resources
An
Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade
25th March 1807
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I.
'Whereas the Two Houses of Parliament did, by their Resolutions
of the Tenth and Twenty-fourth days of June One Thousand eight
hundred and six, severally resolve, upon certain Grounds therein
mentioned, that they would, with all practicable Expedition,
take effectual Measures for the Abolition of the African Slave
Trade in such Manner, and at such Period as might be deemed
advisable, And whereas it is fit upon all and each of the
Grounds mentioned in the said Resolutions, that the same should
be forthwith abolished and prohibited, and declared to be
unlawful';
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From
May 1, 1807, the Slave trade shall be abolished.
Penalty
for trading in or purchasing Slaves, &c. 100l. for each
Slave.
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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 from and after the
First Day of May One thousand eight hundred and seven, the
African Slave Trade, and all and all manner of dealing and
trading in the Purchase, Sale, Barter, or Transfer of Slaves,
or of Persons intended to be sold, transferred, used, or dealt
with as Slaves, practiced or carried on, in, at, to or from
any Part of the Coast or Countries of Africa, shall be, and
the same is hereby utterly abolished, prohibited, and declared
to be unlawful; and also that all and all manner of dealing,
either by way of Purchase, Sale, Barter, or Transfer, or by
means of any other Contract or Agreement whatever, relating
to any Slaves, or to any Persons intended to be used or dealt
with as Slaves, for the Purpose of such Slaves or Persons
being removed or transported either immediately or by Transshipment
at Sea or otherwise, directly or indirectly from Africa, or
from any Island, Country, Territory, or Place whatever, in
the West Indies, or in any other part of America, not being
in the Dominion, Possession, or Occupation of His Majesty,
to any other Island, Country, Territory, or Place what ever,
is hereby in like Manner utterly abolished, prohibited, and
declared to be unlawful; and if any of His Majesty's Subjects,
or any Person or Persons resident within this United Kingdom,
or any of the Islands, Colonies, Dominions, or Territories
thereto belonging, or in His Majesties Occupation or Possession,
shall from and after the Day aforesaid, by him or themselves,
or by his or their Factors or Agents or otherwise howsoever,
deal or trade in, purchase, sell, barter, or transfer, or
contract or agree for the dealing or trading in, purchasing,
selling, bartering, or transferring of any Slave or Slaves,
or any Person or Persons intended to be sold, transferred,
used, or dealt with as a Slave or Slaves contrary to the Prohibitions
of this Act, he or they so offending shall forfeit and pay
for every such Offence the Sum of One hundred Pounds of lawful
Money of Great Britain for each and every Slave so purchased,
sold, bartered, or transferred, or contracted or agreed for
as aforesaid, the One Moiety thereof to the Use of His Majesty,
His Heirs and Successors, and the other Moiety to the Use
of any Person who shall inform, sue, and prosecute for the
same.
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Vessels
fitted out in this Kingdom or the Colonies, &c. for carrying
on the Slave Trade shall be forfeited.
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II.
And be it further enacted, that from and after the said First
Day of May One thousand eight hundred and seven, it shall
be unlawful for any of His Majesty's Subjects, or any Person
or Persons resident within this United Kingdom, or any of
the Islands, Colonies, Dominions, or Territories thereto belonging,
or in His Majesty's Possession or Occupation, to fit out,
man, or navigate, or to procure to be fitted out, manned,
or navigated, or to be concerned in the fitting out, manning,
or navigating, or in the procuring to be fitted out, manned,
or navigated, any Ship or Vessel for the Purpose of assisting
in, or being employed in the carrying on of the African Slave
Trade, or in any other the Dealing, Trading, or Concerns hereby
prohibited and declared to be unlawful, and every Ship or
Vessel which shall, from and after the Day aforesaid, be fitted
out, manned, navigated, used, or employed by any such Subject
or Subjects, Person or Persons, or on his or their Account,
or by his or their Assistance or Procurement for any of the
Purposes aforesaid, and by this Act prohibited, together with
all her Boats, Guns, Tackle, Apparel, and Furniture, shall
become forfeited, and may and shall be seized and prosecuted
as herein-after is mentioned and provided.
