect of any Paper, the same not being a registered Newspaper, truly specified in the last quarterly List delivered by such Person, or in any Notice duly given by him since the Delivery of the said List, by reason of such Paper having been printed with any such Press, Engine, or Machine of the Possession of which such Notice as aforesaid shall have been given, although such Paper may be liable to Stamp Duty, and may have been printed on Paper not duly stamped, unless the same shall be a registered Newspaper, or unless the same shall have been so printed as aforesaid after Notice given by the Commissioners of Stamps and Taxes, or some Officer of Stamp Duties, in the Manner herein-after mentioned; (that is to say,) provided always, that if a Notice signed by any One or more of the Commissioners of Stamps and Taxes, or by any Officer of Stamp Duties, shall be delivered to any Person possessed of any such Printing Press, Engine, or Machine, or shall be left for him at the Place mentioned in any Notice given by him as aforesaid as the Place of his Abode, or the Place where such Printing Press, Engine, or Machine is used for printing, informing him that any Paper is chargeable with Stamp Duty as a Newspaper under this Act, then if the same shall be so chargeable, and such Person shall after such Notice as aforesaid continue to print such Paper, or any subsequent Part or Number thereof, or any Paper of the like Nature, whether under the same or any different Form or Title, or if after such Notice as aforesaid such Person shall permit or suffer any Press, Engine, or Machine belonging to him or in his Possession to be used for the printing of any such Paper, Part, or Number as aforesaid, such Person shall be liable to all the Penalties and Forfeitures imposed by this Act for any Offence committed against any of the Provisions thereof, after such Notice as aforesaid, without any further or other Notice or Caution: Provided also, that every Person who shall neglect or omit to give any such Notice or to deliver any such List as aforesaid in the Manner and Form and within the Time herein-before directed and limited in that Behalf, shall be liable to and chargeable with all Penalties and Forfeitures imposed by this Act for any Offence committed against the Provisions thereof, without any previous Notice or Caution whatsoever.

s. 26. “And be it enacted, That all Actions and Prosecutions which shall be brought or commenced against any Person for any thing done in pursuance or under the Authority of this Act shall be commenced and prosecuted within Three Calendar Months next after the Fact committed, and not afterwards, and shall in _England_ or _Ireland_ be brought and tried in the County or Place where the Cause of Action shall arise, and not elsewhere, and shall in _Scotland_ be brought in the Court of Exchequer; and Notice in Writing of such Action, and of the Cause thereof, shall be given to the Defendant One Calendar Month at least before the Commencement of the Action; and the Defendant in such Action may plead the General Issue, and give this Act and any other Matter or Thing in Evidence at any Trial to be had thereupon; and if the Cause of Action shall appear to arise from any Matter or Thing done in pursuance and by the Authority of this Act, or if any such Action shall be brought after the Expiration of such Three Calendar Months, or shall be brought in any other County or Place than as aforesaid, or if Notice of such Action shall not have been given in manner aforesaid, or if Tender of sufficient Amends shall have been made before such Action commenced, or if a sufficient Sum of Money shall have been paid into Court after such Action commenced by or on behalf of the Defendant, the Jury shall find a Verdict for the Defendant; and if a Verdict shall pass for the Defendant, or if the Plaintiff shall become Nonsuit, or shall discontinue any such Action, or if, on Demurrer or otherwise, Judgment shall be given against the Plaintiff, the Defendant shall recover his full Costs of Suit as between Attorney and Client, and shall have the like Remedy for the same as any Defendant may have for Costs of Suit in other Cases at Law.

