Slave Trade (East African Courts) Act 1873
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1873 c. 59 |
Slave Trade (East African Courts) Act, 1873
(36 & 37 Vict.) CHAPTER 59.
An Act for regulating and extending the Jurisdiction in matters connected with the Slave Trade of the Vice-Admiralty Court at Aden, and of Her Majesty's Consuls under Treaties with the Sovereigns of Zanzibar, Muscat, and Madagascar, and under future Treaties.
[5th August 1873]
Whereas treaties for the more effectual suppression of the slave trade have been made by or on behalf of Her Majesty with chiefs or states in Arabia, and on the shores of the Persian Gulf, and on the east coast of Africa, and in the islands of Madagascar and Zanzibar, and the Comoro islands:
And whereas by the Foreign Jurisdiction Act, 1843, it was among other things enacted ‘that it is and shall be lawful for Her Majesty to hold, exercise, and enjoy any power or jurisdiction which Her Majesty now hath or may at any time hereafter have within any country or place out of Her Majesty's dominions in the same and as ample a manner as if Her Majesty, had acquired such power or jurisdiction by the cession or conquest of territory:’
And whereas by various treaties Her Majesty is empowered to exercise jurisdiction within the dominions of the Sultan of Zanzibar, the Imaum of Muscat, and the Sovereign of Madagascar, in regard to vessels captured on suspicion of being engaged in the slave trade:
And whereas by an Order in Council relating, to the dominions of the Sultan of Zanzibar, and dated the ninth day of August one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, and another Order in Council relating to the dominions of the Imaum of Muscat, and dated the fourth day of November one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, and a third Order in Council relating to the dominions of the Sovereign of Madagascar, and dated the fourth day of February one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, it was in each case ordered that Her Majesty's consul within the dominions to which the order relates should, for and within the said dominions, and in regard to vessels captured on suspicion of being engaged in the slave trade within those dominions, have all such jurisdiction as for the time being ordinarily belongs to courts of vice-admiralty in Her Majesty's possessions abroad:
And whereas a vice-admiralty court has been established at Aden, but has only a limited jurisdiction in matters relating to the slave trade:
And whereas by ‘The Slave Trade Jurisdiction (Zanzibar) Act, 1869,’ provision was made for the exercise of the said jurisdiction by Her Majesty's consul within the dominions of the Sultan of Zanzibar:
And whereas it is expedient to make further provision for the exercise of the said jurisdiction by Her Majesty's consuls within the dominions of the Sovereigns of Zanzibar, Muscat, and Madagascar, and for the exercise of jurisdiction in matters relating to the slave trade by the Vice-Admiralty Court at Aden:
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, as follows:
1 Short title.
1. This Act may be cited as theSlave Trade (East African Courts) Act, 1873.
2 Definition of terms.
2. In this Act—
The term ‘vessel’ means any vessel used in navigation:
The term ‘treaty’ includes any convention, agreement, engagement, or arrangement:
The term ‘foreign state’...
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