20. And whereas it is enacted, in and by an act passed in the fourth year of his present Majesty’s reign, intituled, _An act for granting certain duties in the ~British~ colonies and plantations in ~America~; for continuing, amending, and making perpetual, an act passed in the sixth year of the reign of his late Majesty King ~George~ the second, intituled_, An act for the better securing and encouraging the trade of his Majesty’s sugar colonies in _America; for applying the produce of such duties, and of the duties to arise by virtue of the said act, towards defraying the expences of defending, protecting, and securing the said colonies and plantations; for explaining an act made in the twenty-fifth year of the reign of King ~Charles~ the second, intituled_, An act for the encouragement of the _Greenland_ and _Eastland_ trades, and for the better securing the plantation trade; _and for altering and disallowing several drawbacks on exports from this kingdom, and more effectually preventing the clandestine conveyance of goods to and from the said colonies and plantations, and improving and securing the trade between the same and ~Great Britain~_; That if any _British_ ship or vessel shall be found standing into, or coming out from, either of the islands of _Saint Pierre_ and _Miquelon_, or hovering or at anchor within two leagues of the coast thereof, or shall be discovered to have taken any goods or merchandizes on board at either of them, or to have been there for that purpose, such ship or vessel, and all the goods so taken on board there, shall be forfeited and lost, and shall and may be seized and prosecuted by any officer of his Majesty’s customs; and the master, or other person having the charge of such ship or vessel, and every person concerned in taking such goods on board, shall forfeit treble the value thereof: And whereas the provisions of the said recited act may not be sufficient to effectuate the good purposes thereby intended, or to prevent the export or sale of ships, vessels, and boats, and of all other the goods and commodities herein-before enumerated and prohibited to be sold to the subjects of any foreign state, or the purchase and import of the goods and commodities of such foreign states; be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful for all and every officer or officers, having the command of any of his Majesty’s ships stationed at the island of _Newfoundland_, to stop and detain all and every ship, vessel, or boat, of what nature or description soever, coming to, or going from the said island, and belonging to, or in the service or occupation of any of his Majesty’s subjects residing in, trafficking with, or carrying on fishery in the island of _Newfoundland_, parts adjacent, or on the banks of the said island of _Newfoundland_, which he shall have reason to suspect to be going to, or coming from, the islands of _Saint Pierre_ or _Miquelon_,