Hall marks on gold & silver plate

LICENCES. 97
SILVER WIRE.
A.D. 1742. 15 George II, c. 20, s. i. All metal inferior to silvei:
to be spun on thread, yard, or incle, only, under a penalty of five
shillings for every ounce.
Sect. 2. Silver thread to hold 1 1 oz. 15 dwts. of fine silver upon
the pound weight troy ; and gilt silver thread 11 oz. 8 dwts, and 4
dwts. 4 grs. of fine gold, on penalty of five shillings for every
ounce.* Repealed as to Sections i, 5, 10, 12, 13 and 15.
DUTY.
A.D. 1756. 29 George II, c. 14. Grants an annual duty to his
Majesty for all silver plate in Great Britain, from 100 to 4,000
ounces, of five shillings for every hundred ounces from July 5, 1756.!
Repealed.
LICENCE OF 2 IN LIEU OF DUTY.
A.D. 1757. 31 George II, c. 32. An Act to repeal the statute of
the sixth of George I, c. 11, by which a duty of sixpence had been
imposed upon every ounce troy of silver plate imported into, or
made in. Great Britain; and a duty of forty shillings for a licence,
to be taken out by every person trading in, selling, or vending gold
or silver plate, was granted in lieu of it; to take place from and
after June 5, 1758, and the licence to be taken out annually, on forfeiture
of twenty pounds for neglecting so to do, and for discontinu-
ing all drawbacks upon silver plate exported. By the same Act,
the clause in the Act of 12 George II, c. 26, for the better preventing
frauds and abuses in gold and silver wares, was likewise repealed,
because the punishment which was enacted by it against counterfeit-
ing stamps and <strong>marks</strong> upon gold and silver plate was not sufficiently
severe to prevent that practice, and the said crime was now made
felony, and any person lawfully convicted should be adjudged
guilty of felony, and suffer death as a felon, without benefit of
clergy.J REPEALED. The penalty provided by this Act was, in
I773> commuted to transportation for fourteen years.
LICENCE INCREASED TO ^.
A.D. 1758. 32 George II, c. 24, s. i. Exempts persons trading
in gold not exceeding two pennyweights, or in silver not exceeding
five pennyweights, in one piece of goods, from taking out a licence;
and Sect. 3 grants an annual duty of ^ (instead of 40s.) to his
Majesty for every licence by each person trading in gold plate of
"The Statutes at Large," VoL VI, page 456.
t Idem, Vol. VII, page 661.
X "The Statutes at Large," Vol. VIII, page 278.