ther to the yearly fum of twenty fix thousand and eighteen pounds two Shillings and fix pence, and are payable by the cashier of the bank of England: and whereas by or in pursuance of fundry fubfequent acts of parliament, for taking and flating the accounts and debts of the army, feveral standing orders have been or may be made out for payment at your Majesty's exchequer, of fundry annuities, amounting together to the yearly fum of twenty one thousand nine hundred and fifty Seven pounds eleven shillings and eight pence farthing, being after the rate of four pounds per centum per annum, for or in refpect of feveral principal fums, amounting together to five hundred forty eight thousand nine hundred thirty nine pounds twelve fillings and fix pence farthing, contained in army-debentures, for debts certified fince the twenty first day of March one thousand feven hundred and neteen; which laft mentioned annuities are alfo charged on the faid general fund of feven hundred twenty four thousand eight hundred forty nine pounds fix fillings and ten pence and one fifth part of a penny per annum, and are made payable until the redemption thereof by parliament, upon fuch notice or notices, as in or by the Several acts of parliament relating thereto are for that purpose required; and whereas all the before-mentioned unfubfcribed principal fums transferrable at the bank of England, and the several principal fums contained in the faid exchequer-orders, amount together to the principal fum of one million one hundred and ninety nine thousand three hundred and ninety two pounds fifteen shillings and two pence three farthings, and the feveral annuities attending thereon amount together to the yearly fum of forty feven thousand nine hundred seventy five pounds fourteen fillings and two pence farthing; and whereas your Majesty's moft dutiful and loyal fubjects, the commons of Great Britain in parliament affembled, being determined that the said several before-mentioned annuities should be redeemed in order to leffen the publick debts and incumbrances, and the neceffary charges relating thereto, as fast as may be confiftent with justice and honour, did on the feventh Notice by the day of March one thousand feven hundred and twenty fix, order their speaker on 7 March 1726, Speaker to fignify in writing their feveral refolutions to redeem the faid fufficient for Jeveral annuities; therefore we your Majesty's most dutiful and redeeming loyal fubjects, the commons of Great Britain in parliament af- these annuisembled, do most humbly beseech your Majefty, that it may be ties, &c. enacted; and be it enacted by the King's moft excellent majefty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal and commons, in this prefent parliament affembled, and by the authority of the fame, That fuch orders and fignifications as aforefaid, shall be and be deemed, adjudged and taken to be good and fufficient notice or notices within the true intent and meaning of the feveral acts of parliament for the redemption of the faid feveral annuities, and the fame fhall be redeemable accordingly; any thing in the fame, or any other act or acts of parliament to the contrary in any wife notwithstanding.

II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, From Lady. That by or out of fuch monies as are or fhall be in the receipt day 1727, of exchequer, of the furpluffes, exceffes or overplus monies 1,199,3921. commonly called the finking fund, arifen or to arife at or from 155. 2d. 39.

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the

to be iffued for

thefe an

nuities

the paying off the feast of the annunciation of the bleffed Virgin Mary in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and twenty feven (after payment of, or referving fufficient to pay fuch monies as have been before directed by the authority of parliament to be paid out of the faid furpluffes, exceffes or overplus monies) there fhall be iffued, paid and applied at the faid feast-day, and afterwards, from time to time, as the fame thall arife, at the end of every fix months, on which the accounts thereof are directed by parliament to be made up, or oftner if the fame can' be conveniently done, any fum or fums of money not exceeding in the whole the fum of one million one hundred ninety nine thoufand three hundred ninety two pounds fifteen fhillings and two pence three farthings, for or towards the paying off or difcharging the said several principal fums fo as aforefaid amounting together to the like fum of one million one hundred ninety nine thoufand three hundred ninety two pounds fifteen fhillings and two pence three farthings, in fuch manner, order and degree as is herein after mentioned, that is to fay, the fum of one hundred ninety eight thousand nine hundred fifty eight pounds eight fhillings and three pence, part thereof, for the redeeming and paying off the like principal fum remaining unfubfcribed into the capital ftock of the South-Sea company, of the joint stock attended with annuities as aforefaid, for the before-mentioned tallies of Sol, the fum of three hundred ninety three thousand one hundred ninety four pounds fourteen fhillings and five pence halfpenny, other part thereof, for the redeeming and paying off the like principal fum remaining unsubscribed into the capital ftock of the South-Sea company, of the joint stock attended with annuities as aforefaid, for the beforementioned army-debentures, certified before the one and twentieth day of March one thousand feven hundred and nineteen, the fum of fifty eight thousand three hundred pounds, other part thereof, for the redeeming and paying off the like principal fum, remaining unfubfcribed into the capital ftock of the South-Sea company, of the joint ftock attended with annuities as aforefaid, for the faid lottery, in the fifth year of his Majefty's reign; and the fum of five hundred forty eight thoufand nine hundred thirty nine pounds twelve fhillings and fix pence farthing, refidue thereof, for the redeeming and paying off the feveral principal fums contained in the ftanding orders made or to be made out at the exchequer, for army debentures, certified fince the twenty first day of March one thousand feven hundred and nineteen.

