Legislation on the slave trade
Legislation on the slave trade


Royal NavySlave trade legislation ► Acts of Parliament

59° Georgii III, cap. XCVII

An Act to extend the Provisions of 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, to the Trial of Offences committed in Africa against the Laws for abolishing the Slave Trade.

[12th July 1819.]

46 G.3. c.54.

51 G.3. c.23. § 1.

58 G.3. c.98.

Offences declared by 51 G.3. c.23. to be Felonies or Misdemeanors, committed by any of His Majesty's Subjects in Africa, not being within the Jurisdiction of an Admiral. &c. may be tried by Commission, agreeably to 46 G.3. c.54.
'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 Admirals or Admiral have Power, Authority or Jurisdiction, may be inquired of, 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 Commissioners 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 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 Islands, Plantations, Colonies, 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 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,' the carrying away or removing from any Part of Africa of any Person or Persons whatsoever as a Slave or Slaves, and the wilfully shipping, embarking, receiving, detaining or confining on board any Ship, Vessel or Boat, any Person or Persons for the purpose of his or their being so carried away or removed, and divers other Offences against that Act and other Acts for abolishing the Slave Trade, are declared respectively to be Felonies and Misdemeanors, and the Offenders, their Aiders and Abettors, are respectively made liable to such Pains, Penalties and Forfeitures, as are therein mentioned and provided; but the Provisions thereby made for the Trial of such Felonies and Misdemeanors, when committed by British Subjects in Africa, have been found to be inconvenient and ineffectual: And Whereas by an Act made in the Fifty eighth Year of His Majesty's Reign, intituled 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, it is enacted, 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 said recited Act of the Forty Sixth Year of His Majesty's Reign: And Whereas Offences which by the said recited Act of the Fifty first Year of His Majesty's Reign, are declared to be Felonies or Misdemeanors, have been or may be committed by British Subjects in Africa, either on Shore or in Rivers, or other Places where the Admiral has no Jurisdiction, and it may be impossible in such Cases to bring the Offenders to Justice under any of the said recited Acts, or any other Laws now in being, without great Inconvenience, Expence and Delay;' 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 each and every Offence declared by the said Act of the Fifty first Year of His Majesty's Reign to be a Felony or Misdemeanor, committed or which shall be committed by any Subject or Subjects of His Majesty, His Heirs or Successors, in Africa, or in any of the Rivers, Ports or Harbours thereof, not being a Place where the Admiral has Jurisdiction, and not being within the Local Jurisdiction of any Ordinary Court of a British Colony or Settlement in Africa competent to try such Offence, 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 said recited Act of the Forty Sixth Year of His Majesty's Reign.


Top↑ 
Valid HTML 5.0