STAMP-DUTIES, a branch of the perpetual revenue. See REVENUE.
There is a tax imposed upon all parchment and paper whereon any legal proceedings, or private instruments of almost any nature whatsoever, are written; and also upon licences for retailing wines, of all denominations; upon all almanacks, newspapers, advertisements, cards, dice, &c. These imposts are very various, according to the nature of the things stamped, rising gradually from a penny to ten pounds. This is also a tax which, though in some instances it may be heavily felt, by greatly increasing the expence of all mercantile as well as legal proceedings, yet (if moderately imposed) is of service to the public in general, by authenticating instruments, and rendering it much more difficult than formerly to forge deeds of any standing; since, as the officers of this branch of the revenue vary their stamps frequently, by marks perceptible to none but themselves, a man that would forge a deed of king William's time, must know and be able to counterfeit the stamp of that date also. In France and some other countries the duty is laid on the contract itself, not on the instrument in which it is contained; as, with us too in England, (besides the stamps on the indentures), a tax is laid, by statute 8 Ann. c. 9. on every apprentice-fee; of 6d. in the pound if it be 50l. or under, and 1s. in the pound if a greater sum: but this tends to draw the subject into a thousand nice difficulties and disputes concerning the nature of his contract, and whether taxable or not; in which the farmers of the revenue are sure to have the advantage. Our general method answers the purposes of the state as well, and consults the ease of the subject much better. The first institution of the stamp-duties was by statute 5 and 6 W. and M. c. 21. and they have since, in many instances, been increased to five times their original amount.