Principal

trasferrable at

III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That fuch of the faid principal fums as are transferrable at the the bank, to bank of England, shall be paid in intire payments, to the cafhier be paid to the of the faid bank, for the ufe of the feveral proprietors thereof, cahier in en- by way of impreft, and upon account, to be by him paid over as foon after as conveniently may be, to the feveral perfons intitled to receive the fame; and that such of the faid principal fums as are contained in the faid standing orders, made or to be

the fums.

made

Standing or

made out at the exchequer, fhall be paid off in such numerical order, course and progreffion as the faid feveral orders do or shall stand upon the regifter thereof, kept at the exchequer, be- ders at the ginning with No 1. and fo on progreffively, until all of them exchequer to fhall be paid off and difcharged, without any undue preference be paid in any one of them before the other of them, in the like man- course.

of

ner in all respects as is directed in an act of this prefent feffion

of parliament, intituled, An act for granting an aid to his Ma

jefty by a land-tax, to be raised in Great Britain, for the fervice of 13 Geo 1. c. 1. year one thoufand Jeven hundred and twenty Seven, for paying off and discharging the several orders of loan directed or authorized to be made forth by virtue or in pursuance of the fame act.

IV. Provided always, and be it enacted by the authority aforefaid, That in cafe the commiffioners of his Majesty's trea- Treafury may fury now or for the time being, or any three or more of them, poftpone difor the lord high treasurer for the time being, fhall judge it more charging exconvenient to redeem or pay off all or any of the before-men- till after rechequer-bills, tioned joint frocks of annuities transferrable at the bank of demption of England, preferably to the discharging and cancelling all or any the annuities. part of the exchequer-bills now ftanding out and charged on the faid finking fund, then it fhall and may be lawful for them, or any three of them, from time to time, by and with the confent of the contractors for circulating and exchanging the fame. exchequer-bills, and not otherwife, to poftpone or defer the paying off, cancelling or discharging the fame exchequer-bills, or any of them, until after the redemption and payment of all or any of the faid joint ftocks of annuities, but no further; any thing herein before contained to the contrary notwithstanding. V. And be further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That All annuities all fuch annuities as fhall grow or become due or payable, for due till reor in respect of the feveral before-mentioned annuities, until the demption to be paid. redemption thereof by payment of the faid principal monies, in manner as aforefaid, and all arrears thereof (if any such shall be) shall be paid, together with the faid respective principal fums, out of the respective funds, on which the fame are at prefent charged or chargeable; and that when and as any of the faid feveral principal fums fhall from time to time be paid off, or money fufficient for that purpofe fhall be referved in the exchequer, or in the hands of the said cashier, payable on demand, the annuity attending the fame shall from thenceforth be, and is hereby declared to be redeemed, and shall no longer be paid or payable, but shall cease and determine for the benefit of the finking fund,

VI. Provided always, and be it enacted by the authority Remainder of aforefaid, That all the monies which fhall arife of or for the the Sinking faid furpluffes, exceffes and overplus monies (over and beyond Fund approwhat will fatisfy and pay the feveral monies before-mentioned, priated for and fuch other charges, as have been heretofore made thereon national debts discharging by authority of parliament) fhall be appropriated, referved and incurred beapplied, to and for the further difcharging the principal and in- fore 25 Dec, terest of such national debts and incumbrances, as were incur- 1716. red before the twenty fifth day of December one thousand feven

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hundred

12 & 13 W. C. 12. f. 15.

•3•

hundred and fixteen, and are declared to be national debts, and were provided for by act or acts of parliament, in fuch manner and form as shall be directed by any future act or acts of parliament to be difcharged therewith, or out of the fame, and to and for none other ufe, intent or purpose whatsoever.