s. 27. “And be it enacted, That all pecuniary Penalties under this Act may be sued or prosecuted for and recovered for the Use of His Majesty in the Name of His Majesty’s Attorney General or Solicitor General in _England_ or _Ireland_, or of His Majesty’s Advocate General or Solicitor General in _Scotland_, or of the Solicitor of Stamps and Taxes in _England_ or _Scotland_, or of the Solicitor of Stamps in _Ireland_, or of any Person authorized to sue or prosecute for the same, by Writing under the Hands of the Commissioners of Stamps and Taxes, or in the Name of any Officer of Stamp Duties, by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint, or Information in the Court of Exchequer at _Westminster_ in respect of any Penalty incurred in _England_, and in the Court of Exchequer in _Scotland_ in respect of any Penalty incurred in _Scotland_, and in the Court of Exchequer in _Dublin_ or by Civil Bill in the Court of the Recorder, Chairman, or Assistant Barrister within whose local Jurisdiction any Offence shall have been committed, in respect of any Penalty incurred in _Ireland_, or in respect of any Penalty not exceeding Twenty Pounds by Information or Complaint before One or more Justice or Justices of the Peace in any Part of the United Kingdom, in manner by this Act provided; and it shall not be lawful for any Person other than as aforesaid to inform, sue, or prosecute for any such Penalty as aforesaid, except where, in the Case of apprehending an Offender by any Person appointed or authorised by the Commissioners of Stamps and Taxes in that Behalf, it is by this Act otherwise expressly provided and allowed; and it shall be lawful in all Cases for the Commissioners of Stamps and Taxes, either before or after any Proceedings commenced for Recovery of any such Penalty, to mitigate or compound any such Penalty as the said Commissioners shall think fit, and to stay any such Proceedings after the same shall have been commenced, and whether Judgment may have been obtained for such Penalty or not, on Payment of Part only of any such Penalty, with or without Costs, or on Payment only of the Costs incurred in such Proceeding, or of any Part thereof, or on such other Terms as such Commissioners shall judge reasonable: Provided always, that in no such Proceeding as aforesaid shall any Essoign, Protection, Wager of Law, nor more than One Imparlance be allowed; and all pecuniary Penalties imposed by or incurred under this Act, by whom or in whose Name soever the same shall be sued or prosecuted for or recovered, shall go and be applied to the Use of His Majesty, and shall be deemed to be and shall be accounted for as Part of His Majesty’s Revenue arising from Stamp Duties, any thing in any Act contained, or any Law or Usage, to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding: Provided always, that it shall be lawful for the Commissioners of Stamps and Taxes, at their Discretion, to give all or any Part of such Penalties as Rewards to any Person or Persons who shall have detected the Offenders, or given Information which may have led to their Prosecution and Conviction.