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Persons
prohibited from carrying as Slaves Inhabitants of Africa, the
West Indies, or America, from one Place to another, or being
concerned in receiving them &c.
Vessels employed in such Removal, &c. to be forfeited, as
also the Property in the Slaves.
Owners, &c. so employed to forfeit 100l. for each Slave.
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III.
And be it further enacted, That from and after the said First
Day of May, One thousand eight hundred and seven, it shall
be unlawful for any of His Majesty's Subjects, or any Person
or persons, resident in this United Kingdom, or in any of
the Colonies, Territories, or Dominions thereunto belonging
or in His Majesty's Possession or Occupation, to carry away
or remove, or knowingly and willfully to procure, aid, or
assist in the carrying away or removing, as Slaves, or for
the purpose of being sold, transferred, used, or dealt with
as Slaves, any of the Subjects or Inhabitants of Africa, or
any Island, Country, Territory, or Place in the West Indies,
or any part of America whatsoever, not being in the Dominion,
Possession, or Occupation of his Majesty, either immediately
or by Transshipment at Sea or otherwise, directly or indirectly
from Africa or from any such Island, Country, Territory, or
Place as aforesaid, to any other Island, Country, Territory,
or Place whatever, and that it shall also be unlawful for
any of His Majesty's Subjects, or any Person or Persons resident
in this United Kingdom, or in any of the Colonies, Territories,
or Dominions thereunto belonging, or in His Majesty's Possession
or Occupation, knowingly and willfully to receive, detain,
or confine on board, or to be aiding, assisting, or concerned
in the receiving, detaining, or confining on board of any
Ship or Vessel whatever, any such Subject or Inhabitant as
aforesaid, for the Purpose of his or her being so carried
away or removed as aforesaid, or of his or her being sold,
transferred used, or dealt with as a Slave, in any Place or
Country whatever; and if any Subject or Inhabitant, Subjects
or Inhabitants of Africa, or of any Island, Country, Territory,
or Place in the West Indies or America, not being in the Dominion,
Possession, or Occupation of His Majesty, shall from and after
the Day aforesaid, be so unlawfully carried away or removed,
detained, confined, transshipped, or received on board of
any Ship or Vessel belonging in the Whole or in Part to, or
employed by any Subject of His Majesty, or Person residing
in His Majesty's Dominions or Colonies, or any Territory belonging
to or in the Occupation of His Majesty, for any of the unlawful
Purposes aforesaid, contrary to the Force and Effect, true
Intent and Meaning of the Prohibitions in this Act contained,
every such Ship or Vessel in which any such Person or Persons
shall be so unlawfully carried away or removed, detained,
confined, transshipped, or received on board for any of the
said unlawful Purposes, together with all her Boats, Guns,
Tackle, Apparel, and Furniture, shall be forfeited, and all
Property or pretended Property in any Slaves or Natives of
Africa so unlawfully carried away or removed, detained, confined,
transshipped or received on board, shall also be forfeited,
and the same respectively shall and may be seized and prosecuted
as herein-after is mentioned and provided; and every Subject
of His Majesty, or Person resident within this United Kingdom,
or any of the Islands, Colonies, Dominions, or Territories
thereto belonging, or in His Majesty's Possession or Occupation
who shall, as Owner, Part Owner, Freighter or Shipper, Factor
or Agent, Captain, Mate, Supercargo, or Surgeon, so unlawfully
carry away or remove, detain, confine, transship, or receive
on board, or be aiding or assisting in the carrying away,
removing, detaining, confining, transshipping, or receiving
on board, for any of the unlawful Purposes aforesaid, any
such Subject or Inhabitant of Africa, or of any Island, Country,
Territory, or Place, not being in the Dominion, Possession,
or Occupation of His Majesty, shall forfeit and pay for each
and every Slave or Person so unlawful carried away, removed,
detained, confined, transshipped, or received on board, the
Sum of One hundred Pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain,
One Moiety thereof to the Use of His Majesty, and the other
Moiety to the Use of any Person who shall inform, sue, and
prosecute for the same.
