1833 Britain and Ireland by some Person duly the authorized; that is to say, all Ships, Cargoes Slaves which shall be detained by the Cruizers Majesty the King of the French, and delivered the jurisdiction of His Majesty at Bathurst on tl ver Gambia, shall be proceeded against and adjud in the Vice Admiralty Court at Sierra Leone that all other Ships, Cargoes, and Slaves whic in like manner be detained by the Cruizers Majesty the King of the French, and delivered the jurisdiction of His Majesty, either at Ja Cape of Good Hope, or Demerara, shall be pr ed against and adjudicated in the Vice Ad Court, established in the said Colonies respec and the Judges and other Officers of the sai Admiralty Courts respectively are hereby auth to take cognizance thereof accordingly.

III. And be it further enacted and declared any such Merchant Vessel, wholly or in part as last aforesaid, visited and detained in pursua the said 2 Conventions, shall, unless proof be to the contrary, be held and taken to have en in the Slave-trade, or to have been fitted o the purposes of such traffic, and equipped and ployed in the objects declared unlawful by an A Parliament passed in the 5th year of the Reig His Majesty King George the 4th, intituled, "A to amend and consolidate the Laws relating to Abolition of the Slave-trade," if any of the pa lars specified in the said VIth Article of the said vention of the 22nd day of March 1833, shall be 1 in her outfit or equipment, or on board of her.

IV. And be it further enacted, that in case such Merchant Vessel, wholly or in part owned as aforesaid, shall be brought in by any Officer of Majesty the King of the French duly authorized, shall be confiscated according to the Laws of Country and the provisions of the said 2 Convent and of the said Act of Parliament passed in the year of the Reign of His Majesty King George IVth, it shall be lawful for His Majesty the Kin the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Irelan direct that a portion of the proceeds arising from sale thereof shall be paid into the hands of the

rament of His Majesty the King of the French, ac- 1833 rding to the provisions of the Vth Article of the said onvention of the 22nd day of March 1833; and that y portion of the proceeds arising from the sale of y Ship agreed to be paid into the hands of the vernment of His Majesty the King of the United ngdom of Great Britain and Ireland, according to provisions of the said Vth Article last aforesaid, Cargo, shall be paid to such Person or Persons the Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury may rect or appoint to receive the same, to and for the e of the Captors, according to the provisions of the Vth Article; and that the same, after deducting necessary expences, shall be distributed to and ongst the Officers and Crew of the capturing Ship, the manner hereafter directed for the distribution bounties on Slaves taken on board the said Vessel.

V. And be it further enacted, that there shall be out of the Consolidated Fund of the United gdom of Great Britain and Ireland to the Comders, Officers, and Crews of His Majesty's Ships horized to make seizures under the aforesaid Contion of the 22nd March 1833, a bounty of pound 5. lawful money of Great Britain for every Man, Wo1, and Child Slave seized and found on board a tish or French Ship or Vessel taken, delivered over, condemned in pursuance of the provisions of the d Conventions, and of this Act, such bounty to be ed and paid by order from the said Commissioners His Majesty's Treasury, and to be distributed to amongst the Captors aforesaid, in such manner d proportions as His Majesty, his Heirs and Sucssors, shall think fit to order and direct by any der or Orders in Council, or by any Proclamation Proclamations to be made for that purpose.

VI. Provided always, and be it further enacted,
t, in order to entitle the Captors to receive the
bounty money, the numbers of Men, Women,
1 Children so taken, delivered over, and condemned,
ill be proved to the Commissioners of His Majesty's
easury, by producing a Copy, duly certified, of
sentence or decree of condemnation, and also a
rtificate under the hand of the proper Officer or

1833 Officers, military or civil, who may be appoint

receive such Slaves.

VII. And be it further enacted, that wher Slaves, or Persons treated, dealt with, carried, or detained as Slaves, shall be taken or seiz board any British or French Ship or Vessel in suance of the provisions of the said Conventions of this Act, but who shall not have been conde or shall not have been delivered over in conseq of death, sickness, or other inevitable circums it shall and may be lawful for the said Commiss of His Majesty's Treasury, if to their discret shall seem meet, by warrant, signed by any thi more of them, to direct the payment out of the solidated Fund of the United Kingdom of Great I and Ireland of one moiety of the bounty which have been due in each case respectively if the Slaves had been delivered over and condemned.

