APPOINTING THE DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES TAKEN SINCE THE DECLARATION
OF WAR, AND BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE ACT OF PARLIAMENT FOR
GRANTING THE PRIZES TO THE CAPTORS.
Wilmington, P. Devonshire, Montagu, Cha. Wager.
Dorset, Holles Newcastle, Pembroke,
Whereas by an Act of Parliament made in the Thirteenth Year of His
Majesty's Reign, 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, it
is among other Things enacted, That the Flag Officers, Commanders, and
other Officers, Seamen, Marines, and Soldiers on Board every Ship and
Vessel of War in His Majesty's Pay, shall have the sole Interest and
Property of and in all and every Ship, Vessel, Goods, and Merchandize
which they shall take after the Fourth Day of January, in the Year
of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and thirty-nine in Europe;
and after the Twenty fourth Day of June, in the Year of our Lord One
thousand seven hundred and forty, in any other Part of the World (being
first adjudged lawful Prize in any of His Majesty's Courts of Admiralty
in Great Britain, or in His Plantations in America, or elsewhere) to
be divided in such Proportions, and after such Manner, as His Majesty,
His Heirs, and Successors shall think fit to order and direct, by
Proclamation to be issued for that Purpose, in Pursuance whereof a
Proclamation was issued on the Nineteenth of June, One thousand seven
hundred and forty, directing in what Manner and Proportion the said
Prizes should be distributed among the Captors: And whereas between the
Time of His Majesty's Declaration of War against Spain, which was on
the Nineteenth of October, One thousand seven hundred and thirty-nine,
and the aforementioned Fourth of January, One thousand seven hundred
and thirty nine, His Majesty's Ships of War have seized and taken in
Europe several Ships, Vessels, and Goods belonging to the Enemy; and
between the said Nineteenth of October One thousand seven hundred and
thirty-nine, and the said Twenty Fourth of June, One thousand seven
hundred and forty, His Majesty's Ships of War have taken divers other
Ships, Vessels, and Goods of the Enemy, in other Parts of the World,
the Property whereof became vested in His Majesty;
[The remainder of the proclamation provides for the distribution of
prize money arising from the sale of the enemy's vessels seized within
the specified intervals, among the officers and seamen of the ships
concerned in the capture, according to the proclamation of June 19,
1740.]
Given at Whitehall the Eighteenth Day of June, One thousand seven
hundred and forty one, in the Fifteenth Year of His Majesty's Reign.