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If any person offers shipwrecked goods for sale, the goods may be seized, &c.
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66. If any person shall offer or expose for sale any goods, merchandize, or articles whatsoever, which shall have been unlawfully taken, or shall be reasonably suspected so to have been taken, from any ship or vessel in distress, or wrecked, stranded, or cast on shore, in every such case any person to whom the same shall be offered for sale, or any officer of the Customs or Excise, or peace officer, may lawfully seize the same, and shall with all convenient speed carry the same, or give notice of such seizure, to some justice of the peace; and if the person who shall have offered or exposed the same for sale, being summoned by such justice, shall not appear and satisfy the justice that he came lawfully by such goods, merchandise, or articles, then the same shall, by order of the justice, be forthwith delivered over to or for the use of the rightful owner thereof, upon payment of a reasonable reward (to be ascertained by the justice) to the person who seized the same; and the offender shall, on conviction of such offence by the justice, at the discretion of the justice, either be committed to the common gaol or house of correction, there to be imprisoned only, or to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour, for any term not exceeding six months, or else shall forfeit and pay, over and above the value of the goods, mercandise, or articles, such sum not exceeding twenty pounds as to the justice shall seem meet.
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