[Regulating Distribution of Prizes.]
BY THE LORDS JUSTICES.
A DECLARATION
Appointing the Distribution or Prizes taken by Way of Reprizal before His Majesty's Declaration of War.
| Wilmington, P. | Devonshire, | Montagu, | Cha. Wager.[1] |
| Dorset, | Holles Newcastle, | Pembroke, |
His Majesty having, on the Tenth Day of July, One thousand seven hundred and thirty nine, taken into His serious Consideration the many and repeated Depredations which had been committed, and the many unjust Seizures which had been made in the West Indies, and elsewhere, by Spanish Guarda Costas, and Ships acting under the Commissions of the King of Spain, or his Governors, contrary to the Law of Nations, and in Violation of the Treaties subsisting between the Crown of Great Britain and Spain, whereby His Majesty's trading Subjects had sustained great Losses; and His Majesty having determined to take such Measures as were necessary for vindicating the Honour of His Crown, and for procuring Reparation and Satisfaction to His injured Subjects, was pleased, by and with the Advice of His Privy Council, upon the said Tenth Day of July, to order that General Reprizals should be granted against the Ships, Goods, and Subjects of the King of Spain; so that, as well His Majesty's Fleet and Ships, as also all other Ships and Vessels that should be commissionated by Letters of Marque or General Reprizals, or otherwise, by His Majesty's Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain, should and might lawfully seize all Ships, Vessels, and Goods belonging to the King of Spain, or his Subjects, or others inhabiting within any the Territories of the King of Spain, and bring the same to Judgement in any of the Courts of Admiralty within His Majesty's Dominions:
[The remainder of this proclamation, which has no further direct reference to the American plantations, provides for the distribution of the prize money arising from the sale of Spanish vessels seized between July 10 and the time of the declaration of war, October 19, 1739: namely, that one half should go to those who had suffered from unjust Spanish depredation according to such regulations as should later be determined, and one half should go to officers and sailors concerned in the capture according to the regulations of the Proclamation of June 19, 1740. Commanders who had taken prizes were to transmit to the Commissioners of the Navy true lists of all officers and seamen on board at the time of capture.]
Given at Whitehall the Eighteenth Day of June, 1741, in the Fifteenth Year of His Majesty's Reign.
God save the King.
London, Printed by John Baskett, Printer to the King's most Excellent Majesty. 1741.
1 p. folio. Copies in Antiq., and P. C. Entered in Privy Council Register, II Geo., vol. 7, p. 490. Printed in the "London Gazette," June 20, 1741.
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