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Subjects
of Africa, &c. unlawfully carried away and imported into
any British Colony, &c. as Slaves, shall be forfeited to
His Majesty.
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IV.
And be it further enacted, That if any Subject or Inhabitant,
Subjects or Inhabitants of Africa, or of any Island, Country,
Territory, or Place, not being in the Dominion, Possession,
or Occupation of His Majesty, who shall, at any Time from
and after the Day aforesaid, have been unlawfully carried
away or removed from Africa, or from any Island, Country,
Territory, or Place, in the West Indies or America, not being
in the Dominion, Possession, or Occupation of His Majesty,
contrary to any of the Prohibitions or Provisions in this
Act contained, shall be imported or brought into any Island,
Colony, Plantation, or Territory, in the Dominion, Possession,
or Occupation of His Majesty, and there sold or disposed of
as a Slave or Slaves, or placed, detained, or kept in a State
of Slavery, such Subject or Inhabitant, Subjects or Inhabitants,
so unlawfully carried away, or removed and imported, shall
and may be seized and prosecuted, as forfeited to His Majesty,
by such Person or Persons, in such Courts, and in such Manner
and Form, as any Goods or Merchandize unlawfully imported
into the same Island, Colony, Plantation, or Territory, may
now be seized and prosecuted therein, by virtue of any Act
or Acts of Parliament now in force for regulating the Navigation
and Trade of his Majesty's Colonies and Plantations, and shall
and may, after his or their Condemnation, be disposed of in
Manner herein-after mentioned and provided.
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Insurances
on Transactions concerning the Slave Trade not lawful. Penalty
100l. and treble the Amount of the Premium.
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V.
And be it further enacted, That from and after the said First
Day of May One Thousand eight hundred and seven, all Insurances
whatsoever to be effected upon or in respect to any of the
trading, dealing, carrying, removing, transshipping, or other
Transactions by this Act prohibited, shall be also prohibited
and declared to be unlawful; and if any of His Majesty's Subject's,
or any Person or Persons resident within this United Kingdom,
or within any of the Islands, Colonies, Dominions, or Territories
thereunto belonging, or in His Majesty's Possession or Occupation,
shall knowingly and willfully subscribe, effect, or make,
or cause or procure to be subscribed, effected, or made, any
such unlawful Insurances or Insurance, he or they shall forfeit
and pay for every such Offence the Sum of One hundred Pounds
for every such Insurance, and also Treble the Amount paid
or agreed to be paid as the Premium of any such Insurance,
the One Moiety thereof to the Use of His Majesty, His Heirs
and Successors, and the other Moiety to the Use of any Person
who shall inform, sue, and prosecute for the same.
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Act
shall not affect the trading in Slaves, exported from Africa
in Vessels cleared out from Great britain on or before May 1,
1807, and landed in the West Indies by March 1, 1808, &c.
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VI.
Provided always, That nothing herein contained shall extend,
or be deemed or construed to extend, to prohibit or render
unlawful the dealing or trading in the Purchase, Sale, Barter,
or Transfer, or the carrying away or removing for the Purpose
of being sold, transferred, used, or dealt with as Slaves,
or the detaining or confining for the Purpose of being so
carried away or removed, of any Slaves which shall be exported,
carried, or removed from Africa, in any Ship or Vessel which,
on or before the said First Day of May One thousand eight
hundred and seven, shall have been lawfully cleared out from
Great Britain according to the Law now in force for regulating
the carrying of Slaves from Africa, or to prohibit or render
unlawful the manning or navigating any such Ship or Vessel,
or to make void any Insurance thereon, so as the Slaves to
be carried therein shall be finally landed in the West Indies
on or before the First Day of March One thousand eight hundred
and eight, unless prevented by Capture, the Loss of the Vessel,
by the Appearance of an Enemy upon the Coast, or other unavoidable
Necessity, the Proof whereof shall lie upon the Party charged;
any Thing herein-before contained to the contrary notwithstanding.
