It shall not be lawful for any person, without permission in writing from a public department, or from some person authorised by a public department in that behalf, (proof of which permission shall lie on the party accused,) to gather or search for stores, or to creep, sweep, or dredge in the sea or any tidal water, within one hundred yards from any vessel belonging to Her Majesty or in Her Majesty's service, or from any mooring place or anchoring place appropriated to such vessels, or from any moorings belonging to Her Majesty, or from any of Her Majesty's wharves, or dock, victualling, or steam factory yards, or within one thousand yards from any battery or fort used for the practice of artillery either by the Royal Artillery or by militia or volunteer artillery, or in or on any part of the spaces or distances, whether covered with water or not, from time to time marked out as ranges for artillery practice for the use of Her Majesty's ships, or marked out and appropriated for ranges under the provisions of the Artillery Ranges Act,
If any person acts in contravention of this provision he shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a penalty not exceeding five pounds, or, in the discretion of the court, to be imprisoned for any term not exceeding two months, with or without hard labour.