"That any Constable, Headborough, or Beadle, and every Watchman, while on duty, may apprehend and detain all and every person or persons who may be reasonably suspected of having and carrying, or any ways conveying for the purpose of selling or trafficking in the same, any counterfeited or forged Gold, Silver, or Copper Money, whether the same shall resemble or be intended to resemble, or shall pass or be intended to pass as and for the coin of the said kingdoms, or of any foreign Country or State; or having in their possession, without lawful excuse, any round blanks of base metal or mixed metal, &c. or any pieces of Gold, Silver, Brass, Copper, or Lead, of a fit size and figure to be coined, coloured, or converted into Counterfeit Money; with power also to seize and detain the said Counterfeit Money, blanks, &c. and convey the same, with the person or persons apprehended, before one or more Justices; and if the party shall not give a satisfactory account how the same came into their possession, or shall not produce the party from whom it was received, he shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by fine and imprisonment in a summary manner."
13. The statute 37 Geo. III. cap. 126. (see p. 194) has restrained the evil pointed out in former editions of this Treatise, respecting the counterfeiting of Foreign Gold and Silver Coin. It is to be wished, however, that the penalties imposed on the _exportation_ of such counterfeit Coin by 38 Geo. III. cap. 67, could be further extended and enforced.
14. It must here be repeated, that the great cause of the defect in the execution of the Laws against Coiners, is the want of a proper fund for Prosecutions and Rewards, and other expences for detecting Offenders.--The acts 7 Anne, cap. 24, and 15 Geo. II. cap. 28, allow only £.600 for the expence of prosecutions, which has never been increased for above half a century; although the offences, as well as the expence of detection and prosecutions, have increased, at least, six fold.
15. The reward of £.40, given under the Acts 6 and 7 William III. cap. 17; 15 Geo. II. cap. 28, is construed to be limited only to the Conviction of actual Coiners and Clippers of Gold and Silver; and is not allowed to extend to colouring and finishing, as well as a number of other offences connected with _making_, _counterfeiting_, and _uttering base_ Money:--the reward for Copper Coin is by the said Act of 15 Geo. II. cap. 28, limited to £.10, and is by no means a sufficient encouragement to Officers to do their duty. _It would be a great improvement if a liberal sum were allowed by Parliament for detections, prosecutions, and rewards; to be paid on the report of the Judges who try the offenders, according to the merit and trouble of the apprehenders, prosecutors, and witnesses; whether there is a conviction or not._