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Slaves
taken as Prize of War, or seized as Forfeitures, shall be condemned
as prize, or forfeited to the King, for the Purpose of putting
an End to their Slavery, and may be enlisted &c.
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VII.
'And whereas it may happen, That during the present or future
Wars, Ships or Vessels may be seized or detained as Prize,
on board whereof Slaves or Natives of Africa, carried and
detained as Slaves, being the Property of His Majesty's Enemies,
or otherwise liable to Condemnation as Prize of War, may be
taken or found, and it is necessary to direct in what manner
such Slaves or Natives of Africa shall be hereafter treated
and disposed of: And whereas it is also necessary to direct
and provide for the Treatment and Disposal of any Slaves or
Natives of Africa carried, removed, treated or dealt with
as Slaves, who shall be unlawfully carried away or removed
contrary to the Prohibitions aforesaid, or any of them, and
shall be afterwards found on board any Ship or Vessel liable
to Seizure under this Act, or any other Act of Parliament
made for restraining or prohibiting the African Slave Trade,
or shall be elsewhere lawfully seized as forfeited under this
or any other such Act of Parliament as aforesaid; and it is
expedient to encourage the Captors, Seizors, and Prosecutors
thereof;' Be it therefore further enacted, That all Slaves
and all Natives of Africa, treated, dealt with, carried, kept,
or detained as Slaves which shall at any Time from and after
the said First Day of May next be seized or taken as Prize
of War, or liable to Forfeiture, under this or any other Act
of Parliament made for restraining or prohibiting the African
Slave Trade, shall and may, for the Purposes only of Seizure,
Prosecution, and Condemnation as Prize or as Forfeitures,
be considered, treated, taken, and adjudged as Slaves and
Property in the same manner as Negro Slaves have been heretofore
considered, treated, taken, and adjudged, when seized as Prize
of War, or as forfeited for any Offence against the Laws of
Trade and Navigation respectively, but the same shall be condemned
as Prize of War, or as forfeited to the sole Use of His Majesty,
His Heirs and Successors, for the Purpose only of divesting
and bearing all other Property, Right, Title, or Interest
whatever, which before existed, or might afterwards be set
up or claimed in or to such Slaves or Natives of Africa so
seized, prosecuted, and condemned; and the same nevertheless
shall in no case be liable to be sold, disposed of, treated
or dealt with as Slaves, by or on the Part of His Majesty,
His Heirs or Successors, or by or on the Part of any Person
or Persons claiming or to claim from, by, or under His Majesty,
His Heirs and Successors, or under or by force of any such
Sentence or Condemnation: Provided always, that it shall be
lawful for His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, and such
Officers, Civil or Military, as shall, by any general or special
Order of the King in Council, be from Time to Time appointed
and empowered to receive, protect, and provide for such Natives
of Africa as shall be so condemned, either to enter and enlist
the same, or any of them, into His Majesty's Land or Sea Service,
as Soldiers, Seamen, or Marines, or to bind the same, or any
of them, whether of full Age or not, as Apprentices, for any
Term not exceeding Fourteen Years, to such Person or Persons,
in such Place or Places, and upon such Terms and Conditions,
and subject to such Regulations, as to His Majesty shall seem
meet, and shall by any general of special Order of His Majesty
in Council be in that Behalf directed and appointed; and any
Indenture of Apprenticeship duly made and executed, by any
Person or Person to be for the Purpose appointed by any such
Order in Council, for any Term not exceeding Fourteen Years,
shall be of the same Force and Effect as if the party thereby
bound as an Apprentice had himself or herself, when of full
Age upon good Consideration, duly executed the same; and every
such Native of Africa who shall be so enlisted or entered
as aforesaid into any of His Majesty's Land or Sea Forces
as a Soldier, Seaman, or Marine, shall be considered, treated,
and dealt with in all Respects as if he had voluntarily so
enlisted or entered himself.
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Certain
Bounties shall be paid for such Slaves to the Captors as Head
Money is paid under 45 G.3. c.72. § 5.
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VIII.