s. 28. “And be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for any Justice of the Peace within whose Jurisdiction any Offence the Penalty for which shall not exceed Twenty Pounds shall be committed against this Act, and such Justice is hereby required, upon any Information exhibited or Complaint made by any Person duly authorized in that Behalf, to summon the Party accused and also the Witnesses on either Side to be and appear before the said Justice or before any other Justice of the Peace at a Time and Place to be appointed for that Purpose, and whether the Party accused shall appear or not it shall be lawful for the said Justice or any other Justice present at the Time and Place appointed for such Appearance to proceed to examine into the Fact, and upon due Proof made thereof to the Satisfaction of any such Justice, either by Confession of the Party accused or by the Oath of One or more credible Witness or Witnesses, to convict such Offender, and to give Judgment for the Penalty and Costs to be assessed by any such Justice, and to issue his Warrant for levying such Penalty and Costs, and also the reasonable Costs and Charges attending the Distress, on the Goods of such Offender, and to cause Sale to be made thereof in case the same shall not be redeemed within Five Days, rendering to the Party the Overplus, if any; and where Goods sufficient cannot be found to answer such Penalty and Costs, such Justice, or any other Justice of the District or Place in which such Conviction shall take place, shall commit such Offender to the Common Gaol or House of Correction, there to remain for any Time not exceeding Three Calendar Months nor less than One Calendar Month, unless such Penalty, Costs, and Charges shall be sooner paid and satisfied; and if any Person shall find himself aggrieved by the Judgment of any such Justice, it shall be lawful for such Person to appeal against the same to the Justices at the next General or Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the District or Place where the Offence shall have been committed, which shall be held next after the Expiration of Ten Days from the Day on which such Conviction shall have been made, of which Appeal Notice in Writing shall be given to the Prosecutor or Informer Seven clear Days previous to the first Day of such Sessions; and it shall be lawful for such Justices at such Sessions to examine Witnesses on Oath, and finally to hear and determine such Appeal; and in case any Conviction of such Justice shall be affirmed, it shall be lawful for the Justices at such Sessions to award and order the Person convicted to pay such Costs occasioned by such Appeal as to them shall seem meet: Provided always, that no Person convicted before any such Justice shall be entitled or permitted to appeal against such Conviction in manner aforesaid unless within Three Days after such Conviction made he shall enter into a Recognizance, with Two sufficient Sureties, before such Justice, to enter and prosecute such Appeal, and to pay the Amount of the Penalty and Costs in which he shall have been convicted, and also such further Costs as shall be awarded in case such Conviction shall be affirmed on such Appeal; provided also, that no such Proceedings so to be taken as aforesaid shall be quashed or vacated for Want of Form, or shall be removed by Certiorari, Suspension, Advocation, or Reduction, or by any other Writ or Process whatsoever into any Superior or other Court or Jurisdiction in any Part of the United Kingdom, any Law, Statute, or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding; and provided also, that it shall be lawful for any Justice of the Peace before whom any Person shall be convicted of any Offence against this Act to mitigate as he shall see fit any pecuniary Penalty by this Act imposed in Cases where such Justice shall see cause so to do; provided that all reasonable Costs and Charges incurred as well in discovering as in prosecuting for such Offence shall be always allowed, over and above the Sum to which such Penalty shall be mitigated, and provided that such Mitigation do not reduce the Penalty to less than One Fourth of the Penalty incurred, exclusive of such Costs and Charges, any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding.

s. 29. “And be it enacted, That the Justice before whom any Person shall be convicted of any Offence under this Act shall cause the Conviction to be made out in the Manner and Form following, or in any other Form of Words to the like Effect, _mutatis mutandis_; (that is to say,)

‘County of ______ to wit.

‘Be it remembered, that on the ______ Day of ______ in the Year of our Lord ______ at ______ _A. B._ of ______ was duly convicted before me, _C. D._ Esquire, one of His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the County of ______ in pursuance of an Act passed in the Seventh Year of the Reign of King _William_ the Fourth, intituled [_Title of this Act_], for that the said _A. B._ [here state the Offence], contrary to the Form of the Statute in that Case made and provided, for which Offence I do adjudge that the said _A. B._ hath forfeited the Sum of ______ and [_if the Justice mitigate the Penalty_] which Sum of ______ I do hereby mitigate to the Sum of ______ over and above the Sum of ______ which I do allow to _E. F._ for his reasonable Costs and Expences in prosecuting this Conviction. Given under my Hand and Seal this ______ Day of ______.’

s. 30. “And be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for any Justice of the Peace to summon any Person to appear before such Justice or before any other Justice of the Peace to give Evidence touching any Offence against the Provisions of this Act; and if any Person who shall be so summoned shall neglect or refuse to appear, according to the Exigency of such Summons, at the Time and Place therein for that Purpose named, without reasonable Matter of Excuse to be stated upon Oath and proved to the Satisfaction of such Justice before whom any Information or Complaint shall be depending or shall have been made touching any such Offence as aforesaid, or if such Person having appeared shall refuse to give Evidence respecting any such Offence or other Matter as aforesaid, then every Person so offending shall forfeit Ten Pounds.

s. 31. “And be it enacted, That in any Proceeding either in any Court, or before any Justice of the Peace, or otherwise, under this Act, or for summoning any Party, Witness, or other Person in or for the Purpose of any such Proceeding, it shall not be necessary that the original or any other Process or Summons, or any Notice, Demand, or Order whatsoever, should be personally served on the Defendant or Person to be summoned, but it shall be sufficient that such Process, Summons, Notice, Demand, or Order, or a Copy thereof respectively, be left at the last known Place of Abode of such Defendant or Person to be summoned.