VIII. Provided also, and be it further en that any Party or Parties claiming any benefit b of bounty under the provisions of this Act, or share of the proceeds of any French Vessel cated in pursuance of the provisions of the afo Conventions, shall and may resort to the High of Amiralty, for the purpose of obtaining the jud of the said Court in that behalf; and that it and may be lawful for the Judge of the said Court of Admiralty to determine thereon, and al hear and determine any question of joint Capture may arise upon any seizure made in pursuance Act, and enforce any Decrees or Sentences of said Vice Admiralty Courts relating to any such sei

IX. And be it further enacted, that all the visions, Rules, Regulations, Forfeitures, and Pen respecting the delivery by Prize Agents of acc for examination, and the distribution of prize m and the accounting for and paying over the proc of prize, and the per-centage due thereon to G wich Hospital, shall be and are hereby extende all bounties and proceeds to be distributed under provisions of this Act to the Officers and Crews of of His Majesty's Ships or Vessels of War.

X. And be it further enacted, that where an legal visit and detention, or any visit and deten

without sufficient cause of suspicion, or any abuse or 1833 rexation, shall have taken place and have been made by any Officer of His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, as is mentioned in the VIIIth and IXth Articles of the said Convention of the 22nd day of March 1833, it shall be lawful for the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, by Warrant, signed by any 3 or more of them, to direct payment to be made out of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland of any costs and damages which may be duly awarded according to the provisions of the said 2 lastmentioned Articles: Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall exempt such Officer from his liability to make good the payments so made, when lawfully called upon by order of the said Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury.

XI. And be it further enacted, that when any seizure shall be made by any of the Commanders, Officers, and Crews of His Majesty's Ships authorized to make seizures under the aforesaid Convention of the 22nd March 1833, and judgment shall be given gainst the Seizor, or such seizure shall be relinquish-. ed by him, it shall be lawful for the said Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, if to their discretion it shall seem meet, by Warrant, signed by any 3 or more of them, to direct payment to be made out of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, of such costs and expences as the said Seizor may have incurred in respect of such seizure, or any proportionate part thereof..

XII. And be it further enacted, that if any Action or suit shall be commenced, either in Great Britain or elsewhere, against any Person or Persons, for any thing done in pursuance of the said Conventions, or the instructions or Regulations thereto annexed, or of this Act, in as far as it relates thereto the Defendant or Defendants in such Action or Suit may plead the general issue, and give this Act and the special matter in evidence at any trial to be had thereupon, and that the same was done in pursuance and by the authority of the said Conventions, Instructions, Regulations, or of this Act; and if it shall appecr so to have been done, the Jury shall find for the Defen

or

1833 dant or Defendants; and if the Plaintiff shall be nonsuited, or discontinue his Action after the Defendant or Defendants shall have appeared, or if judment shal be given upon any verdict or demurrer against the Plaintiff, the Defendant or Defendants shall recove treble costs, and have the like remedy for the sam as Defendants have in other cases by Law.

23.

Convention entre la Hollande et l Belgique conclue à Zonhoven, le 18 Novembre 1833, relativement aus communications militaires de la for teresse de Maestricht, et Déclaration concernant la navigation de la Meuse (Journaux de la Belgique.)

Le général de division baron Hurel, commandan la première division de l'armée belge, d'une part; e le lieutenant- général duc Bernard de Saxe-Weimar Eisenach, commandant la deuxième division de l'armé des Pays-Bas, et le lieutenant- général Dibbets, com mandant supérieur de la forteresse de Maestricht, d'au tre part;

Considérant que la déclaration des plénipotentiai res de S. M. le roi des Pays-Bas, dans la note remise par eux, le 14. Septembre passé, à MM. les plénipo tentiaires de France et d'Angleterre, a établi que la navigation de la Meuse est libre et ouverte aux bâ timens belges, conformément aux stipulations de l'art 4. de la convention du 21. Mai 1833;

Et voulant régler le mode d'exécution du dernie paragraphe, du même art. 4. portant que: "les com munications entre la forteresse de Maestricht et la ,,frontière du Brabant septentrional, et entre la dite ,, forteresse et l'Allemagne, seront libres et sans entraves;"

99

Ont nommé des commissaires à cet effet, savoir: le général de division baron Hurel, le colonel Willmar, directeur des fortifications, et le lieutenant-colonel Trumper, chef de l'état-major de la première division; et le lieutenant- général duc Bernard de Saxe-Weimar