Page:An Act for Extending and improving the Trade to Africa (1750).djvu/5

 said company of hereby established, shall be in and by a committee of nine persons, to be chosen annually, as hereafter is mentioned, who are to meet and assemble together, from time to time, as often as shall be necessary, at some place in the city of London; and the committee-men for the time being, or any five or more of them, or the major part of them so assembled, shall, from and after the passing such act of parliament for divesting the African company of their charter, forts, castles, and military stores, canoe men, castle Naves, and all other their property on the coast of Africa, as aforesaid, or before the passing such act, so far as the said African company shall consent thereto, have full power, from time to time, to make orders for the governing, maintaining, preserving, and improving the forts and factories already built, or which hereafter shall be built, within the limits aforesaid ; and to appoint governors, deputy governors, or any other officers, civil or military, of or for the said forts and settlements, and them to remove and displace when they shall see fit, and to make orders and regulations for the better government of the said officers and servants abroad, and to take security from them for their good behaviour, and for their paying due obedience to the regulations established by this act, and to such other orders and regulations as the said committee shall, from time to time, think proper to make; so as no orders or regulations, to be made by the said committee, shall tend to lay any restraint whatsoever on the said trade or traders to or from Africa, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act.

VI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the traders, or persons intending to trade to or from Africa, who, in order to be admitted into the freedom of the said company, shall, on or before the thirtieth day of June, one thousand seven hundred and fifty, have paid into the hands of the chamberlain of the City of London, the sum of forty shillings each for their freedom in the said company, shall or may meet and assemble on the tenth day of July, one thousand seven hundred and fifty, in the guildhall of the said city; and they, or the major part of them lo assembled, shall or may choose three persons: and that in like manner such others of the traders to or from Africa who, in order to be admitted into the freedom of the said new company, shall, on or before the said thirtieth day of June, one thousand seven hundred and fifty, have paid into the hands of the clerk of the merchants hall in the City