The Governors of Plantations Act 1698 ( 11 Will. 3. c. 12) or "An Act to punish Governors of Plantations in this Kingdom for crimes by them committed in the Plantations" was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

Act of Parliament Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...

passed in the reign of

William III of England William III (William Henry; ; 4 November 16508 March 1702), also widely known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic f ...

. It is the earliest English or

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

legislation by which

Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...

servants, including diplomats and governors, could be punished under English law for offences committed abroad. A notable prosecution under the Act was in the case of ''R v Wall''''R v Wall'' (1802) 28 St Tr 51. in which Joseph Wall, the former governor of

Gorée (; "Gorée Island"; Wolof: Beer Dun) is one of the 19 (i.e. districts) of the city of Dakar, Senegal. It is an island located at sea from the main harbour of Dakar (), famous as a destination for people interested in the Atlantic slave trad ...

, was hanged for causing the death of a soldier following an illegal flogging 20 years previously. The Act was repealed by section 1 of, and Part II of Schedule 1 to, the Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1995.

References

Acts of the Parliament of England 1698 in law 1698 in England {{Statute-stub