Provided also, and be it further enacted, That where any Slaves
or Natives of Africa, taken as Prize of War by any of His
Majesty's Ships of War, or Privateers duly commissioned, shall
be finally condemned as such to His Majesty's Use as aforesaid,
there shall be paid to the Captors thereof by the Treasurer
of His Majesty's Navy, in like Manner as the Bounty called
Head Money is now paid by virtue of an Act of Parliament,
made in the Forty-fifth Year of His Majesty's Reign, intituled,
An Act for the Encouragement of Seamen, and for the better
and more effectually manning His Majesty's Navy during the
present War, such Bounty as His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors,
shall have directed by any Order in Council, so as the same
shall not exceed the Sum of Forty Pounds lawful Money of Great
Britain for every Man, or Thirty Pounds of like Money for
every Woman, or Ten Pounds of like Money for every Child or
Person not above Fourteen Years old, that shall be so taken
and condemned, and shall be delivered over in good Health
to the proper Officer or Officers, Civil or Military, so appointed
as aforesaid to receive, protect, and provide for the same;
which Bounties shall be divided amongst the Officers, Seamen,
Marines, and Soldiers on Board His Majesty's Ships of War,
or hired armed Ships, in Manner, Form, and Proportion, as
by His Majesty's Proclamation for granting the Distribution
of Prizes already issued, or to be issued for the Purpose
is or shall be directed and appointed, and amongst the Owners,
Officers, and Seamen of any private Ship or Vessel of War,
in such Manner and Proportion as, by an Agreement in Writing
that they shall have entered into for that Purpose, shall
be directed.
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Certificates
to entitle to Bounty.
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IX.
Provided always, and be it further enacted, That in order
to entitle the Captors to receive the said Bounty Money, the
Numbers of Men, Women, and Children, so taken, condemned,
and delivered over, shall be proved to the Commissioners of
His Majesty's Navy, by producing, instead of the Oaths and
Certificates prescribed by the said Act as to Head Money,
a Copy, duly certified, of the Sentence or Decree of Condemnation,
whereby the Numbers of Men, Women, and Children, so taken
and condemned, shall appear to have been distinctly proved;
and also, by producing a Certificate under the Hand of the
said Officer or Officers, Military or Civil, so appointed
as aforesaid, and to whom the same shall have been delivered,
acknowledging that he or they hath or have received the same,
to be disposed of according to His Majesty's Instructions
and Regulations as aforesaid.
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Claim
to Bounty shall be determined by the Judge of Admiralty.
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X.
Provided also, and be it further enacted, That in any Cases
in which Doubts shall arise whether the party or parties claiming
such Bounty Money is or are entitled thereto, the same shall
be summarily determined by the Judge of the High Court of
Admiralty, or by the Judge of any Court of Admiralty in which
the Prize shall have been adjudged, subject nevertheless to
an Appeal to the Lord Commissioners of Appeals in Prize Causes.
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On
Condemnation of Forfeitures of Slaves for Offences against this
Act, these shall be paid to the Prosecutor 13l. for a Man, 10l.
for a Woman, and 3l. for a Child &c.
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XI.
