Pensioners

Official forge or counterfeit, or procure to be forged or counPapers, &c. terfeited, any bill, certificate, letter of attorney, ticket, assignment, last will, or any other power or authority, or other document whatsoever, in order to receive any such money, or shall willingly and knowingly take a false oath, or procure any other person to take a false oath, in order to receive payment of any money due, or supposed to be due, for or on account of any out-pension granted by the. said hospital, or shall utter or publish as true any false, forged, or counterfeited letter of attorney, bill, ticket, certificate, assignment, last will, or any other power or authority, in order to receive payment of any money due, or supposed to be due, for or on account of any out-pension, being lawfully convicted of any of the said offences, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall suffer death as a felon, without the benefit of clergy.

VII. [Public act.]

No. day of

SCHEDULE (A.) TO WHICH THIS ACT REFERS.

Royal Hospital, Greenwich,
I CERTIFY that B. D., of

in the county of
wich Hospital, is entitled to the sum of
sterling, and that he has desired the same to be paid by you

be'ng an out-pensioner of Green-
pounds

Revenue at

to

(Signed)

Attested

Collector of his Majesty's A. B. Treasurer of the said Hospital, or his first clerk.

C. D. Steward [or, First Clerk to the Steward] of the Royal Hospital at Greenwich [or Clerk to the Check, or first clerk to the Clerk of the Check] of the Royal Hospital at Greenwich.

By virtue of the act of 54 Geo. 3. [N. B. This certificate, if payment in consequence thereof shall not be demanded in nine calendar months from the date hereof, is to be returned to the Treasurer of Greenwich Hospital.]

The personating or falsely assuming the name aud character of any out-pensioner of Greenwich Hospital, in order fraudulently to receive the pension due to such Pensioner, is felony without benefit of clergy. 54 Geo. 3, c. 93; but, as the provisions in that act relative to forgery are incorporated in the 57 Geo. 3, c. 127, see post, p. 195, it is not here inserted.

Note. As to personating seamen, in order to receive prize-money, &c. see ante, tit." False Personating." The general act for regulating the navy prize-money is the

Mode of executing letters of attorney and wills.

Seamens' Letters of Attorney, Wills, &c.
55 Geo. 3, c. 60.

II. [Enacts that no will made by any petty officer or seaman, non-commissioned officer of marines, or marine, before his entry into his majesty's service, shall be valid to pass or bequeath any wages, pay, prize-money, &c., to accrue, due for or in respect of the service of any such petty officer or seaman, &c.; and no letter of attorney to

be hereafter made by any petty officer or seaman, &c., Official who shall be, or shall have been, in the service of his maPapers,c. jesty, or by the executors or administrators of any such Pensioners petty officer or seaman, &c., shall be valid, unless such letter of attorney shall be declared to be recoverable by the express words thereof; and no such letter of attorney shall be valid, nor shall any will, made or to be made, by any such petty officer or seaman, &c., who shall be, or shall have been, in the service of his majesty, or at any time since, be valid, unless such letter of attorney or will respectively shall contain the name of the ship to which the person executing the same belonged at the time, or to which he last belonged, or, in case such letter of attorney shall be made by an executor or administrator, shall contain the name of the ship to which his or her testator or intestate last belonged in his lifetime; and, also, in every case, a full description of the degree of relationship or residence of the person or persons to whom or in whose favour, either as attorney or attorneys, executor or executors, the same shall be granted or made, and also the day of the month and year, and the name of the place when and where the same shall have been executed; nor shall any such letter of attorney or will be valid, for the purposes aforesaid, unless the same be executed and attested in the manner hereinafter mentioned; that is to say, in case any such letter of attorney or will shall be made by any such petty officer or seaman, &c., whilst they shall respectively belong to and be on board of any ship or vessel, as part of the complement thereof, or be borne on the books of any such ship or vessel as a supernumerary, or as an invalid, or for victuals only, unless such letter of attorney or will shall be executed in the presence of and attested by the captain, or other officer, having the command of such ship or vessel, and in case any such letter of attorney or will shall be made in any of his majesty's hospitals, or on board of any of his majesty's hospital ships, or in any military or merchant hospital, or at any sick quarters, either at home or abroad, unless such letter of attorney or will be executed in the presence of and attested by the governor, physician, surgeon, assistant surgeon, agent, or chaplain of any such hospital, or sick quarters, of his majesty, or by the officer, agent, physician, surgeon, assistant surgeon, or chaplain, for the time being, of any such hospital ship, or by the physician, surgeon, assistant surgeon, agent, chaplain, or chief officer, of such military or merchant hospital, or other sick quarters, or one of them; and, in case any such letter of attorney or will shall be made on board of any ship or vessel in the transport service, or in any merchant ship or vessel, unless the same shall be executed in the presence of and attested by some commission or warrant officer, or chaplain in his majesty's navy, or some commission officer

