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The Lord Il/Iajar’: Qjeries in Reflux‘? to live Legality 15f Prefi I/Varranh.

COPY.

UERY 1. May the Lords of

the Admiralty of themfelves,

by virtue of their commiili n, or

under the direction of the Privy

Council, legally iffue warrants for the imprefling of feamcn?

(k 2. If yea, is the warrant an- nexed in point of form Lgal P

(L3. Is the Lo-d Mayor com- pellable to back fuch svarrants ; if he is, what may be the confequence 0f a. refufal;

“ The power of the crown to compel perfons purfuiug the em- ployment and occupation of Sea- men to fcrve the public in times of danger and neceliity, which has its foundation in that umvenal principle of the laws of all coun- tries, that all private intereti rtzviil: give way to the public fafety, appears to us to be well eilablilhed by ancient and long continued ufage, frequently recognized; and in many inliances regulated by the legiflature, and noticed at leall without cenfure by courts ofjuf- zice; and we fee no objection to tnis power being exercifed by the Lords of the Admiralty under the authority of his l\‘lajcfly’s orders in council. i i “ The form of the warrant, as well as the manner in which fuch warrants have been ufually exe- cuzed, appear to us to be liable to many confiderable objections; lead us to think it the more expe- dient, that the authority of a civil magilirate {hould intt-rpcfe in the execution of them to check and controul the abufes to which they

ANNUAL REGISTER, 1770.

are liable ; and, therefore, although we do not think that the Lord Mayor is compellable- to back the warrants, or liable to any pumlh- ment in cafe of his reliufal, we think it right to fubmit it to his Lordlhip’s confideration, whether it will not be more conducive to the prefervation ofthe peace of the city, and the protection of the {abject from opprelzion, if he confnrtn- in this intlancc to what we underiland to have been tne praftice of mull of his predecelilors upon the like occaliori.

AL. Wisnneiuauitn, ].G1.Yr<i~;, _]. Duxitmc. Nov. :2, 1770.

To the KlNG’s molt Excellent Majelly.

T/se. bunzéle Aahlrefi of the Lard Illa-jar, S/Jerfflt, Cammonr, and CYtize/z: 0f the Cit] 9f Dub/in, in

Comma»: Council qjemb/ed.

Moll gracious Sovereign,

WE your Majeftfs molt duti- ful, loyal, and alfefiionate fubjetfls, the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, Commons, and Citizens of your faithful city of Dublin, in com- mom-council affembled, beg leave humbly to approach your Majeily with the mott fincere afilurance of our lteady attachment to your Ma- jelly’s illulirious perfon and family, and our ardent wifhes that your reign over us may be long, and. as tranfcetidcntly dillinguifhed as your virtues.

Emboldened by our experience‘ of that attention which your Ma- jefly affords to every part 0f Y0"?

fubjefls,