List of acts of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1798 facts for kids

This page lists the laws, also known as acts, that were passed by the Parliament of Great Britain in the year 1798. These laws helped shape how Great Britain was run during that time.

If you want to learn about older laws, you can look at lists for the Parliament of England or the Parliament of Scotland before 1707. For laws passed after 1801, check the Parliament of the United Kingdom list.

Laws are usually named with a special code. For example, "39 & 40 Geo. 3. c. 67" means it was the 67th law passed during the time when King George III was in his 39th and 40th year of being king. This helps people find specific laws easily.

Back then, these laws didn't have short, easy-to-remember names. Later, some were given shorter titles to make them simpler to refer to.

From 1798 onwards, laws were split into two main types:

• Public general acts: These were laws that affected everyone in the country.
• Public local and personal acts: These were laws that only affected specific places or individuals.

Laws from 1798 (38 Geo. 3)

The Parliament of Great Britain was in its second session from November 1797 to June 1798. Many important laws were passed during this time.

Laws for Everyone (Public General Acts)

Here are some of the key laws that affected everyone in Great Britain in 1798:

• Taxation Act 1798 (c. 16): This law was about collecting money to help pay for the ongoing war.
• Militia Acts (c. 17, 18, 19, 44, 55, 66): These laws were very important for the country's defense. They allowed a certain number of men from the local militia (a citizen army) to join the regular army. They also helped organize and increase the number of men in the militia, especially for Scotland. One act even allowed militia members to volunteer to serve in Ireland.
• Loans or Exchequer Bills Acts (c. 20, 82, 83, 84, 91): These acts allowed the government to borrow money by issuing "exchequer bills," which are like short-term loans. This was crucial for funding government activities and the war.
• Annuity to Lord Saint Vincent Act 1798 (c. 21) and Annuity to Lord Camperdown Act 1798 (c. 22): These laws granted special yearly payments (annuities) to two important naval commanders, John Earl St. Vincent and Adam Lord Viscount Duncan. This was to thank them for their great service to the country.
• Mutiny Act 1798 (c. 23): This law set rules for the army, including how to punish soldiers who mutiny (rebel) or desert (run away). It also covered how soldiers were paid and housed.
• Duties on Plate Act 1798 (c. 24): This act removed taxes on gold and silver used in watch cases.
• Importation Act 1798 (c. 25): During the war, this law allowed salt to be brought in from Portugal using ships from neutral countries (countries not involved in the war).
• Land Tax Act 1798 (c. 26) and Land Tax Perpetuation Act 1798 (c. 60): These laws dealt with the land tax, which was a tax on land. The later act made this tax permanent, but it could also be bought out or "redeemed."
• Defence of the Realm Act 1798 (c. 27): This important law gave the King more power to protect and secure the country during the war. It also helped compensate people whose property might be affected by necessary defense measures.
• Debts Due to the United Provinces, etc. Act 1798 (c. 28) and Debts Due to Swiss Government Act 1798 (c. 45): These laws prevented people in Great Britain from giving money or help to the governments or people in the United Provinces (parts of modern-day Netherlands) or Switzerland during the war. This was to stop money from reaching enemies of Great Britain.
• Exportation Acts (c. 29, 67): These laws controlled what could be sent out of the country. One allowed more wheat to be exported to the Channel Islands, and another stopped the export of fake coins to colonies in the West Indies and America.
• Duties on Distilleries Act 1798 (c. 31) and Scotch Distilleries Act 1798 (c. 92): These laws added new taxes on alcohol production, especially in the Scottish Highlands.
• Quartering of Soldiers Act 1798 (c. 32): This law increased the amount of money paid to innkeepers and others who housed soldiers.
• Quarantine, etc. Act 1798 (c. 33): This act updated rules about quarantine (keeping ships and people isolated to prevent disease). It also included rules about stopping illegal imports of glass and regulating trade.
• Habeas Corpus Suspension Act 1798 (c. 36): This was a serious law that allowed the King to arrest and hold people he suspected of plotting against the government, without immediately bringing them to court. This was a temporary measure during the war.
• National Debt Acts (c. 37, 47): These laws were about managing the country's debt. One allowed the government to raise 17 million pounds by selling annuities (yearly payments), and another gave 200,000 pounds to the Bank of England to help reduce the national debt.
• Inhabited House, etc., Duties Act 1798 (c. 40) and Duties on Servants, etc. Act 1798 (c. 41) and Duties on Servants Act 1798 (c. 80): These laws changed and added taxes on houses, windows, clocks, watches, male servants, carriages, horses, mules, and dogs.
• Excise Acts (c. 42, 54): These laws added new taxes on tea and made changes to other taxes on things like coachmakers, auctioneers, and beer.
• Duties on Salt Act 1798 (c. 43) and Salt Duties Act 1798 (c. 89): These laws added new taxes on salt and later moved the management of these salt taxes to the excise commissioners.
• Manning of the Navy Act 1798 (c. 46): This act aimed to make it quicker and more effective to get enough sailors for the Royal Navy.
• Aliens Acts (c. 50, 77): These laws continued and updated rules for foreigners (aliens) arriving in or living in Great Britain, especially during the war.
• Yeomanry Cavalry Act 1798 (c. 51): This law allowed volunteer cavalry troops (horse-mounted soldiers) to be housed in private homes for training and gave tax breaks to people who provided horses for them.
• Counties of Cities Act 1798 (c. 52): This act regulated how trials and other legal proceedings were handled in cities and towns that had their own special legal status.
• Armorial Bearings Act 1798 (c. 53): This law introduced a tax on certificates for coats of arms or other family symbols.
• Southern Whale Fisheries Act 1798 (c. 57) and British Fisheries Act 1798 (c. 58): These laws aimed to encourage and support the fishing industries, especially whale fishing in the southern seas and other British fisheries.
• Silver Coin Act 1798 (c. 59): This law aimed to stop light (underweight) silver coins from being brought into Great Britain or Ireland and temporarily stopped the minting of new silver coins.
• Assize of Bread Act 1798 (c. 62): This law allowed local officials to adjust the price of bread to account for the new tax on salt.
• Isle of Man Trade Act 1798 (c. 63): This act aimed to boost trade and manufacturing in the Isle of Man and improve its tax collection, while also preventing smuggling.
• Militia Pay Act 1798 (c. 64): This law covered the costs of paying and clothing the militia in England for a year.
• Diseased Sheep, etc. Act 1798 (c. 65): This law aimed to prevent the spread of diseases like scab or mange among sheep and lambs grazing in forests and common lands in England.
• Duties on Cinnamon, etc. Act 1798 (c. 68): This law regulated and added new taxes on spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmegs, and mace.
• Gold Plate (Standard) Act 1798 (c. 69): This act allowed gold items to be made with a lower purity standard than previously allowed by law.
• Copyright Act 1798 (c. 71): This law encouraged the creation of new models and casts of busts and other artistic works by protecting their copyright.
• Indemnity to Governors of West Indies Act 1798 (c. 72): This law protected governors in the West Indies who had allowed goods to be imported and exported using foreign ships, which might have been against normal rules but was necessary during the war.
• Packing, etc., of Butter Act 1798 (c. 73): This act aimed to prevent fraud and abuses in how butter was packed, weighed, and sold.
• Regiment of Cornwall and Devon Miners Act 1798 (c. 74): This law created a special group of miners in Cornwall and Devon to help defend the country during the war.
• Lottery Act 1798 (c. 75): This act allowed the government to raise money by holding a lottery.
• Customs, etc. Act 1798 (c. 76) and Customs Act 1798 (c. 86): These laws were about protecting trade and introduced new taxes on imported and exported goods, and on the size of ships entering or leaving ports. The latter also changed some customs offices.
• Newspaper Publication Act 1798 (c. 78): This law aimed to prevent problems caused by unknown people printing and publishing newspapers and similar papers, and it set rules for how such papers should be printed and published.
• Residence in France During the War Act 1798 (c. 79): This law made it harder for British subjects to go to or stay in France (or areas controlled by France) during the war, and it aimed to prevent communication with enemies.
• Appropriation Act 1798 (c. 90): This law allowed the King to raise money and allocated funds for various government services and purposes for the year.
• Duty on Taxed Carts Act 1798 (c. 93): This act clarified the tax that had to be paid on certain types of carts.
• Provisional Cavalry Act 1798 (c. 94): This law set rules for the temporary cavalry forces that had been raised.

