Legislation on the slave trade
Legislation on the slave trade


Royal NavySlave trade legislation

Anno tricesimo secundo Georgii III. Cap. LII.

An Act to continue, for a limited Time, several Acts of Parliament for regulating the shipping and carrying Slaves in British Vessels from the Coast of Africa.

Preamble.

31 Geo.3. c.54. recited

No Vessel clearing out from Great Britain to carry Slaves from Africa in greater Numbers than herein specified.

Vessels to be deemed of the Tonnage set forth in their Certificates of Registry.

Masters of Vessels to forfeit 30 l. for every Slave exceeding the limited Number.

If more than two fifths of the Slaves be Children, five of the Surplus to be deemed equal to four Slaves, &c.
'WHEREAS an Act was made in the thirty-first Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An Act to continue, for a limited Time, and to amend an Act made in the last Session of Parliament, intitled, "An Act to amend, and continue, for a limited Time, several Acts of Parliament for regulating the shipping and carrying Slaves in British Vessels from the Coast of Africa:" And whereas it is expedient to continue the said Act for a limited Time;' be it therefore enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That it shall not be lawful for any Master or other Person taking or having the Charge or Command of any British Ship or Vessel whatever, which shall clear out from any Port of this Kingdom, from and after the first Day of August one thousand seven hundred and ninety-two, to have on Board at any one Time, or to convey, carry, bring, or transport Slaves from the Coast of Africa to any Part beyond Sea, in any such Ship or Vessel, in any greater Number than in the Proportion of five such Slaves for every three Tons of the Burthen of such Ship or Vessel, so far as the said Ship or Vessel shall not exceed two hundred and one Tons, and moreover of one such Slave for every additional Ton of such Ship or Vessel over and above the said Burthen of two hundred and one Tons; or Male Slaves who shall exceed four Feet four Inches in Height, in any greater Number than in the Proportion of one such Male Slave to every one Ton of the Burthen of such Ship or Vessel, so far as the said Ship or Vessel shall not exceed two hundred and one Tons, and moreover of three such Male Slaves, who shall exceed the said Height of four Feet four Inches, for every additional five Tons of such Ship or Vessel, over and above the said Burthen of two hundred and one Tons; and every such Ship or Vessel shall be deemed and taken to be of such Tonnage or Burthen as is described and set forth in the respective Certificate of the Registry of each and every such Ship or Vessel, granted in pursuance of an Act made in the twenty-sixth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, intituled, An Act for the further Increase and Encouragement of Shipping and Navigation; and if any such Master, or other Person taking or having the Charge or Command of any such Ship or Vessel, shall act contrary hereto, such Master or other Person as aforesaid shall forfeit and pay the Sum of thirty Pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain for each and every such Slave, exceeding in Number the Proportions herein-before limited; one Moiety whereof shall go to his Majesty, his Heirs or Successors, and the other Moiety thereof shall go to any Person or Persons who shall first sue for the same: Provided always, That if there shall be in any such Ship or Vessel any more than two fifth Parts of the Slaves who shall be Children, and who shall not exceed four Feet four Inches in Height, then every five such Children over and above the aforesaid Proportion of two Fifths shall be deemed and taken to be equal to four of the said Slaves, within the true Intent and Meaning of this Act: Provided always, That nothing herein contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to the Case of a Ship taking on Board any Number of Slaves that shall be found shipwrecked, or from on Board any other Ship or Vessel where, by reason of Mutiny or Insurrection among the Slaves, or the Crew, or by Failure of Hands, or by any actual Distress of the Vessel, the Master or Commander shall be disabled from governing the Ship, or continuing the Voyage, the Proof of which shall lie upon the Master or other Person having Charge of such Ship or Vessel to taking on Board such Slaves.
  "Masters of Vessels, before they land any Slaves in the West Indies, to declare upon Oath, before the Officer of the Customs, the Burthen of the Vessel, &c. and if they land Slaves contrary hereto, to forfeit 500 l. Officers of the Customs to take an Account of the Slaves on Board such Vessels, &c. on Penalty of 500 l. Where there is no Officer of the Customs, any Civil Officer to receive the Oath of the Master, &c.. No Vessel to carry any Slaves, unless entered for that Purpose at clearing out, and unless the Surgeon give Bond to keep a Journal of the Slaves during the Voyage; which Journal is to be delivered to the Officer of the Customs, at the first British Port of Arrival, &c. Officer to deliver to the Master a Copy of his Oath, and to the Surgeon a Copy of his Journal, and transmit Duplicates to the Commissioners of the Customs. Masters or Surgeons acting contrary hereto, to forfeit 100 l. If Penalty on Masters be not paid within fourteen Days, their Vessels may be seized and sold. Penalties may be sued for, in any Vice Admiralty Court in America or the West Indies, where the Offence shall be committed, or the Cargo disposed of; or in any Court of Record at Westminster, or Court of Exchequer in Scotland. The upper and lower Cabin, and the Space between Decks, to be allotted to the Slaves, &c. If any Person take the Command of a Vessel, who is not qualified as herein directed, he and also the Owner shall forfeit 500 l. No Insurance to be made against any Loss, except the Perils of the Sea, &c. No Vessel to be cleared out that has not a Surgeon who has passed his Examination, &c. If the Officer at the Port of Discharge shall be Satisfied that there have not died on the Voyage more than two Slaves in the Hundred, he is to give Certificates to the Master and Surgeon, and on Production thereof to the Commissioners of the Customs, they are to order the Master 100 l. and the Surgeon 50 l. Like Certificates to be given where the Mortality has not been more than three in the Hundred, which is to entitle the Master to 50 l. and the Surgeon to 25 l. Before any Vessel is cleared Outwards, the Master, Officers, and Mariners, to execute Articles of Agreement in the Forms hereunto annexed; and no other Form to be used on Penalty of 50 l. Muster Roll to be regularly kept, &c. on Penalty of 100 l. and six Months Imprisonment. No Officer, &c. to be turned over or discharged, unless into his Majesty's Ships of War, or to assist a Ship in actual Distress, or upon Preferment, or under ill State of Health. No Slops, &c. to be Supplied beyond one Fourth of the Monthly Wages. Regulations with regard to Officers, &c. behaving in a riotous, seditious, or mutinous Manner. Master to cause a printed Abstract, of this Act, &c. to be hung up in the most publick Place in his Vessel, on Penalty of 20 l. If mutinous Officers, &. be taken into Custody in Africa, or the West Indies, a Statement, upon Oath, to be lodged with the Governor, &c.; and if the Witnesses do not appear at the Trial, they shall incur a Penalty, at the Discretion of the Court. Officers, &c. to continue in Pay till the Vessel is cleared Inwards. Wages of Run Men to go to Greenwich Hospital, &c. Where Offences may be tried, and Penalties sued for. Limitation of Actions. Persons taking false Oaths, to incur the Pains of Perjury, &c. This Act to continue to August 1, 1793."


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