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Piracy Act 1850

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Piracy Act 1850

1850 CHAPTER 26

An Act to repeal an Act of the Sixth Year of King George the Fourth, for encouraging the Capture or Destruction of Piratical Ships and Vessels ; and to make other Provisions in lieu thereof.

[25th June 1850]

WHEREAS an [6 G. 4. c. 69.] Act was passed in the Sixth Year of the Reign of His Majesty King George the Fourth, intituled An Act for encouraging the Capture or Destruction of Piratical Ships and Vessels: And whereas it is expedient that the said Act should be repealed, and that other Provisions be made in lieu thereof:

Be it therefore enacted by the Queen'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First Day of June, next after, the passing of this Act the herein-before recited Act shall be and the same is hereby repealed, but nevertheless not so as to affect or prejudice the Application for or the Payment of Bounty under the said Act, or any of the Provisions relating thereto, for any Service rendered against Pirates on or before the said First Day of June.

IIJurisdiction given to the High Court of Admiralty and all Vice Admiralty Courts.

And be it enacted, That whenever any of Her Majesty's Ships or Vessels of War, or hired armed Vessels, or any of the Ships or Vessels of War of the East India Company, or their Boats, or any of the Officers and Crews thereof, shall, after the said First Day of June, attack or be engaged with any Persons alleged to be Pirates afloat or ashore, it shall be lawful for the High Court of Admiralty of England, and for all Courts of Vice Admiralty in any Dominions of Her Majesty beyond the Seas, including those Courts of Vice Admiralty within the Territories under the Government of the East India Company, to take Cognizance of and to determine whether the Persons or any of them so attacked or engaged were Pirates, and to adjudge what was the total Number of Pirates so engaged or attacked, specifying the Number of Pirates captured, and what were the Vessels and Boats engaged.

IIIList or Return of all Cases to be sent to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.

And be it enacted, That with a view to the Assignment of fitting Rewards for Services performed by Her Majesty's Forces against Pirates the Registrars of the several Vice Admiralty Courts shall, on the First Day of January and First Day of July in every Year, transmit to the said Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty a List or Return of all Cases which shall have been adjudged in the said Courts respectively under this Act during the Six Months preceding, together with the Dates of the Seizure, according to the Schedule marked (A.) to this Act annexed; and that the Judges or Registrars of the said Courts respectively shall, upon the first convenient Opportunity after every such Decision, transmit the whole of the original Evidence, with a Statement of the Proceedings, to the said Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, for the Purpose of the same being deposited in the High Court of Admiralty of England for Reference when necessary; and all Agents of Officers and Men receiving any Rewards hereinbefore referred to shall be subject to the same Laws, Rules, and Regulations to which Agents receiving Bounty for the Abolition of the Slave Trade are or may be subject.

IVRewards for Services against Pirates by Vessels in the East India Company's Service.

And be it enacted, That, with a view to the Assignment of fitting Rewards by the Court of Directors of the East India Company for Services performed by the Ships or Vessels of the said Company against Pirates, in all Cases wherein any Ships or Vessels of War belonging to the said Company shall be engaged in any Operations against Pirates, the Registrar of the said Vice Admiralty Courts shall, on the Days aforesaid, transmit to the .said Court of Directors a similar List or Return of all such Cases which shall have been adjudicated in the said Courts respectively under this Act.

VProperty of Her Majesty's Subjects found in possession of Pirates to be restored on Payment of One Eighth of Value.

And be it enacted, That all Ships, Vessels, Boats, Goods, Merchandize, Specie, or other Property taken possession of from Pirates by any of Her Majesty's Ships or Vessels of War, or hired armed Vessels, or the Ships or Vessels of War of the East India Company, or their Boats, or any of the Officers and Crews thereof, shall and may be proceeded against in any of the Admiralty Courts before mentioned, and be subject and liable to Condemnation as Droits and Perquisites of Her Majesty in Her Office of Admiralty: Provided always, that if any Part of the said Property shall be duly proved to have belonged to and to have been taken from any of Her Majesty's Subjects, or from the Subjects of any Foreign Power, then such Property and every Part thereof shall, by the Decree of the said Court, be adjudged to be restored, and shall be accordingly restored to the former Owner or Owners, Proprietor or Proprietors thereof respectively, he or they paying for or in lieu of Salvage a Sum of Money equal to One Eighth Part of the true Value, which Money, if such Property shall have been taken by any of Her Majesty's Ships or Vessels of War or hired armed Ships, or their Boats, shall be paid to and divided and distributed amongst the Officers and Crews thereof, in such Manner, Form, and Proportion, as other Bounties are now distributable by virtue of Her Majesty's Proclamation or Order in Council dated the Thirtieth Day of July One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, or as Her Majesty, Her Heirs and Successors, shall from Time to Time by any further Proclamation or Order or Orders in Council think fit to declare and direct; and which Money, if such Property shall have been taken by any of the Ships or Vessels of War of the East India Company, or their Boats, shall be paid to and divided and distributed amongst the Officers and Crews thereof, in such Manner, Form, and Proportion as the Court of Directors of the East India Company shall at any Time or from Time to Time direct; but if such Property shall have been a joint Capture by any of Her Majesty's Ships or Vessels of War, or hired armed Ships, or their Boats, and any of the Ships or Vessels of: War of the said Company, or their Boats, then such Money in lieu of Salvage shall be divided and distributed amongst the joint Captors in such Manner, Form, and Proportion as the Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom, shall at any Time or Times order and direct.

VIPersons giving false Evidence deemed guilty of Perjury.

And be it enacted, That every Person who shall wilfully and corruptly give false Evidence in any Examination or Deposition had or Affidavit taken in any Proceeding under this Act shall be deemed guilty of Perjury, and being thereof convicted shall be subject and liable to all the Punishments, Pains, and Penalties to which Persons convicted of wilful and corrupt Perjury are liable; and every such Person may be tried for any such Perjury either in the Place where the Offence was committed or in any Colony or Settlement of Her Majesty near thereto in which there is a Court of competent Jurisdiction to try any such Offence, or in Her Majesty's Court of Queen's Bench in England; and that in case of any Prosecution for such Offence in Her Majesty's said Court of Queen's Bench the Venue may be laid in the County of Middlesex.

VIIThis Act may be amended, &c.

And be it enacted, That this Act may be amended or repealed by any Act to be passed in this Session of Parliament.

SCHEDULE (A.) referred to by this Act

Date of Attack or Destruction.Property seized, if any.Names of attacking Ships.Date of Sentence.Decretal Part of Sentence.Whether any Property has been condemned, and sold or converted, and whether any Part remains unsold, and in whose Hands the Proceeds remain.

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