Seal; and such Bill or Warrant under the Royal Sign Manual, so countersigned, sealed, and subscribed as aforesaid, shall be a sufficient Authority to the said Lord High Chancellor or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal for passing Letters Patent under such Great Seal, according 5 to the Tenor of the same Bill or Warrant, any Law or Usage to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding.

of the Queen's

Patent.

V. Provided always, and be it enacted, That on the Grant of any Preparation Letters Patent for the sole making, exercising, or using of any Bills for Invention, and on any other Gift, Grant, or Writing as aforesaid, Letters 10 where Her Majesty shall think fit to direct Her Attorney or Solicitor General to prepare a Bill for Letters Patent for Her Majesty's Signature, the Queen's Bill for such Letters Patent shall be prepared by or under the Direction of such Attorney or Solicitor General, in the same Manner, and the same Proceedings previously 15 to the Preparation of such Bill shall be had and observed, as have been had and observed in the Preparation and previously to the Preparation of a Queen's Bill for Letters Patent before the passing of this Act, and, except as aforesaid, any such Bill or Warrant for Letters Patent as by this Act provided may be prepared under the 20 Direction of One of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, or of the Lord High Treasurer or the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury.

VI. And be it enacted, That no Signet Bill or Privy Seal Bill, Signet and or other Warrant or Authority whatsoever, save as herein provided, Bills disPrivy Seal 25 shall be necessary for or preparatory to the passing of such Letters pensed with. Patent as aforesaid.

VII. And be it enacted, That from and after the passing of this Offices of Act the several Offices of Clerks of the Signet and Clerks of the Clerks of Signet and Privy Seal shall be abolished; and it shall be lawful for the Com- Privy Seal 30 missioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to grant such Compensation to abolished. the Persons holding Offices hereby abolished as, having regard to the Tenure and Nature of such respective Offices, such Commissioners may deem just and proper to be awarded.

VIII. And be it enacted, That all Powers and Duties whatever Duties of 35 now exercised or performed by the Clerks of Her Majesty's Signet Signet Office (not superor otherwise in the Office of Her Majesty's Signet, not superseded seded by this or otherwise provided for by this Act, shall be exercised and Act) to be performed in the Office and under the Direction of Her Majesty's in Office of Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department, by such Secretary of 40 Persons as such Secretary of State shall from Time to Time appoint.

534.

A 2

IX. And

performed

State.

Commis

IX. And be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for the Commissioners of the sioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to determine and regulate the Treasury to regulate the Establishment to be maintained after the passing of this Act for Privy Seal executing the Duties of the Privy Seal Office, and to fix the Salaries Office. to be paid to the several Officers of such Establishment.

Lord Chancellor and

Secretary of State may make Rules concerning the passing of Letters Patent.

Act not to affect Letters Patent not

now passed through Signet and Privy Seal Offices.

Act may be amended, &c.

5

X. And be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for the Lord High Chancellor or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of the United Kingdom and One of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State from Time to Time to frame and establish such further Rules and Regulations to be observed in the passing of Letters Patent under the Great Seal 10 of the United Kingdom as shall seem to them expedient, and all such Rules and Regulations shall be published in the London Gazette.

XI. Provided always, and be it enacted, That nothing in this Act contained shall extend to or affect any Letters Patent, Writ, Commission, or other Writing which may be passed under the Great Seal 15 by the Fiat or under the Authority or Directions of the Lord High Chancellor or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of the United Kingdom, or otherwise, without passing through the Offices of the Signet and the Privy Seal.

XII. And be it enacted, That this Act may be amended or 20 repealed by any Act to be passed in this Session of Parliament.

A

BILL

ΤΟ

Continue and amend the Acts for authorizing a
Composition for Assessed Taxes.

[Note.-The Words printed in Italics are proposed to be inserted in the Committee.]

W

HEREAS under and by virtue of an Act passed in the Preamble. Ninth Year of the Reign of Her present Majesty, intituled "An Act to continue for Five Years and to amend the "Acts for authorizing a Composition for Assessed Taxes," divers 5 Persons have compounded for their Assessed Taxes in Great Britain for a Term which will expire on the Fifth Day of April One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one: And whereas it is expedient to relieve such Persons who have so compounded as aforesaid, as well as others who may be willing to compound under the Provisions of this Act, 10 from an annual Assessment for a further Term herein limited: Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the Assessments made or to be made Assessments for the Year 15 for the Year to end on the Fifth Day of April One thousand eight ending 5th hundred and fifty-one, under and by virtue of the several Acts now in April 1851 force in relation to such of the Duties of Assessed Taxes as may be on Persons comprised in any Composition to be entered into under this Act, ing under shall severally be and remain to the same annual Amount in respect remain to 20 of every Person who shall compound for the same under this Act the same for the Term of Five Years, to be computed from the said Fifth Day the Term of 641.

A

of

this Act to

Amount for