Navy Act 1780
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1780 c. 23 |
| Year | 1780 |
(20 Geo. 3) C A P. XXIII.
'WH E R E A S his Majesty, by Order in Council, dated the eighteenth Day of , one thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine, was pleased to order that General Reprisals be granted against the Ships, Goods, and Subjects, of the King ofSpain ; and that as well all his Majesty's Fleets and Ships, as also all other Ships and Vessels that shall be commissioned, by Letters of Marque or General Reprisals, or otherwise, by his Majesty's Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral ofGreat Britain , shall and may lawfully seize all Ships, Vessels, and Goods, belonging to the King of Spain , or his Subjects, or others inhabiting within any the Territories of the King of Spain , and bring the same to Judgment in any of the Courts of Admiralty within his Majesty's Dominions: Now, for the Encouragement of the Officers and Seamen of his Majesty's Ships of War, and the Officers and Seamen of all other British Ships and Vessels having Commissions and Letters of Marque, and for inducing all British Seamen who may be in any Foreign Service to return into this Kingdom, and become serviceable to his Majesty; and for the more effectual securing and extending the Trade of his Majesty's Subjects;' be it 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 the Flag Officers, Commanders, and other Officers, Seamen, Marines, and Soldiers, on Board every Ship and Vessel of War in his Majesty's Pay, shall have the sole Interest and Property of and in all and every Ship, Vessel, Goods, and Merchandises, which they have taken since the eighteenth Day ofJune , one thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine, or shall hereafter take during the Continuance of Hostilities against Spain , after the same shall have been finally adjudged lawful Prize to his Majesty, in any of his Majesty's Courts of Admiralty in Great Britain , or in his Majesty's Plantations in America , or elsewhere; to be divided in such Proportions, and after such Manner, as his Majesty hath, by his Proclamation of the twenty-fifth of June , one thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine, already ordered and directed, or as his Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, shall think fit to order and direct, by Proclamation or Proclamations hereafter to be issued for those Purposes.
II Prizes made by Privateers to be divided between the Owners and Captors, according to private Contract.
II. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That any Ship or Ships, Vessel or Vessels, Arms, Ammunition, Stores of War, Goods, and Merchandises whatsoever, with...
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