3. Every person fraudulently erasing, obliterating, or defacing, or fraudulently causing to be erased, obliterated, or defaced from any barrel, any mark or any part of any mark of any stamp already or hereafter provided or used by either of the two companies for the marking of barrels, shall for every such offence forfeit not exceeding twenty pounds:
4. Every person delivering or sending or causing or procuring to be delivered or sent for sale, or under pretence of sale, or removing, consigning, or transmitting, or causing or procuring to be removed, consigned, or transmitted for sale, or under pretence of sale, any small arm, the barrel or barrels whereof are not duly proved at the Proof-house of the Gunmakers’ Company, or the Birmingham Proof-house, or some[249] other public proof-house established by law, and marked as proved, shall, for every small arm so delivered or sent, or caused or procured to be delivered or sent, or removed, consigned, or transmitted, or caused or procured to be removed, consigned, or transmitted, forfeit not exceeding twenty pounds.
The preceding list of offences against the proper conducting of the gun manufacture have been found, after nearly three years’ experience, to fulfil the intentions of the framers[12] of the bill. Undoubtedly a much more healthy tone has been given to the constitution of the trade; and it is to be fervently hoped that it will entirely eradicate the evil of producing such a vast amount of worthless and dangerous guns. The double-proof has been too much for many of the “sham damns.” No doubt much remains to be done even yet; but the trade is progressing towards convalescence, after this severe purging. With these remarks I shall introduce schedule B of the new Act.
[12] I had the honour of being one of a committee to frame the clauses.
SCHEDULE (B.)
RULES AND REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO THE PROOF OF SMALL ARMS.
Classification of Small Arms.
First Class.—Comprising single-barrelled military arms of smooth bore.
Second Class.—Comprising double-barrelled military arms of smooth bore, and rifled arms of every description, whether of one or more barrels, or constructed of plain or twisted iron.
Third Class.—Comprising every description of single-barrelled birding and fowling-pieces for firing small shot; and also those known by the names of Danish, Dutch, Carolina, and Spanish.