Provided also, and be it further enacted, That on the Condemnation
to the Use of his Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, in Manner
aforesaid, of any Slaves or Natives of Africa, seized and
prosecuted as forfeited for any Offence against this Act,
or any other Act of Parliament made for the restraining or
prohibiting the African Slave Trade (except in the Case of
Seizures made at Sea by the Commanders or Officers of His
Majesty's Ships or Vessels or War) there shall be paid to
and to the Use of the Person who shall have sued, informed,
and prosecuted the same to Condemnation, the Sums of Thirteen
Pounds lawful Money aforesaid for every Man, of Ten Pounds
like Money for every Woman, and of Three Pounds like Money
for every Child or person under the Age of Fourteen Years,
that shall be so condemned and delivered over in good Health
to the said Civil or Military Officer so to be appointed to
receive, protect, and provide for the same, and also the like
Sums to and to the Use of the Governor or Commander in Chief
of any Colony or Plantation wherein such Seizure shall have
been made; but in Cases of any such Seizures made at Sea by
the Commanders or Officers of His Majesty's Ships or Vessels
of War, for Forfeiture under this Act, or any other Act of
Parliament made for the restraining or prohibiting the African
Slave Trade, there shall be paid to the Commander of Officer
who shall so seize, inform, and prosecute for every man so
condemned and delivered over, the Sum of Twenty Pounds like
Money, for every Woman the Sum of Fifteen Pounds like Money,
and for every Child or person under the Age of Fourteen Years
the Sum of Five Pounds like Money, subject nevertheless to
such Distribution of the said Bounties or Rewards for the
said Seizures made at Sea as His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors,
shall think fit to order and direct by any other Order of
Council made for that Purpose; for all which Payments so to
be made as Bounties or Rewards upon Seizures and Prosecutions
for Offences against this Act, or any other Act of Parliament
made for restraining the African Slave Trade, the Officer
or Officers, Civil or Military, so to be appointed as aforesaid
to receive, protect, and provide for such Slaves or Natives
of Africa so to be condemned and delivered over, shall, after
the Condemnation and Receipt thereof as aforesaid, grant Certificates
in favour of the Governor and Party seizing, informing, and
prosecuting as aforesaid respectively, or the latter alone
(as the Case may be) addressed to the Lords Commissioners
of his Majesty's Treasury; who, upon the Production to them
of any such Certificate, and of an authentic Copy, duly certified,
of the Sentence of Condemnation of the said Slaves or Africans
to His Majesty's Use as aforesaid, and also of a Receipt under
the Hand of such Officer or Officers so appointed as aforesaid,
specifying that such Slaves or Africans have by him or them
been received in good Health as aforesaid, shall direct Payment
to be made from and out of the Consolidated Fund of Great
Britain of the Amount of the Monies specified in such Certificate,
to the lawful Holders of the same, or the Persons entitled
to the Benefit thereof respectively.
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Counterfeiting
Certificates Felony without Clergy.
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XII.
And be it further enacted, That if any Person shall willfully
and fraudulently forge or counterfeit any such Certificate,
Copy of Sentence of Condemnation, or Receipt as aforesaid,
or any Part thereof, or shall knowingly and willfully utter
or publish the same, knowing it to he forged or counterfeited,
with Intent to defraud His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors,
or any other Person or Persons whatever, the Party so offending
shall, on Conviction, suffer Death as in Cases of Felony,
without Benefit of Clergy.
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Recovery
and Application of Penalties and Forfeitures.
4 G.3. C15.
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XIII.
And be it further enacted, That the several Pecuniary Penalties
or Forfeitures imposed and inflicted by this Act, shall and
may be sued for, prosecuted, and recovered in any Court of
Record in Great Britain, or in any Court of Record or Vice
Admiralty in any Part of His Majesty's Dominions wherein the
Offence was committed, or where the Offender may be found
after the Commission of such Offence; and that in all Cases
of Seizure of any Ships, Vessels, Slaves or pretended Slaves,
Goods or Effects, for any Forfeiture under this Act, the same
shall and may respectively be sued for; prosecuted and recovered
in any Court of Record in Great Britain or in any Court of
Record or Vice Admiralty in any Part of His Majesty's Dominions
in or nearest to which such Seizures may be made, or to which
such Ships or Vessels, Slaves or pretended Slaves, Goods or
Effects (if seized at Sea or without the Limits of any British
Jurisdiction) may most conveniently be carried for Trial,
and all the said Penalties and Forfeitures, whether pecuniary
or specific (unless where it is expressly otherwise provided
for by this Act) shall go and belong to such Person and Persons
in such Shares and Proportions, and shall and may be sued
for and prosecuted, tried, recovered, distributed, and applied
in such and the like Manner and by the same Ways and Means,
and subject to the same Rules and Directions, as any Penalties
or Forfeitures incurred in Great Britain, and in the British
Colonies or Plantations in America respectively, by force
of any Act of Parliament relating to the Trade and Revenues
of the said British Colonies or Plantations in America, now
go and belong to, and may now be sued for, prosecuted, tried,
recovered, distributed and applied respectively in Great Britain
or in the said Colonies or Plantations respectively, under
and by virtue of a certain Act of Parliament made in the Fourth
Year of His present Majesty, intituled: An Act for granting
certain Duties in the British Colonies and Plantations in
America, for continuing, amending, and making perpetual an
Act passed in the Sixth Year of the Reign of His late Majesty,
King George the Second, intituled: 'an Act for the better
securing and encouraging the Trade of His Majesty's Sugar
Colonies in America; for applying the Produce of such Duties
to arise by virtue of the said Act towards defraying the Expences
of defending, protecting, and securing the said Colonies and
Plantations; for explaining an Act made in the Twenty-fifth
Year of the Reign of King Charles the Second, intituled: "An
Act for the Encouragement of the Greenland and Eastland Trades,
and for the better securing the Plantation trade, and for
altering and disallowing several Drawbacks on Exports from
this Kingdom, and more effectively preventing the clandestine
Conveyance of Goods to and from the said Colonies and Plantations,
and improving and securing the Trade between the same and
Great Britain."'