s. 32. “And be it enacted, That the several Acts and Parts of Acts herein-after mentioned, or so much and such Part and Parts thereof as are now in force, and the Stamp Duties thereby granted, or such of them as are now payable upon or in respect of Newspapers, shall respectively remain and continue in force and be payable until and upon the Fourteenth Day of _September_ One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, and shall from thenceforth cease, determine, and be repealed, (that is to say,) the several Acts and Parts of Acts passed in the Parliaments of _Great Britain_ herein-after specified; namely,

“So much of an Act of the Tenth Year of the Reign of Queen
_Anne_, [c. 19.] passed for the Purpose (amongst other Things) of
laying Duties upon several Kinds of stamped Vellum, Parchment,
and Paper, and upon certain printed Papers, Pamphlets, and
Advertisements, as relates in any Manner to the Stamp Duties on
Newspapers or the Duties on Advertisements, or as imposes any
Penalty with relation to the said Duties or either of them:

“And so much of an Act of the Eleventh Year of the Reign of King
_George_ the First, [c. 8.] passed for the Purpose (amongst other
Things) of explaining the said last-mentioned Act in relation to
the Stamp Duties on Newspapers, as in any Manner relates to the
Stamp Duties on Newspapers:

“And so much of an Act of the Sixteenth Year of the Reign of King
_George_ the Second, [c. 26.] passed for the Purpose (amongst
other Things) of punishing the Vendors of unstamped Newspapers,
as in any Manner relates to such Purpose:

“And so much of an Act passed in the Fifth Year of the Reign of
King _George_ the Third, [c. 46.] intituled _An Act for altering
the Stamp Duties upon Admissions into Corporations or Companies,
and for further securing and improving the Stamp Duties in_ Great
Britain, as requires Security to be given to His Majesty for
Payment of the Duties on Advertisements:

“And the whole of an Act passed in the Thirteenth Year of the
Reign of the said King _George_ the Third, [c. 65.] intituled
_An Act for explaining Two Acts made in the Eleventh Fear of the
Reign of King George the First and the Thirtieth Year of the
Reign of His late Majesty in relation to the Stamp Duties upon
Newspapers_:

“And so much of an Act of the Sixteenth Year of the Reign of the
said King _George_ the Third, [c. 34.] passed for the Purpose
(amongst other Things) of granting several Rates and Duties upon
Indentures, Leases, Bonds, and other Deeds, and upon Cards, Dice,
and Newspapers, as in any Manner relates to Newspapers or to the
Stamp Duties thereon:

“And so much of an Act of the Twentieth Year of the Reign of
the said King _George_ the Third, [c. 28.] passed for the
Purpose (amongst other Things) of granting additional Duties on
Advertisements, as relates to such Duties:

“And so much of an Act passed in the Twenty-ninth Year of the
Reign of the said King _George_ the Third, [c. 50.] for granting
additional Stamp Duties on Newspapers, Advertisements, Cards, and
Dice, as in any Manner relates to Newspapers or Advertisements,
or to the Duties thereon respectively:

“And the whole of an Act passed in the Thirty-fourth Year of the
Reign of the said King _George_ the Third, [c. 72.] intituled _An
Act to enable the Commissioners of His Majesty’s Stamp Duties to
stamp the Paper used for printing Newspapers thereon in Sheets of
Single Demy Paper instead of Sheets of Double Demy Paper_:

“And so much of an Act of the Thirty-seventh Year of the said
King _George_ the Third, [c. 90.] passed for the Purpose (amongst
other Things) of granting certain Stamp Duties on the several
Matters therein mentioned, as in any Manner relates to Newspapers
or to the Duties thereon, or to any Discount or Allowance in
respect of the said Duties:

“And the whole of an Act passed in the Thirty-eighth Year of the
Reign of the said King _George_ the Third, [c. 78.] intituled
_An Act for preventing the Mischiefs arising from the printing
and publishing Newspapers and Papers of a like Nature by Persons
not known, and for regulating the Printing and Publication of
such Papers in other respects_:

