Legislation on the slave trade
Legislation on the slave trade


Royal NavySlave trade legislation ► Acts of Parliament

58° Georgii III, cap. XCVIII

An Act to explain and amend an Act passed in the Fifty first Year of His Majesty's Reign, for rendering more effectual an Act made in the Forty Seventh Year of His Majesty's Reign, for the Abolition of the Slave Trade.

[10th June 1818.]

51 G.3. c.23. §6.

28 H.8. c.15.

11&12 W.3. c.7.

46 G.3. c.54.

Offences declared by 51 G.3.c.23. to be Felonies or Misdemeanors committed on thr Seas, &c. may be tried under any Commission issued according to the Directions of 46 G.3. c.54.
'WHEREAS by an Act made in the Fifty first Year of His Majesty's Reign, intituled An Act for rendering more effectual an Act made in the Forty seventh Year of His Majesty's Reign, intituled An Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade, it is amongst other things enacted and declared, that all Offences thereinbefore declared to be Felonies or Misdemeanors which shall be committed in Africa, or in any Country, Territory or Place other than this United Kingdom, or on the High Seas, or in any Port, Sea, Creek or Place where the Admiral has Jurisdiction, shall and may be inquired of either according to the ordinary Course of Law and the Provisions of an Act passed in the Twenty eighth Year of the Reign of King Henry the Eighth, intituled An Act for Pirates; or according to the Provisions of an Act, passed in the Thirty third Year of the Reign of King Henry the Eighth, intituled An Act to proceed by Commission of Oyer and Terminer against such Persons as shall confess Treason and Felony, without remanding the same to be tried in the Shire where the Offence was committed, as far as the same Act is now unrepealed; or according to the Provisions of an Act passed in the Eleventh and Twelfth Years of the Reign of His late Majesty King William the Third, intituled An Act passed for the more effectual Suppression of Piracy: And Whereas by an Act made in the Forty Sixth Year of His Majesty's Reign, intituled An Act for the more speedy Trial of Offences committed in distant Parts upon the Seas, it is enacted, that all Treasons, Piracies, Felonies, Robberies, Murders, Conspiracies and other Offences, of what Nature or Kind soever, committed upon the Sea, or in any Haven, River, Creek or Place where the Admiral or Admirals have Power, Authority or Jurisdiction, may be inquired of, tried, heard, determined and adjudged according to the common Course of the Laws of this Realm used for Offences committed upon the Land within this Realm, and not otherwise, in any of His Majesty's Islands, Plantations, Colonies, Dominions, Forts or Factories, under and by virtue of the King's Commission or Commissions under the Great Seal of Great Britain, to be directed to any such Four or more discreet Persons as the Lord Chancellor of Great Britain, Lord Keeper or Commissioners for the Custody of the Great Seal of Great Britain for the time being shall from time to time think fit to appoint; and that the said Commissioners so to be appointed, or any Three of them, shall have such and the like Powers and Authorities for the Trial of all such Murders, Treasons, Piracies, Felonies, Conspiracies and other Offences, within any such Island, Plantations, Colony, Dominions, Forts or Factories, as any Commissioners appointed or to be appointed according to the Directions of the Statute of the Twenty eighth Year of the Reign of King Henry the Eighth, by any Law or Laws now in force have or would have for the Trial of the said Offences within this Realm: And Whereas Doubts have arisen whether Offences declared by the said Act of the Fifty first Year of His Majesty's Reign to be Felonies or Misdemeanors committed on the High Seas, or in any Port, Sea, Creek or Place where the Admiral has Jurisdiction, may be inquired of, heard and determined under or by virtue of any Commission issued or to be issued under the Directions of the said recited Act of the Forty sixth Year of His Majesty's Reign :' Be it therefore enacted by The Kings 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 all Offences declared by the said Act of the Fifty first Year of His Majesty's Reign to be Felonies or Misdemeanors, committed or which shall be committed on the High Seas, or in any Port, Sea, Creek or Place where the Admiral has Jurisdiction, may be inquired of, tried and determined under and by virtue of any Commission already issued or hereafter to be issued according to the Directions of the above recited Acts of the Forty Sixth Year of His Majesty's Reign, and that all Persons convicted of any of the said Offences so inquired of, tried and determined, or to be inquired of, tried and determined under and by virtue of any such Commission made or issued or to be made or issued according to the Directions of the said Act of the Forty sixth Year of His Majesty's Reign, shall be subject and liable to and shall suffer all such and the same Pains, Penalties and Forfeitures, as by any Law or Laws now in force Persons convicted of the same respectively would be subject and liable to, in case the same were respectively inquired of, tried and determined and adjudged within this Realm by virtue of any Commission made according to the Directions of the Statute of the Twenty eighth Year of the Reign of King Henry the Eighth; any Law, Statute or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding.


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