Smuggling Act, 1819
SMUGGLING ACT 1819 | ||
C A P. CXXI. | ||
An Act to make further Regulations for the Prevention of Smuggling. [12th July 1819.] | ||
Foreign Smuggling Vessels, in which there shall be One or more Subjects of His Majesty, found within certain Leagues of the Coast, having on board Spirits in Casks of less Content than 60 Gallons (Exception); or Tea, or Tobacco, exceeding a certain Quantity; forfeited with Cargo; and such Subjects liable to Prosecution, &c. | ||
‘Whereas by the Laws now in force certain Vessels and Boats, belonging in the whole or in part to His Majesty’s Subjects, or whereof One Half of the Persons on board are Subjects of His Majesty, if found or discovered to have been within certain Distances of the Coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, having on board Foreign Spirits, Tea, Tobacco or Snuff, are liable to Forfeiture, and every Person on board, being a Subject of His Majesty, is liable to be arrested and taken before a Justice of the Peace, and not proving to be a Passenger, to be fined or impressed into His Majesty’s Naval Service: And Whereas the Intention of those Laws are defeated by Foreign Vessels and Boats having on board His Majesty’s Subjects, although not amounting to Half, and also by some of such Subjects pretending to be Passengers:’ Be it therefore 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 if any Foreign Smuggling Vessel or Boat, in which there shall be One or more Subjects of His Majesty, whether Mariners or Persons pretending to be Passengers, shall be found or discovered to have been within Four Leagues of that Part of the Coast of Great Britain which is between the North Foreland on the Coast of Kent, and Beachy Head on the Coast of Sussex, or within Eight Leagues of any other Part of the Coast of Great Britain or Ireland, having on board any Foreign Brandy, Rum, Geneva or other Spirits, in any Cask or Package of less Size or Content than Sixty Gallons (except only for the Use of the Seamen belonging to and on board such Vessel or Boat, not exceeding two Gallons for each Seaman); or any Tea exceeding Six Pounds in the whole; or any Tobacco or Snuff, in any Cask or Package whatever containing less than Four hundred and fifty Pounds Weight, except loose Tobacco for the Use of the Seamen on board such Vessel or Boat, not exceeding Five Pounds Weight of Tobacco for each Seaman, and except such Tea or manufactured Tobacco or Snuff as shall have been duly shipped for Exportation as Merchandise on board such Vessel or Boat from some Port or Place in Ireland; such Vessel or Boat, together with all the Goods laden therein, shall be forfeited, and shall and may be seized, prosecuted and dealt with as by the Laws now in force for the Prevention of Smuggling; and every such Subject of His Majesty, who shall be found on board such Vessel or Boat, shall be liable to all the Pains and Penalties, and shall and may be detained, prosecuted, convicted or delivered over to His Majesty’s Navy, in like manner as Persons being Subjects of His Majesty, and found on board Vessels or Boats liable to Forfeiture, belonging wholly or in part to His Majesty’s Subjects, or whereof One Half of the Persons on board are Subjects of His Majesty, may, by any Law or Laws now in force, be detained, prosecuted, convicted or delivered over to His Majesty’s Navy; and the Officer or Officers detaining such Person shall be allowed the like Reward, and Part or Share of any Penalty that may be recovered from any such Person, as is now by Law allowed and paid for the Detention of Persons in similar Cases. |