PLACARD, Whereby sundry articles, concerning the trade to Iceland, are more specifically laid down. We, his royal majesty's, the king of Denmark and Norway, &c., &c., appointed president, deputies, and assessors in the chamber of taxes and interest, do herewith certify, that, it having appeared that the mercantile persons in Iceland have, in some wise, misconstrued some parts, both in the ordinance of the thirteenth of June, 1787, and also in other regulations issued concerning the trade and navigation to Iceland, in a quite contrary manner to the meaning and intent of the said ordinances, it has pleased his majesty, by his resolution, bearing date the thirtieth of last month, to deem it needful to give a further elucidation to the said parts or passages, according whereto the magistracy of the districts. therein concerned have to act and direct themselves, so as to prevent all fraud and deceit on behalf or part of the traders. And therefore his majesty, for the purpose of the intent of the said most gracious reso C lution being the better carried into effect, has graciously been pleased to add the following articles, to be observed and obeyed by all whom it may concern. These parts are, the placard concerning throwing open the Iceland trade, bearing date the eighteenth of August, 1786, in its 13th §; the ordinances concerning the liberties granted to the trading towns, now forming in Iceland, bearing date the seventeenth of November, 1786, in its 15th ; and the before-mentioned ordinance of the thirteenth of June, 1787, in its second chapter, §§ 2 and 11; several traders having taken advantage thereof, to extend their trade to a far greater degree than is expressed or specified in the ordinances given concerning the free trade, when taken in their proper intent and meaning. In order therefore to prevent such abuses, which, in process of time, might be productive of the most dangerous consequences to the commercial trade in general, his royal majesty has been most graciously pleased to ordain, that the privileges, which are granted to the trading towns, by the ordinance of the seventeenth of November, 1786, in its 4th, 6th, and 7th §§, compared with the placard bearing date the eighteenth August, next preceding, in its 12th §, on which the parts beforestated are founded (namely the 13th § of the placard; the ordinance concerning the privileges of the trading towns, in its 15th §; and the ordinance of the thirteenth of June, in its second chapter, 2nd and 11th §§), do not refer to others than such as keep bed and board in the trading towns, and carry on a constant trade there; and likewise, that the country traders, agreeably to the ordinance of the thirteenth of June, 1787, in its second chapter, 12th and 13th §§, shall likewise be under the obligation of carrying on the trade, as well in winter as in summer, the result whereof is : See the placard third of April, (a) That what is contained in of date twenty- the placard 15th §, the ordinance 1793, § 1. concerning the privileges of the trading towns, in its 15th §, and the second chapter, 2nd and 11th §§, concerning such citizens, is not to be otherwise understood, than regarding such as have established themselves in the trading towns, and as carry on trade there both in winter and summer, either by themselves, or by their acknowledged factor, except what is otherwise mentioned in the last-cited four places, viz. that they may trade to or with whatever foreign place they will, cannot, if meant to be out of the district, be otherwise understood, than as merely applicable to the special trade of the ships, which shall have lain four weeks, without having commenced any trade with the country; either by having thrown up some sheds, or by having there erected some building; and they shall likewise be allowed to lie and carry on trade, but only in the proper trading towns, or in such out-ports as are either permitted by the liberation of the trade, or may hereafter be erected, with the approbation of our chamber of taxes and interest. See placard of (b) That no man, who shall have established himself in any trading town, or in the district. belonging to it, and shall have taken his burghership there, either personally, or by his factor, shall establish any trade in any other trading town, or in the district thereunto appertaining, under the plea of having, either by himself, or by his factor taken his burghership at such place; or under the pretext of the last-mentioned carrying on trade there on his own account; and therefore he shall be obliged (in case of the magistracy finding his assertion of carrying on trade there for his own account, to be liable to suspicion), to make deposition upon oath before the court, that all the goods in which he means to trade, as well import as export goods, are to him solely belonging, and not to any person in any other district. See placard of twenty-third April, 1793, (c) That such persons, belonging to Denmark, Norway, or the 1, 2, and 3 §§. provinces, who are inclined to carry on a trade in the country, shall likewise form an establishment in the trading towns, raise buildings, and there take burghership, or at least so do by their factor, who in such case shall keep his house and office, and carry on trade, both in winter and summer, without doing which, he may not trade with any inland town, excepting as a special trader, for the space of four weeks; and consequently he must not employ any other factor in his |