Seamen.

Oficial or chaplain belonging to his majesty's land forces or royal Papers, &c. marines, or the governor, physician, surgeon, assistant surgeon, or agent, of any hospital in his majesty's naval or military service, who may happen to be then on board of such transport or merchant vessel, and in case any such letter of attorney or will shall be made by any such petty officer or seaman, &c., after he shall have been discharged from his majesty's service, or if such letter of attorney shall be made by the executors or administrators of any such petty officer or seaman, &c., unless the same (if the party making such letter of attorney or will shall then reside in London or Westminster, or within the bills of mortality) shall be executed in the presence of and attested by the inspector, for the time being, of seamens' wills and powers of attorney, or his assistant or clerk, or unless the same (if the party making such letter of attorney or will shall then reside at or within the distance of seven miles from any port or place where the wages of seamen in his majesty's service are paid) shall be executed in the presence of and attested by one of the clerks in the office of the treasurer of the navy, resident at such port or place; or unless the same (if the party making such letter of attorney or will shall then reside at any other place in Great Britain or Ireland, or in the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, or Man,) shall be executed in the presence of, and attested by one of his majesty's justices of the peace, or by the minister or officiating minister or curate of the parish or place in which such letter of attorney or will shall be executed.]

VIII. [Provides that upon the death of a petty officer or seaman, &c., leaving a will, a check in the following form shall be issued to the person named as executor, to be properly filled up and returned.]

No.

CHECK.

Navy Pay-office,

18

that wills,

It being directed by Act of Parliament, 55 Geo. 3, cap. granted by petty-officers and seamen, non-commissioned officers of marines, and marines belonging to his Majesty's navy, shall be lodged in this office for the purposes therein specified; and that a check shall be issued for every such will, mentioning the particular heads thereof, which, by virtue of the said act, shall stand in the place of the same: This is, therefore, issued to show the receipt, at this office, of a will dated at [or, on board of] upon the day of

made and executed by A. B., now or formerly of his Majesty's ship in favour of C. D., and appointing E. F. executor [or executrix], and which is attested by G. H. and J. K. The said E. F., upon the testator's death, is entitled, upon production of this check, to demand of this office that the said will may be directed and sent to a Proctor in Doctors' Commons to obtain a probate thereof, which probate is also to be lodged in this office; I

now apply for a certificate, to enable me to obtain a probate of the above-mentioned will, being the executor [or executrix] therein named. My place of abode is at

(Signed)

E. F.

We hereby certify that we personally know the above subscribing Official E. F., the present holder of this check, who is an inhabitant of Papers, &c. this parish; and that we believe him [or her] to be the person described as executor [or executrix] therein.

L. M.
N. O.

Both housekeepers of the parish of
in the county of

I hereby certify, that I have examined the above-named E. F. the executor [or executrix], and also the above-named L. M. and N. O. (inhabitant householders in this parish), as to their knowledge of the said E. F., and of his [or her] being the executor [or executrix] of the will of the above-named A. B. as he [or she] represents himself [or herself] to be; and that I am satisfied with their answers, and have seen the said E. F. sign the said petition or application, and the said L. M. and N. O. sign the said certificate in my presence.

The said E. F., the executor, [or executrix] is

inches high,
hair,

feet

particular

complexion,

age,

day of

P. Q., Minister.

Seamen.

