{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/slave-trade-act-1873/section-3",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/slave-trade-act-1873/section-3.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/Vict/36-37/88",
  "legislation_title": "Slave Trade Act 1873",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/slave-trade-act-1873",
  "path": "section/3",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "3",
  "heading": "Visitation and seizure by cruisers, &c. of suspected slave ships.",
  "text": "Where a vessel is, on reasonable grounds, suspected of being engaged in or fitted out for the slave trade, it shall . . . be lawful—\n(a) If the vessel is a British vessel, or is engaged in the slave trade within British jurisdiction, or is not a vessel of a foreign state, for any commander or officer of any of Her Majesty’s ships, for any officer bearing Her Majesty’s commission in the army or navy, for any officer of Her Majesty’s customs in the United Kingdom, or Channel Islands, for any member of the Isle of Man Constabulary,, for the governor of a colony, or any person authorised by any such governor, . . .\n(b) If the vessel is the vessel of a foreign state, for any commander or officer of any of Her Majesty’s ships, when duly authorised in that behalf, in pursuance of any treaty with that state, . . .\nto visit and seize and detain such vessel, and to seize and detain any person found detained or reasonably suspected of having been detained as a slave, for the purpose of the slave trade, on board any such vessel, and to carry away such vessel and person, together with the master and all persons, goods, and effects on board any such vessel, for the purpose of bringing in such vessel, person, goods, and effects . . ..",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 3 repealed (19.11.1998) by 1998 c. 43, s. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pt. VIII"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words substituted by S.I. 1980/399, Sch. Pt. I para. 4"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 3 substituted (19.11.1998) by 1998 c. 43, s. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 6"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 3(a)(b) repealed (19.11.1998) by 1998 c. 43, s. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pt. VIII"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/36-37/88/section/3",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T12:50:22.353951+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}