VII. And whereas in and by an act of parliament made and passed in the twelfth year of the reign of his late majesty King William the third (of glorious memory) it was (amongst other things) provided and enacted, that in lieu and discharge of certain perpetual annual payments, and of all arrears thereof, granted by his late majesty King Charles the Second, by letters patent out of the bereditary revenue of excife, in fatisfaction of certain principal fums mentioned in the faid letters patent, to be then due from his faid late Majefty to the rejpective patentees therein named, the faid hereditary revenue of excife fhould, from and after the twenty fixth day of December one thousand feven hundred and five, be and stand charged and chargeable for ever with the payment of annual jums, after the rate of three pounds per centum per annum, for the principal fums mentioned in the faid letters patent, to be iffued and paid out of the faid revenue by quarterly payments out of the receipt of the Exchequer, by the of ficers of the fame, unto the respective owners and proprietors of the faid annual Jums, and to their heirs and affigns for ever, without any fee or charge, the faid annual payments after the rate of three pounds per centum per annum, to be fubject nevertheless to be redeemed upon payment of a moiety of the principal fums mentioned in the faid letters patent; and whereas the whole of all the fums mentioned in the faid letters patent, and which are commonly called the bankers debt, did amount to one million three hundred and twenty eight thousand five hundred and twenty fix pounds, and the moiety thereof, for which the faid annual fums were redeemable, did amount to fix hundred fixty four thousand two hundred and fixty three pounds, and the faid moieties were by the faid act of the third year of his 3 Geo. 1. c. 7. Majefty's reign (for redeeming the duties and revenues which were Settled to pay off principal and intereft on the orders made forth on four lottery-acts) provided for to be fubfcribed into a joint stock of annuities at five pounds per centum per annum, redeemable by parliament, and transferrable at the bank of England; and whereas feveral of the faid principal fums mentioned in the faid letters patent, by length of time or other accidents, have been forgot or neglected to be claimed by the proprietors thereof, and probably no title to them, or Several of them, can or will be made out; and whereas there now remains in the exchequer the fum of ten thousand seven hundred and twenty five pounds five fhillings and three pence farthing, which has been referved there for feveral years, to answer the annuities due on fuch unclaimed debts, from the faid twenty fixth day of December one thousand feven hundred and five, to the twenty ninth day of September one thousand seven hundred and feventeen, which in the mean time, and until fuch titles can be made out, might be imployed towards the discharging the national debts incurred before the twenty fifth day of December one thoufand feven hundred and fixteen, whereby there would be an annual faving of the intereft thereof be it therefore

enacted

refidue of un

enacted by the authority aforefaid, That the faid fum of ten 10,725 1. 5 s. thousand seven hundred twenty five pounds five fhillings and 3 d. 1 q. the three pence farthing; now remaining in the exchequer, fhall claimed debts, and may be iffued and applied for, and as part of the fund com- to be applied monly called the Sinking Fund, towards the redemption and pay- for paying off ment of all or any of the joint ftocks of annuities herein before the annuities. directed to be discharged thereby; any thing in any former act

or acts of parliament to the contrary notwithstanding.

VIII. Provided always, and be it enacted by the authority Provifion for aforefaid, That in cafe at any time or times hereafter, any per- future claims fon or perfons fhall make out a good title to any of the faid un- on that debt, fatisfied principal fums, to the fatisfaction of the commiffioners of his Majefty's treasury now or for the time being, or the lord high treasurer for the time being, then or in any fuch case, and so often as the fame fhall happen, it fhall and may be lawful to and for the faid commiffiones of the treafury, now or for the time being, or any three of them, or the lord high treasurer for the time being, to compute the principal and intereft that would have been payable thereon, in cafe the fame had been claimed in due time, and to order and direct the fame to be paid and discharged out of any of the monies arisen or to arise at the exchequer, of or for the feveral furpluffes, exceffes or overplus monies commonly called the Sinking Fund, so as the fum or fums of money fo to be ordered and directed, do not exceed in the whole the said sum of ten thousand seven hundred twenty five pounds, five fhillings and three pence farthing, herein before directed to be iffued and applied as part of the finking fund; any thing in this or any former or other act or acts of parliament to the contrary notwithstanding.

fufferers at

IX. And whereas, in purfuance of an act of parliament paffed in Lotterythe twelfth year of his Majefty's reign, intituled, An act for grant- tickets 1726. ing to his Majefty the fum of one million, to be raised by way returned in of a lottery, eleven thousand and ninety three lottery-tickets were rethe exchequer turned into the exchequer, as and for the fum of one hundred and ten for dischargto be applied thousand nine hundred and thirty pounds, part of the fupply granted ing ftanding for the fervice of the year one thousand feven hundred and twenty fix; orders for the but afterwards upon the drawing of the faid lottery, the faid eleven Nevis and St. thousand and ninety three tickets happened to be intitled in blanks, and Chriftophers. benefits, computed altogether, only to the principal fum of one hundred 12 Geo. 1. c. 2. and three thousand two hundred and feventy two pounds and ten fillings, as their share or intereft in the joint stock of three pounds per centum annuities, created by the faid act, by means whereof there was a deficiency or lofs of cafb in the exchequer, on that head of fervice, of feven thousand fix hundred and fifty feven pounds ten fhillings, which hath fince been provided for, as part of the sum of one hundred and fixty thousand three hundred and fix pounds feventeen Shillings and five pence farthing, granted in this prefent feffions of parliament, for the deficiency of grants for the fervice of the year one thousand feven hundred and twenty fix, be it therefore enacted by the authority aforefaid, That the teller of the exchequer, into whofe office the faid eleven thoufand and ninety three tickets.

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were