And the whole of Two several Acts passed in the Parliaments of _Ireland_ herein-after specified; (that is to say,)

“An Act passed in the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Years of the
Reign of the said King _George_ the Third, [c. 28.] intituled _An
Act to secure the Liberty of the Press by preventing the Abuses
arising from the Publication of traitorous, seditious, false, and
slanderous Libels by Persons unknown_:

“And an Act passed in the Thirty-eighth Year of the Reign of
the said King _George_ the Third, [c. 7.] for amending the said
last-mentioned Act:

And the several Acts and Parts of Acts passed in the Parliaments of the United Kingdom of _Great Britain_ and _Ireland_ herein-after specified; (that is to say,)

“So much of an Act passed in the Fortieth Year of the Reign of
the said King _George_ the Third, intituled _An Act to revive,
amend, continue, or make perpetual certain temporary Statutes_,
as makes perpetual or otherwise relates to the said Act passed
in the Parliament of _Ireland_ in the Thirty-eighth Year of the
Reign of the said King:

“And so much of an Act passed in the Forty-first Year of the
Reign of the said King _George_ the Third, [c. 10.] for granting
certain additional Stamp Duties, as in any Manner relates to the
Stamp Duties on Newspapers, or to any Discount or Allowance in
respect of the said last-mentioned Stamp Duties:

“And so much of an Act passed in the Forty-fourth Year of the
Reign of the said King _George_ the Third, [c. 98.] intituled
_An Act to repeal the several Duties under the Commissioners for
managing the Duties upon stamped Vellum, Parchment, and Paper in_
Great Britain, _and to grant new and additional Duties in lieu
thereof_, as in any Manner relates to Newspapers or to the Duties
thereon, or to any Discount or Allowance in respect of the said
Duties:

“And the whole of an Act passed in the Forty-ninth Year of the
Reign of the said King _George_ the Third, [c. 50.] intituled
_An Act to amend so much of an Act made in the Thirty-seventh
year of His present Majesty, for granting to His Majesty certain
Stamp Duties, as relates to the Limitation according to which the
Discount on Newspapers is regulated_:

“And the whole of an Act passed in the Fifty-fifth Year of the
Reign of the said King _George_ the Third, [c. 80.] intituled _An
Act to provide for the Collection and Management of Stamp Duties
on Pamphlets, Almanacks, and Newspapers in_ Ireland:

“And so much of another Act passed in the said Fifty-fifth Year
of the Reign of the said King _George_ the Third, [c. 185.]
intituled _An Act for repealing the Stamp Office Duties on
Advertisements, Almanacks, Newspapers, Gold and Silver Plate,
Stage Coaches and Licences for keeping Stage Coaches, now payable
in_ Great Britain, _and for granting new Duties in lieu thereof_,
as in any Manner relates to Newspapers or the Duties thereon, or
to any Discount or Allowance in respect of the said Duties:

“And so much of an Act passed in the Fifty-sixth Year of the
Reign of the said King _George_ the Third, [c. 56.] intituled
_An Act to repeal the several Stamp Duties in Ireland, and also
several Acts for the Collection and Management of the said
Duties, and to grant new Stamp Duties in lieu thereof, and to
make more effectual Regulations for collecting and managing the
said Duties_, as in any Manner relates to Newspapers or to the
Duties thereon, or to any Discount or Allowance in respect of the
said Duties:

“And so much of an Act passed in the Sixtieth Year of the Reign
of the said King _George_ the Third, [c. 9.] intituled _An Act
to subject certain Publications to the Duties of Stamps upon
Newspapers, and to make other Regulations for restraining the
Abuses arising from the Publication of blasphemous and seditious
Libels_, as subjects any Newspaper or other Paper or Pamphlet to
any Stamp Duty:

