Page:The Statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1817 (57 George III).pdf/211



A.D.1817. C A P. LIII.

 

HEREAS grievous Murders and Manlaughters have been committed at the Settlement in the Bay of Honduras in South America, the ame being a Settlement, for certain Purpoes, in the Poeion and under the Protection of His Majety, but not within the Territory and Dominion of His Majety, by Perons reiding and being within the aid Settlement; and the like Offences have alo been committed in the South Pacific Ocean, as well on the High Seas as on Land, in the Ilands of New Zealand and Otaheite, and in other Ilands, Countries and Places not within His Majety's Dominions, by the Maters and Crews of Britih Ships, and other Perons who for the mot part deerted from or left their Ships, and have continued to live and reide amongt the Inhabitants of thoe Ilands; whereby great Violence has been done, and a general Scandal and Prejudice raied againt the Name and Character of Britih and other European Traders: And Whereas uch Crimes and Offences do ecape unpunihed, by reaon of the Difficulty of bringing to Trial the Perons guilty thereof:’ For Remedy whereof be it enacted by The King's Mot Excellent Majety, by and with the Advice and Conent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this preent Parliament aembled, and by the Authority of the ame, That from and after the paing of this Act all Murders and Manlaughters committed or that hall be committed on Land at the aid Settlement in the Bay of Honduras by any Peron or Perons reiding or being within the aid Settlement, and all Murders and Manlaughters committed or that hall be committed in the aid Ilands of New Zealand and Otaheite, or within any other Ilands, Countries, or Places not within His Majety's Dominions, nor ubject to any European State or Power, nor within the Territory of the United States of America, by the Mater or Crew of any Britih Ship or Veel, or any of them, or by any Peron failing in or belonging thereto, or that hall have failed in or belonged to and have quitted any Britih Ship or Veel to live in any of the aid Ilands, Countries, or Places, or either of them, or that hall be there living, hall and may be tried, adjudged and punihed in any of His Majety's Ilands, Plantations, Colonies, Dominions, Forts or Factories, under or by virtue of The King's Commiion or Commiions, which hall have been or which hall hereafter be iued under and by virtue and in puruance of the Powers and Authorities of an Act paed in the Forty-ixth Year of His preent Majety, intituled An Act for the more peedy Trial of Offences committed in ditant Parts upon the Sea, in the ame manner as if uch Offence or Offences had been committed on the High Seas.  

II. Provided always, That nothing herein contained hall repeal or affect, or be contrued to repeal or affect, the Proviions of an Act made and paed in the Thirty third Year of King Henry the Eighth, intituled An Act to proceed by Commiion of Oyer and Terminer againt uch Perons as hall confes Treaon, etc. without remanding the ame to be tried in the Shire where the Offence was committed. Rh