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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Memorandum from colonial proprietors to the Board of Trade of England concerning Courts of Admiralty
Carolina. Lords Proprietors.; Et Al.
1696
Volume 01, Pages 471-472

[B. P. R. O. Amer: and W. Ind: Plant. Gen. No. 601.]
TO THE Rt HONble THE LORDS COMMrs OF TRADE AND PLANTATIONS

The Lords Proprietors, Agents and others of the Provinces of Carolina, Bahama Islands, Pensilvania, East & West Jersey and Conecticott in America:

Protesting their Loyalty and duty to his Majesty and reserving the benefit of being heard by themselves or Councill to their Right and power of erecting Courts of Admiralty in the said Provinces doe offer

That there are severall Clauses in their respective Grants and Charters which (as they are advised) import and imply a Grant of ye admirall Jurisdiction and power of erecting the said Courts and constituting Judges and Officers thereof in the said Provinces.

That the reason why they have not hitherto erected such Courts or constituted such Officers is that all suits or Informac̄ons upon and for the breach of the acts of navigac̄on may as appears by the said acts and particulerly by the 15th of Kng Charls ye 2d be brought and prosecuted in the Common Law Courts and yt the erecting Courts of admiralty would have occasioned Sallaryes and other great and expensive Charges.

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That they apprehended there was no necessity of such Courts unless for the condemnac̄on of prises few or none of which have bin brought into the said Provinces during this Warr in order to be there tried and condemned.

That the said Preprietors are nevertheless willing and ready to erect such Courts and constitute such able officers as shall be well affected to his Majesty's Government, carefull of his intrest use their uttmost endeavours to enforce an observance of the said acts of navigation and zealously prosecute such Vessells and persons as shall be guilty of the breach of them.

All which is humbly offered and submitted