“And the whole of an Act passed in the Sixth Year of the Reign of
His late Majesty King _George_ the Fourth, [c. 119.] intituled
_An Act to allow Newspapers to be printed upon Paper of a larger
Size than is now allowed, and to reduce the Stamp Duties now
payable upon Supplements to Newspapers and other Papers in_ Great
Britain:

“And so much of an Act passed in the Third and Fourth Years of
the Reign of His present Majesty, [c. 23.] intituled _An Act
to reduce the Stamp Duties on Advertisements and on certain
Sea Insurances, to repeal the Stamp Duties on Pamphlets and on
Receipts for Sums under Five Pounds, and to exempt Insurances
on Farming Stock from Stamp Duties_, as provides the Mode of
collecting the Duty on Advertisements contained in or published
with any Pamphlet, periodical Paper, or literary Work:

“And the whole of an Act passed in the Fifth Year of the Reign
of His present Majesty, [c. 2.] intituled _An Act to amend an
Act of the Thirty-eighth Year of King_ George _the Third, for
preventing the Mischiefs arising from the printing and publishing
Newspapers and Papers of a like Nature by Persons not known,
and for regulating the Printing and Publication of such Papers
in other respects, and to discontinue certain Actions commenced
under the Provisions of the said Act_:

And the said several Acts and Parts of Acts herein-before specified shall be and the same are hereby repealed accordingly, save and except only so far as is herein in that Behalf provided.

s. 33. “Provided always, and be it enacted, That nothing in this Act contained shall extend or be construed to extend to repeal any of the herein-before mentioned Acts or Parts of Acts with respect to any Duty or Arrears of any Duty whatsoever which before or upon the said Fourteenth Day of _September_ One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six shall have accrued and been incurred under or by virtue of the said Acts or Parts of Acts, or any of them respectively, and which shall then or at any Time afterwards be or become due or payable and remain in arrear and unpaid, or with respect to any Fine, Penalty, or Forfeiture or Punishment incurred and not recovered or suffered for or in respect of any Offence or Crime committed or to be committed against the said several Acts or Parts of Acts respectively, or any of them, upon or before the said Fourteenth Day of _September_ One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, or with respect to any Proceedings, Civil or Criminal, commenced or to be commenced against any Person for the Recovery of any such Arrears of Duty, or of any such Fine, Penalty, or Forfeiture, or for the Infliction of any such Punishment as aforesaid, but that all such Arrears of Duty, Fines, Penalties, Forfeitures, and Punishments shall and may respectively be sued or prosecuted for, recovered, obtained, and inflicted, by the same Ways and Means and in such and the same Manner as if this Act had not been passed: And provided also, that nothing in this Act contained shall extend or be construed to extend to repeal any of the said herein-before mentioned Acts or Parts of Acts so far as the same or any of them repeal the Whole or any Part of any other Act or Acts; and that no Matter or Thing whatever in this Act contained shall revive or be construed to revive, for any Period or Purpose whatsoever, any Act or Acts, or any Part of any Act or Acts, which before the passing of this Act shall have expired, or which by any Act or Acts passed before the passing of this Act shall have been repealed, and that the Repeal of any Act or Acts herein-before mentioned, or any other Matter or Thing in this Act contained, shall not extend or be construed to extend to repeal or annul or in any way to affect any Indemnity granted under or by virtue of any Act or Acts so repealed.

s. 34. “And be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for any Person having in his Possession any Paper stamped with any of the Duties hereby repealed, and not made use of, or who may at any Time hereafter have in his Possession any Paper stamped for denoting the Duties by this Act granted, and which may be rendered useless by reason of any Change of Dies or by the Operation of any of the Provisions of this Act, to bring the same to the Head Office for Stamps in _London_, _Edinburgh_, or _Dublin_ respectively at any Time within Six Calendar Months next after the said Fifteenth Day of _September_ One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, or within Six Calendar Months next after the same shall be so rendered useless, in order that the Stamps thereon may be cancelled and allowed; and it shall be lawful for the Commissioners of Stamps and Taxes or their proper Officers to cancel and allow such Stamps accordingly, and to stamp such Paper or any Portion thereof, and any other Paper which shall be brought for that Purpose, with Stamps denoting the Duty by this Act granted to the Amount or Value of the Stamps so to be cancelled and allowed as aforesaid, after deducting the Amount of any Discount allowed thereon.

