Document Record

Creator

Vice Admiralty Court (N.S.)

Title

Vice Admiralty Court of Nova Scotia fonds

Identifier

MIKAN: 105370
Reels/Bobines: H-3026 to H-3033
Archival Reference/Référence Archivistique: RG 8 IV, R14523-0-5-E
oocihm.lac_mikan_105370
lac_mikan_105370

Document source

Library and Archives Canada / Bibliothèque et Archives Canada

Notes

1784/1818

Language

English

Description

The surviving case files, financial and administrative records of the Vice Admiralty Court at Halifax are arranged in series reflecting its basic divisions and sub-divisions: Prize causes, appeals, condemnations jure corone, and recaptures; Instance causes for customs seizures of contraband cargo, salvage of wrecks, seamen's wages, etc. Within series, arrangement is by date and by name of the prize vessel or the subject of an Instance cause. Case files include all manner of documents created in the prosecution of a cause, or submitted as exhibits. Court officers generated libels, allegations, interrogatories, commissions for examination of witnesses, claims and attestations, monitions, decrees, and sentences. Certificates, licences, permits, instructions to masters, cargo manifests and other ships' papers, plus intercepted letters or other documents found on board captured vessels, or taken from Customs seizures or salvaged vessels were presented in court as exhibits. Some, but not all bills of costs and other financial records were segregated into sub-series for the Prize and Instance Courts, as indicated in the Finding Aid. These accounts document both the costs of prosecuting a case and the distribution of proceeds from the condemnation and sale of a prize between the Crown and the captor, or from Customs seizures. They also document the widespread economic effects of privateering, as the law required that the prize vessel be taken for condemnation and sale at the captor's home port of registry -- although the legal proceedings took place at Halifax.

URL

https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_mikan_105370