My Lords
In a Decree in the Court of Vice Admiralty of this Province condemning the Sloop Lucy seized by Captain Morgan of His Majestys Sloop the Hermit, having foreign Rum on Board, it was ordered among other Things, that the Collector for the Port of Beaufort
should receive the duties of four Pence per Gallon on all spirituous Liquors on board the said Sloop, agreeable to an Act of Assembly recited in the Decree. As this is the first Instance of any duties being paid for Cargoes condemned here, and seems contrary to the Intention of the Act of Parliament of the fourth [year] of His present Majesty's Reign I took Mr Jones the Attorney General Opinion upon the Legality of this part of the Decree, and afterwards sent to the Judge of the Court to send me at large his Reasons for such an Order.Having obtained these Informations, I have the Honor to Transmit them to your Lordships, together with the Minutes and decree of the Court, requesting His Majesty's Commands what further steps I should take, or what Conduct observe in any future Cases similar to this.