3°& 4° GULIELMI IV. Cap.55.
transfer the same one to another, or jointly to any new Owner, by Memorandum upon their respective Bills of Sale, or by fresh Bill of Sale, without such Transfer being liable to any Stamp Duty: Provided also, that the Right of any Owner or Owners to any such fractional Parts shall not be affected by reason of the same not having been registered : Provided also, that it shall be lawful for any Number of such Owners, named and described in such Registry, being Partners in any House or Copartnership actually carrying on Trade in any Part of His Majesty's Dominions, to hold any Ship or Vessel, or any Share or Shares of any Ship or Vessel, in the Name of such House or Copartnership, as joint Owners thereof, without distinguishing the proportionate Interest of each of such Owners, and that such Ship or Vessel or the Share or Shares thereof so held in Copartnership shall be deemed and taken to be Partnership Property to all Intents and Purposes, and shall be governed by the same Rules, both in Law and Equity, as relate to and govern all other Partnership Property in any other Goods, Chattels, and Effects whatsoever.
XXXIII. And be it further enacted, That no greater Number than Thirty-two Persons shall be entitled to be legal Owners at one and the same Time of any Ship or Vessel, as Tenants in Common, or to be registered as such : Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall affect the equitable Title of Minors, Heirs, Legatees, Creditors, or others, exceeding that Number, duly represented by or holding from any of the Persons within the said Number, registered as legal Owners of any Share or Shares of such Ship or Vessel: Pro-vided also, that if it shall be proved to the Satisfaction of the Com-missioners of His Majesty's Customs that any Number of Persons have associated themselves as a Joint Stock Company, for the Purpose of owning any Ship or Vessel, or any Number of Ships or Vessels, as the joint Property of such Company, and that such Company have duly elected or appointed any Number, not less than Three, of the Members of the same to be Trustees of the Property in such Ship or Vessel or Ships or Vessels so owned by such Company, it shall be lawful for such Trustees or any Three of them, with the Permission of such Commissioners, to make and subscribe the Declaration re-quired by this Act before Registry be made, except that instead of stating therein the Names and Descriptions of the other Owners, they shall state the Name and Description of the Company to which such Ship or Vessel or Ships or Vessels shall in such Manner belong,
XXXIV. And be it further enacted, That no Bill of Sale or other Instrument in Writing shall be valid and effectual to pass the Property in any Ship or Vessel, or in any Share thereof, or for any other Purpose, until such Bill of Sale or other Instrument in Writing shall have been produced to the Collector and Controller of the Port at which such Ship or Vessel is already registered, or to the Collector and Controller of any other Port at which she is about to be registered de novoy as the Case may be, nor until such Collector and Controller respectively shall have entered in the Book of such last Registry, in the one Case, or in the Book of such Registry de novo, after all the Requisites