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Seizures
may be made by Officers of Customs or Excise, or Navy.
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XIV.
And be it further enacted, That all Ships and Vessels, Slaves
or Natives of Africa, carried, conveyed, or dealt with as
Slaves, and all other Goods and Effects that shall or may
become forfeited for any Offence committed against this Act,
shall and may be seized by any Officer of His Majesty's Customs
or Excise, or by the Commanders or Officers of any of His
Majesty's Ships or Vessels of War, who, in making and prosecuting
any such Seizures, shall have the Benefit of all the Provisions
made by the said Act of the Fourth Year of His present Majesty,
or any other Act of Parliament made for the Protection of
Officers seizing and prosecuting for any Offence against the
said Act, or any other Act of Parliament relating to the Trade
and Revenues of the British Colonies or Plantations in America.
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Offences
triable as if committed in Middlesex.
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XV.
And be it further enacted, That all Offences committed against
this Act may be inquired of, tried, determined, and dealt
with as Misdemeanors, as if the same had been respectively
committed within the Body of the County of Middlesex.
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His
Majesty may make Regulations for Disposal of Negroes after their
Apprenticeship.
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XVI.
Provided also, and be it further enacted, That it shall and
may be lawful for his Majesty in Council, from Time to Time
to make such Orders and Regulations for the future Disposal
and Support of such Negroes as shall have been bound Apprentices
under this Act, after the term of their Apprenticeship shall
have expired, as to His Majesty shall seem meet, and as may
prevent such Negroes from becoming at any Time chargeable
upon the Island in which they shall have been so bound Apprentices
as aforesaid.
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Negroes
enlisted as Soldiers not entitled to Pensions, &c.
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XVII.
Provided always, and be it further enacted, That none of the
Provisions of any Act as to enlisting for any limited Period
of Service, or as to any Rules or Regulations for the granting
any Pensions or Allowances to any Soldiers discharged after
certain Periods of Service, shall extend, or be deemed or
construed in any Manner to extend, to any Negroes so enlisting
and serving in any of His Majesty's Forces.
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General
Issue.
Treble Costs.
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XVIII.
And be it further enacted, That if any Action or Suit shall
be commenced either in Great Britain or elsewhere, against
any Person or Persons for any Thing done in pursuance of this
Act, the Defendant or Defendants in such Action or Suit may
plead the General Issue, and give this Act and the Special
Matter in Evidence at any Trial to be had thereupon, and that
the same was done in pursuance and by the Authority of this
Act; and if it shall appear so to have been done, the Jury
shall find for the Defendant or Defendants; and if the Plaintiff
shall be nonsuited or discontinue his Action after the Defendant
or Defendants shall have appeared, or if Judgement shall be
given upon any Verdict or Demurrer against the Plaintiff,
the Defendant or Defendants shall recover Treble Costs and
have the like Remedy for the same, as Defendants have in other
Cases by Law.
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