Laws for Specific Places or People (Local and Private Acts)

Many other laws were passed in 1798 that only affected specific areas or individuals. These often dealt with:

• Roads and Bridges: Many acts were passed to improve and maintain roads and bridges across the country, like the Tadcaster and Halton Dyal Road Act 1798 or the Newhaven (Ouse) Bridge Act 1798. These helped people travel and transport goods more easily.
• Canals: Several laws were about extending or improving canals, which were important for moving goods by water. Examples include the Kennet and Avon Canal Act 1798 and the Worcester and Birmingham Canal Act 1798.
• Town Improvements: Some acts focused on making towns better places to live, such as paving streets, lighting areas, or managing markets. The Hythe (Kent) Improvement Act 1798 is an example.
• Drainage and Inclosure: Many laws were passed to drain land for farming or to enclose common lands, turning them into private fields. These were very common at the time, like the Chedzoy (Somerset) Inclosure Act 1798.
• Personal Matters: Some laws were very specific to individuals, such as allowing foreigners to become British citizens (called "naturalization") or dealing with family estates and divorces. For instance, the Naturalization of Henry Jolivet Act 1798 or James Fozard's Divorce Act 1798.

Laws from Late 1798 (39 Geo. 3)

The Parliament continued its work into late 1798, starting a new session in November.

Laws for Everyone (Public General Acts)

A few important public laws were passed at the end of 1798:

• Annuity to Lord Nelson, etc. Act 1798 (c. 1): Similar to the earlier acts for other commanders, this law granted a special yearly payment to Horatio Nelson, Lord Nelson, for his outstanding service to the King and the public. He was a famous naval hero.
• Duties upon Malt, etc. Act 1798 (c. 2) and Duties on Pensions, etc. Act 1798 (c. 3): These acts continued and granted new taxes on goods like malt, cider, and perry, and also on pensions, offices, and personal wealth, to help fund the government for the year 1799.
• Army and Navy Act 1798 (c. 4): This law continued an earlier act that aimed to prevent and punish attempts to get soldiers and sailors to abandon their duty or rebel against the King.
• Militia (No. 5) Act 1798 (c. 5): This act continued the power for the King to accept volunteers from the militia to serve in Ireland.
• Land Tax Redemption, etc. Act 1798 (c. 6): This law extended the time people had to "redeem" (buy out) their land tax and clarified earlier rules about it.
• National Debt (No. 3) Act 1798 (c. 7): This act allowed the government to raise another three million pounds by selling annuities to manage the national debt.

See also

• List of acts of the Parliament of Great Britain