| Citation |
BEP(F.744.022
11 Jun 1744:11,12,21 ((462)
His Majesty's most gracious declaration, of the
encouragement of his ships of war and privateers.
Whereas we are engaged in a just and necessary war against
France, and are resolved to prosecute the same with the
utmost vigour; . . . And being most graciously inclined to
give all encouragement to our faithful subjects, serving on
board our ships of war, or privateers, we have thought fit .
. . that the flag officers, commanders, and officers,
seamen, marines, and soldiers, on board every ship or vessel
of war in our pay, and on board privateers, shall have the
sole interest and property of and in all and every ship,
vessel, goods, and merchandizes, and effects, which they
shall take during the continuance of this war against
France, being first adjudged lawful prize, in any of our
courts of admiralty of Great Britain or Ireland, or any of
our plantations in American, or other the dominions of Great
Britain; but subject to the payment of all such or the like
customs and duties as the same are now, or would have been
liable to, if the same were, or might have been imported as
merchandizes; to be divided and distributed in such
proportions, and after such manner, and on such terms and
conditions, as are herein after expressed concerning the
same; that is to say, That the neat produce of all such
prizes be divided into eight equal parts, and be distributed
as followeth, viz. . . [11, 8 lines up from col. bottom]
To the trumpeters, quarter-gunner's, carpenter's crew,
steward, cook, armourer, steward's mate, cook's mate,
gunsmith, cooper, swabber, ordinary trumpeter, barber, able
seamen, ordinary seamen, and marine or other soldiers, two
eight parts to be equally divided among them: And in case
any sea captain, inferior commission or warrant sea
officers, belonging to any ship of war, for whom any shares
of prizes are hereby allowed, be absent, and not on board at
the time of the capture of any prize; the share of such sea
captain, inferior commission or warrant sea officer, shall
be cast into the shares hereby allowed to the trumpeters,
quarter-gunner's, carpenter's crew, steward, cook, armourer,
steward's mate, cook's mate, gunsmith, cooper, swabber,
ordinary trumpeter, barber, able seamen, ordinary seamen,
and marine or other soldiers, two eight parts to be equally
divided among them: Provided, that if any officer or
officers on board any of our ships of war, at the time of
taking any such prizes, shall have more commissions or
offices than one, he or they shall be intitled only to the
share or shares of such prizes, which, according to the
above mentioned distribution, shall belong to his or their
respective superior commissions or offices. . .
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