s. 35. “And in order to avoid the frequent Use of divers Terms and Expressions in this Act, and to prevent any Misconstruction of the Terms and Expressions used therein, be it enacted, That wherever in this Act, with reference to any Person, Matter, or Thing, any Word or Words is or are used importing the singular Number or the Masculine Gender only, yet such Word or Words shall be understood and construed to include several Persons as well as one Person, Females as well as Males, Bodies Politic or Corporate as well as Individuals, and several Matters or Things as well as one Matter or Thing, unless it be otherwise specially provided, or there be something in the Subject or Context repugnant to such Construction.

s. 36. “And be it enacted, That this Act may be amended, altered, or repealed by any Act or Acts to be passed in this present Session of Parliament.”

“SCHEDULE referred to in this Act.

“SCHEDULE (A.)

“Containing the Duties imposed by this Act on Newspapers; (that is to say,)

“For every Sheet or other Piece of Paper whereon any
Newspaper shall be printed 0 0 1

“And where such Sheet or Piece of Paper shall contain on One
Side thereof a Superficies, exclusive of the Margin of the
Letter-press, exceeding One thousand five hundred and thirty
Inches, and not exceeding Two thousand two hundred and
ninety-five Inches, the additional Duty of 0 0 0½

“And where the same shall contain on One Side thereof a
Superficies, exclusive of the Margin of the Letter-press,
exceeding Two thousand two hundred and ninety-five Inches,
the additional Duty of 0 0 1

“Provided always, that any Sheet or Piece of Paper containing
on One Side thereof a Superficies, exclusive of the Margin of
the Letter-press, not exceeding Seven hundred and sixty-five
Inches, which shall be published with and as a Supplement to
any Newspaper chargeable with any of the Duties aforesaid,
shall be chargeable only with the Duty of 0 0 0½

“And the following shall be deemed and taken to be Newspapers chargeable with the said Duties; viz.

“Any Paper containing public News, Intelligence, or Occurrences
printed in any Part of the United Kingdom to be dispersed and
made public:

“Also any Paper printed in any Part of the United Kingdom, weekly
or oftener, or at Intervals not exceeding Twenty-six Days,
containing only or principally Advertisements:

“And also any Paper containing any public News, Intelligence,
or Occurrences, or any Remarks or Observations thereon, printed
in any Part of the United Kingdom for Sale, and published
periodically or in Parts or Numbers at Intervals not exceeding
Twenty-six Days between the Publication of any Two such Papers,
Parts, or Numbers, where any of the said Papers, Parts, or
Numbers respectively shall not exceed Two Sheets of the
Dimensions herein-after specified, (exclusive of any Cover or
Blank Leaf, or any other Leaf upon which any Advertisement or
other Notice shall be printed,) or shall be published for Sale
for a less Sum than Sixpence, exclusive of the Duty by this Act
imposed thereon: Provided always, that no Quantity of Paper
less than a Quantity equal to Twenty-one Inches in Length and
Seventeen Inches in Breadth, in whatever Way or Form the same may
be made or may be divided into Leaves, or in whatever Way the
same may be printed, shall, with reference to any such Paper,
Part, or Number as aforesaid, be deemed or taken to be a Sheet of
Paper:

“And provided also, that any of the several Papers herein-before
described shall be liable to the Duties by this Act imposed
thereon, in whatever Way or Form the same may be printed or
folded, or divided into Leaves or stitched, and whether the same
shall be folded, divided, or stitched, or not.

“EXEMPTIONS.

“Any Paper called ‘Police Gazette, or Hue and Cry,’ published
in Great Britain by Authority of the Secretary of State, or in
Ireland by the Authority of the Lord Lieutenant.

