Whereas by an Act passed this present Sessions of Parliament,
intituled, An Act for the more effectual securing and encouraging
the Trade of his Majesty's British Subjects to America, and for the
Encouragement of Seamen to enter into his Majesty's Service;[1] it
is, among other Things, enacted, for the encouraging his Majesty's
Subjects to engage in joint and united, as well as separate Expences,
Expeditions, and Adventures, That We, our Heirs, and Successors, be
impowered, from time to time, during the Continuance of the present
or any future War[2], to grant Charters or Commissions for the more
effectual enabling any Societies, or particular Persons to join in
Expeditions by Sea or Land, and to sail to, and in any of the Seas in
America, for the attacking, taking, or destroying any Ships, Goods,
Moveables or Immoveables, Settlements, Factories, Creeks, Harbours,
Places of Strength, Lands, Forts, Castles, and Fortifications, now
belonging, or hereafter to belong to, or to be possest by any Enemy, in
any Part or Parts of America; and for the better making and carrying on
any Preparations for such Purposes, and for the making and assuring to
the Societies or Persons concerned, their Heirs, Successors, Executors,
Administrators, and Assigns, full and undoubted Properties, Rights,
and Titles, in and to the same, which such Societies or Persons shall
take or cause to be taken from the Enemy, under such Regulations, and
in such Manner and Form, as We, our Heirs and Successors, shall think
fit, and at any Times hereafter, by any further Grants or Charters
to confirm, and further assure the Premisses to them, so as to enable
them to have and enjoy the full Benefit thereof, but so, as that
nothing therein contained shall extend to exclude or restrain any of
our Subjects from having a full and free Trade to and in any Part of
America: And whereas We are desirous, that none of our loving Subjects
should be ignorant of the said Encouragement, We have thought fit, with
the Advice of our Privy Council, to publish the same, by this Our Royal
Proclamation, to the End that all Officers, Seamen, Marines, Soldiers,
and others, Our Subjects, may be fully informed of the Benefit thereby
intended for such of them, as shall be willing to assist by their
Endeavours in the vigorous Prosecution of the War, and the Annoyance of
the Enemy.
Given at our Court at St. James's the Ninth Day of April, 1740, in
the Thirteenth Year of our Reign.