Piracy Act 1721

The Piracy Act 1721 (8 Geo. 1. c. 24) was an act of the Parliament of Great Britain.

Piracy Act 1721^[a]

Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long title	An Act for the more effectual suppressing of Piracy
Citation	8 Geo. 1. c. 24
Territorial extent	Great Britain
Dates
Royal assent	7 March 1722
Commencement	19 October 1721[b]
Repealed	5 November 1993
Other legislation
Amended by	Unlawful Games Act 1728 Navy Act 1748 Greenwich Hospital Act 1834 Piracy Act 1837 Statute Law Revision Act 1867 Statute Law Revision Act 1888
Repealed by	Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1993
Relates to	Piracy Act 1837
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended
Text of the Piracy Act 1721 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

The long title and preamble of the act were:

An Act for the more effectual suppressing of Piracy. Whereas the number of persons committing piracies, felonies, and robberies upon the seas is of late very much increased, and notwithstanding the laws already made and now in being, many idle and profligate persons have turned pirates, and betaken themselves to that wicked course of life, whereby the trade and navigation into remote parts will greatly suffer unless some further provision be speedily made for bringing such persons and all others who shall be any ways aiding and assisting, or in confederacy with them, to condign punishment:

Subsequent developments

The act was made perpetual by section 7 of the Unlawful Games Act 1728 (2 Geo. 2. c. 28).

Parts of the act were superseded by the Piracy Act 1837 (7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. 88).

The remaining parts of the act were repealed on 5 November 1993 by the Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1993.

See also

• 1717–1718 Acts of Grace

Notes

1. The citation of this act by this short title was authorised by section 1 of, and the first schedule to, the Short Titles Act 1896. Due to the repeal of those provisions it is now authorised by section 19(2) of the Interpretation Act 1978.
2. Start of session.