“Daily Accounts or Bills of Goods imported and exported, or
Warrants or Certificates for the Delivery of Goods, and the
Weekly Bills of Mortality, and also Papers containing any Lists
of Prices Current, or of the State of the Markets, or any
Account of the Arrival, Sailing, or other Circumstances relating
to Merchant Ships or Vessels, or any other Matter wholly of a
Commercial Nature; provided such Bills, Lists, or Accounts do not
contain any other Matter than what hath been usually comprised
therein.”

The printing of daily newspapers in the metropolis is a distinct branch from that of printing books and jobs, and is governed by different rules and regulations, so as to require a separate account of the process. The routine of business is uniform and regular, without that variety which occurs in a book house: the qualifications requisite for a compositor on a newspaper are, punctuality, quickness in composing, and clean proofs, so that no delay may take place from the deficiency of any one individual.

As the Times newspaper is one of the largest daily papers in Europe, and as it is printed in a smaller type, and contains more matter than any other, it consequently requires and employs more people to prepare it for publication; and as it is generally acknowledged to be one of the best conducted papers for the arrangement of its matter, and the punctuality of its publication, I have selected it to give as a specimen of the manner of printing a daily morning newspaper in London.

The compositors employed to compose this great mass of intelligence day by day, and every day throughout the year, Saturday excepted, there being no publication on Sundays, are seventy-five, who are divided into two classes; viz., the night or news hands, and the advertisement hands. The first class consists of 39, who are divided into full hands, 14; supernumeraries, 10; assistants, 15; to these may be added 10 “outsiders,” who fill the frames of absentees in cases of sickness, or from other causes: they are not considered as belonging to the establishment, inasmuch as they hold no situation, and are consequently dependent upon the workmen. The advertisement department consists of 36 hands.

As it is desirable not to have to distribute letter after copy is taken, the compositors usually put their letter in after all the composing is completed, or take the opportunity when waiting for copy, to be ready for the evening, or else they attend sooner in the afternoon than the usual hour, for that purpose.

The full hands take copy at six o’clock in the evening, precisely, and go on without regard to the old rule of first work and finish, and the day’s work is considered to be completed at the expiration of eleven hours, five o’clock in the morning; if engaged after that time all hands are paid by the hour, the printer never availing himself of the choice of beginning an hour later on account of the lateness of the preceding morning. The full hands are expected to compose two galleys each per night, and all over lines are paid for extra, even though they are composed within the time prescribed by the rules laid down for the guidance of compositors.

The supernumeraries are expected to compose one galley each per night, and all over lines are paid for extra, the same as with the full hands.

The full hands have each three pairs of cases--Nonpareil, Minion, and Bourgeois; and as the most advantageous matter is generally set up in the smaller type, they claim the benefit of it as an equivalent for the labour of putting the forms to the machine.

The supernumeraries and assistants take copy at seven o’clock in the evening, and continue to work till all is composed, and should there be any standing still for want of copy, they are allowed at the rate of a quarter of a galley per hour for all the time they may have lost during the night. The assistants have no stated salary, but are paid by the galley, and share the same advantages as the supernumeraries, no distinction being made in the giving out of the copy.

The compositors in the news department have the privilege of composing a considerable quantity of extra or “back” matter to enable the printer to have at all times a resource in case of accident. This extra copy is given out and divided into half galley shares, and taken in rotation, thus preventing monopoly or favouritism.

As there is an immense quantity of letter in use, the division of which for distribution would occasion loss of time, and frequent disputes, the companionship pay a man to lay up the forms, mark the letter off for each individual, and distribute the useless heads. He is also answerable for the clearance of the boards.

Each compositor has a number attached to his frame, and when he takes copy, his number is placed on the back of the copy, so that each man’s matter is immediately identified, and in case of a foul proof, or an out that will occasion much trouble, it is immediately handed to him who composed it without further inquiry, which prevents exposure and annoyance to the individual. The copy is also marked with progressive numbers, which prevents confusion by enabling the compositor to know with certainty, whom he follows in his composing, and to empty his stick in the proper galley so as to join the preceding matter.