N.B.-If the testator shall die after he leaves the naval service, a certificate of his burial, or some other authentic proof of his death, must likewise be sent to this office.

If the executor [or executrix] knows any proctor in "Doctors' Commons, he [or she] is desired to mention his name, that he may be employed in obtaining the probate.

The above application and certificates are to be filled up and signed upon the testator's death, and the check to be sent to the general post, under cover, directed to the treasurer, or to the Paymaster of his Majesty's Navy, London.

X. [Provides that, upon the death of a petty officer or seaman, &c. intestate, a petition or paper in the following form shall be issued to the claimant, to be properly filled up and returned.]

leaving any will, to the best of my
knowledge and belief; I now ap-
ply for a certificate to enable me to
obtain letters of administration to
his effects, being his lawful

and sole [or one of his] nearest of kin; no one, to the best of my knowledge and belief, of a nearer degree being living at the time of the death of the said deceased, who died a bachelor [or widower]. place of abode is

We hereby certify, that we personally know the above
C. D., and believe what he [or she] has stated to be true.

My

C. D.

subscribing
E. F.
G. H.

I hereby certify that I have examined the above-named C. D., who

Official Papers,ke.

Sevmen.

belonging

and also the above-named

claims administration to A. B., late a
to his Majesty's ship
E. F. and G. H. (inhabitant householders of this parish), as to their
knowledge of the said C. D., and of his [or her] right to administer to
the effects of the said A. B., and that I am satisfied with their answers,
and have seen the said C. D. sign the above application or petition,
and also seen the said E. F. and G. H. sign the above certificate.
The sabi C. D. is

feet
eyes,
particular marks.

inches high,
hair,

age,

complexion,

Ar

this

} P. Q., Minister.

N. B.-If the person applying is the widow of the party deceased, she
most forward an extract from the parish register, or some other au-
thentic proof of her marriage.

If the deceased died after he had left the naval service, an extract from
the parish register of his burial, or some other authentic proof of his
death, must likewise be sent to this office.

If the person applying knows any Proctor in Doctors' Commons, she
(or he is desired to mention his name, that he may be employed in
obtaining the letters of administration.

This application, when filled up and attested, is to be sent by the gene-
ral post, under cover, directed to the Treasurer, or to the Paymaster,
of his Majesty's Navy, London.

[The act then provides that the petition, when filled up,
be addressed to the treasurer or to the paymaster of the
navy, London, who upon receiving the same shall direct
the inspector of seamen's wills to examine the same, and
make such inquiry relative thereto, as may appear to him
necessary in that behalf; and, being satisfied, he shall
forthwith make out a certificate in the words and figures
following, or to the like purport or effect.]

of

No.

By Act of Parliament, 55 Geo. 3, cap.

Certificate to obtain Letters of Administration.

Navy Pay-Office,

18

Having duly examined an application made to this office by C. D.

,

[or he] is the
late a seaman [or marine] belonging to his Majesty's ship
who died intestate, a widower [or bachelor], on the
day of
18 and without leaving any one of a nearer degree of kindred to him;
and it appearing that no will of the deceased has been lodged in this
office, I therefore grant this abstract of the said application, and certify
that I believe what is therein stated to be true; and also that the said
C. D. may obtain letters of administration to the effects of the said
A. B., deceased, which effects appear not to exceed the sum of
; provided always, that she [or he] is otherwise entitled
thereto by law.
J. P., Inspector.
To

Remittance.

Proctor, in Doctor's Cominons.
N.B.-The previous commission or requisition (if such should be
necessary) is to be addressed agreeably to the superscription of the
within cover, in which the same is to be enclosed, and forwarded by
the proctor; and, when such commission or requisition shall be returned
to this office, it will be forwarded to him, and he is then to sue out
letters of administration, and send them to the inspector, with his
charge noted thereon.

XXIII. And be it enacted, that in case the said execu-
tor or administrator, widow, next of kin, creditor, or per-
son named as executor, shall not be present, but be and
reside at a distance, the said deputy paymaster or trea-