Responsibility of Shipowners Act 1733
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1733 c. 15 |
(7 Geo. 2) C A P. XV.
'WHEREAS it is of the greatest Consequence and Importance to this Kingdom, to promote the Increase of the Number of Ships and Vessels, and to prevent any Discouragement to Merchants and others from being interested and concerned therein: And whereas it has been held, that in many Cases Owners of Ships or Vessels are answerable for Goods and Merchandize shipped or put on Board the same, although the said Goods and Merchandize, after the same have been so put on Board, should be made away with by the Masters or Mariners of the said Ships or Vessels, without the Knowledge or Privity of the Owner or Owners, by Means whereof Merchants and others are greatly discouraged from adventuring their Fortunes, as Owners of Ships and Vessels, which will necessarily tend to the Prejudice of the Trade and Navigation of this Kingdom:' Therefore for ascertaining and settling how far Owners of Ships and Vessels shall be answerable for any Gold, Silver, Diamonds, Jewels, precious Stones or other Goods or Merchandizes which shall be made away with by the Masters or Mariners, without the Privity of the Owners thereof; 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 no Person or Personswho is, are or shall be Owner or Owners of any Ship or Vessel shall be subject or liable to answer for or make good to any one or more Person or Persons any Loss or Damage by reason of any Imbezzlement, secreting or making away with (by the Master or Mariners, or any of them) of any Gold, Silver, Diamonds, Jewels, precious Stones or other Goods or Merchandize, which from and after the twenty-fourth Day ofJune which shall be in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty-four, shall be shipped, taken in or put on board any Ship or Vessel, or for any Act, Master or Thing, Damage or Forfeiture done, occasioned or incurred from and after the said twenty-fourth Day of June one thousand seven hundred and thirty-four, by the said Master or Mariners, or any of them, without the Privity and Knowledge of such Owner or Owners, further than the Value of the Ship or Vessel, with all her Appurtenances, and the full Amount of the Freight due or to grow due for and during the...
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