Slave Trade Act 1873

18 Pendency of suit or decree a bar to proceeding for recovery of vessel, damages, &c.

In either of the following cases, namely,

(a) 'Where any proceeding has been instituted in any slave court for the condemnation or restitution of any vessel, slave, goods, or effects purporting to have been seized in pursuance of this Act and is still pending ; or

(b) Where any vessel, slave, goods, or effects purporting to have been seized in pursuance of this Act, have been condemned or restored, or any other final judgment has been pronounced thereon by any slave court,

the pendency of such proceeding, or the condemnation or restitution, or other final judgment thereon, as the case may be, shall ,be a complete bar to every legal proceeding whatever for the recovery of such vessel, slave, goods, or effects, or of damages for any costs, expenses, loss, or injury sustained by any person by or in consequence of the visitation, seizure, or detention of such vessel, slave, goods, or effects, or of any person on board such vessel, or by or in consequence of any act or thing done in relation to such visitation, seizure, or detention, or in pursuance of this Act or any existing slave trade treaty, and may be pleaded in bar, or given in evidence under the general issue.