Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 7.djvu/464

 444 ^v 4-0- Anno vicefimo qulnto Georgii II. A. D. 1752. ' and' Caftles of the faid Roynl Jfrican Company^ of England on the Coaft cf Africa^ and of the Quan- ' tity. Number and Quality of Cannon and their MiUtary Stores, Canoe Men, Ciiftle Skver, Canccs ' and Veflels then at each refpecSblve Fort, which^ belonged to the faid Royal Jlfrican Company of EngLv.d, ' a particular Account of which Survey is exprefled and fet forth in the firll Schedule to this Act annexed ; ' And whereas the faid Royal African Company of England are willing to furrender all and fingular their ' Lands, Forts, Caffles, Settlements, Cannon, Military Stores, Canoe Men, Caftle Slavts, Cances and ' VelTels, together with the faid Charter,^ Books of Account, Papers, Contracts and Agreements, and all ' their Property, Eftate, Intereft and Ej4ecis whatfoever, for fuch Compenlation and Satisfaction, and to King's mod Excellent Majefty, by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Tenipo- TIi9 African ral, and Commons, in this prefent Parliament aflembled, and by the Authoiity of the fame. That the c-oniL.anv <^iv<:fl:- Royal African Company of England, from and after the tenth Day of April one thoufand feven hundred tt fmtr'&c '"'and fifty-two, fliall be, and they are hereby abfolutely divefted of and from their Hhd Charter, Lands, " ' • ' '' Forts, Caftles and Military Stores, Canoe Men, Caftle Slaves, and all other their Eftate, Property and Eftecls whatfoever ; and that all and every the 5;7V//6 Forts, Lands, Caftles, Settlements and Factories on the Coaft of Africa, beginning at Port Sally, and extending from thence to the Cape of Good Hop.- inclufive, which were granted to the faid Company by the faid Charter, or which have been fince erected ■ or purcliafed by the faPd Company ; and all other the Regions, Countries, Dominions, Territories, Con- tinents, Coafls, Ports, Bays, Rivers and Places lying and being within the aforefaid Limits, and theiilands near adjoining to thofe Coafts, and comprehended within the Limits defcribed by the fiid Charter ; and which now are, or at any Time heretofore have been in the Pofieffion of or claimed by the faid Royal African Company of i'w^&wi, together with the Cannon and other Military Stores, Canoe Men, Caftle Slaves at and belonging to the faid Fort?, Caftles, Settlements and Factories, particularly mentioned and fet forth in the faid firft Schedule to this A£t annexed (fuch Stores as have been made ufe of in the Service of the Forts, and fuch Canoe Men and Slaves, as may have died fince the taking of the faid Survey, only excepted) and alfo all Contrails and Agreem^ents made by or for, or on the Behalf of the faid Royal African Company, with any of the Kings, Princes or Natives of any of the Countries or Places on the faid Coafts ; and all other the Property, Eftate and Efteds whatfoever of the faid Royal African Company Ihall, from and after the faid tenth Day of April one thoufand feven hundred and and the fame fifty-two, be vefted in, and the fame and every of them are and is hereby fully and abfolutely veited in the faid Carporation called and known by the Name of The Company of Merchants trading to Africa, and their Succeflbrs, freed and abfolutely difcharged of and from all Claims and Demands of the faid Royal toTto^A^ic"-' -African Company of England, and their_ Creditors, and every of them, and of all and every Perfon or Perfons claiming under them, or any or either of them. No other Powers jj^ Provided always, and it is hereby ena£ted. That the divefting the faid Royal African Company of ""Tharare -tan'^ted-^''^'"'^^ ^^ '^^^ Charter, and vefting the faid Forts, Settlements and Faaories, and all other the before- byf/Geo?2"/ mentioned Premifies in the faid Company of Merchants trading to Africa, fliall not extend, or be con- ftrued to extend to give the faid Company of Merchants trading to Africa, or their Committee, any other Right, Privileges or Powers, than fuch as are given to the faid Company of Merchants, and their Committee, by the faid recited AcS made and pafled in the twenty-third Year of the Reign of his pre- fent Majefty. ' in. And whereas it appears that a certain Illand fituate in the River Sierra Leon, on the faid Coaft of ' Africa, called Bance IJland, with a Fort and Buildings thereon, having been formerly in the PolTeiTion of ' the faid ^oyA African Company, was in the Year one thoufand feven hundred and twenty-eight defjrted ' by the faid Company and their Agents; and the faid Fort for fome Time paft has been, aird is now in ' the Pofleffion of Alexander Grant, John Sargent and Richard Ofivald oi London, Merchants, who have dif- ' burfed a confiderable Sum in the Prefervation and Lnprovement of the faid Ifland and Fort ; and for ' v/hich it is juft and reafonable they fliould receive a Recompence ;" Be it therefore enacted; That tHey the faid Alexander Grant, John Sirgent and Richard Ofivald {hall be at Liberty, notwithftanding this prefcr't ,A£t, to continue in the quiet Pofleffion of the faid Ifland, Fort and Buildings thereon, and that the fan c . ihall from henceforth continue, and be abfolutely vefted in them the faid yllexander Grant, John Sargent and ' Richard Ofivald, their Heirs and Afligns, to and for their own Ule and Benefit; any Thing herein, or in any former A.ct, or A£ts of Parliament contained to the contrary thereof in an/ wife notwithftanding. Provjfothatthey XV. Provided always, That it Ihall not be lawful for them the faid yi7t'jr.7«(/i?r G/vw/, John Sargent ^ni fraiit not the, JHchard Ofwald, or any of them, or their Heirs or Affigns, to demife, grant or alienate" their Right and !*T'ora' °" Intereft therein, to any Perfon or Perfons whatfoever, being Foreigners. The"new Com- V. Provided always, and it is hereby further enadted by the Authority aforefaid. That it fliall and may pany, with the be lawful to and for the faid Company of Merchants, and their Succeffors, or their Committee for tf'c Cjnientofthe Xime being, by and with the Confent and Approbation of the faid Commifiioners for Trade and Planta- Conimiaioners ^j^j^j,^ oj. [JT,g Majority of them, to authorize and impower fuch Perfons, as they lliall think fit, at any of wile ITditnv/^^ ^^^ ^^''^ Forts, Caftles, Settlements and Fadories, or elfewhere in Africa, to raife, arm, train and muftcr IfBices, fsch Military Forces, as to them fhall feem requifite and neceflary ; and_ to execute and ufe within the faid Forts, Caftles, Fadtories and Settlements, fuch Rules and Regulations for the Defence of the faid Places, and for the Punifhment of Offences com.mitted within the fame, as from Time to Time fliall be given them by the Giid- Company of Merchants or their Committee, by and with the Confent and Approbation of the faid CommifTioners for Trade and Plantations, or the Majority of them, fo as fuch Punifliment Ih.ill n':t extend to the Lofs or Deprivation of Lile or Limb ; and that it fliall and may be lawful for the Perfons au- thorized as aforefaid, in any Cafes where it fliall be thought proper, to fend over in Confinement, the Pelt ipnct Perfons of any Offen'dsr or Offenders,^ to b; here tried according to the Laws of this Kingdom. V 1. vefted in the Company of Merchants tra^ i. 51.
 * be applied in fuch Manner as herein after is exprefled and directed ;' ijc it therefore enacted by the