1764: 4 George 3 c.20: An act for vesting the Fort of Senegal, and its Dependencies, in the Company of Merchants trading to Africa.

[Preamble, reciting Clauses in Act 23 Geo. 2. c. 31. And see 25 Geo. 2. c.40.]

‘Whereas by an Act made in the twenty-third Year of the Reign of his late Majesty King George the Second, intituled, An Act for extending and improving the Trade to Africa, all the British Forts, Settlements, and Factories, on the Coast of Africa, and all other the Regions, Countries, Dominions, Territories, Continents, Coasts, Ports, Bays, Rivers, and Places, within the Limits of the said Act described, were vested in the Company by the said Act established, and called The Company of Merchants trading to Africa, and their Successors, to the Intent and Purpose, that the said Forts, Settlements, and Premises, should be employed at all Times thereafter, only for the Protection, Encouragement, and Defence, of the said Trade: And whereas the Fort of Senegal and its Dependencies were, by the late Treaty of Peace, ceded to Great Britain, and are now subject thereto: And whereas it would be of Advantage to Great Britain, and to the Trade to Africa, if the said Fort and its Dependencies were also vested in the said Company: May it therefore please your Majesty that it may be enacted;’ And be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same,

[The Fort of Senegal, and its Dependencies, vested in the African Company.]

That from and after the passing of this Act, the Sort of Senegal, and its Dependencies, shall be, and the same, and every Part thereof, are hereby declared to be, vested in the Company of Merchants trading to Africa, to be employed at all Times hereafter for the Protection, Encouragement, and Defence of the African Trade, in the same manner, and under the same Regulations, and subject to the same Rules, Orders, Directions, Governments, Limitations, Restrictions, Powers, and Authorities, as the other Forts and Settlements on the Coast of Africa are now vested in the said Company, and subject to, by virtue of the said recited Act, in as full, ample, and effectual manner, as the same could or would have been, if the said Fort and Dependencies had been mentioned in the said Act, or all the Clauses, Provisoes, Authorities, Powers, Directions, Limitations, Restrictions, Matters, and Things, contained, in the said recited Act, were herein again repeated and enacted.

[Clause in the recited Act.]

‘II. And whereas by the said recited Act, the Committee for the Time being having the Direction and management of the Affairs of the said Company, are empowered, out of the Moneys they shall receive, to deduct annually a Sum not exceeding eight hundred Pounds, for paying Salaries, House-rent, and other Charges, and for the other Purposes mentioned in the said Act; which Sum will now be inadequate to the Expenses of the said Committee, and the Intention of the said Act;’ Be it therefore further enacted by the Authority aforesaid,

[The Committee having the Direction and Management of the Affairs of the Company, impowered to deduct, annually, a further Sum of 400l. for Salaries, House-rent &c.]

That the said Committee shall deduct annually out of the Moneys they shall receive, a further Sum not exceeding four hundred Pounds, for the Purpose of paying the Salaries of their Clerks and Agents at London, Bristol and Liverpoole, the House-rent of their Office in London, and all Charges of Management, Commission, or Agency, in England, and as a further Compensation for their Trouble and Attendance in the said Office as Committee men.

[Public Act.]

III. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That this Act shall be deemed, and taken to be a public Act, and shall be taken notice of as such by all Judges, Justices, and other Persons whatsoever, without specially pleading the same.

Source: Ruffhead, Statutes at Large, volume 9.

Parliamentary Archives catalogue: HL/PO/PU/1/1763/4G3n117