Recruiting Act 1703 facts for kids
| Act of Parliament | |
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| Long title | An Act for raising Recruits for the Land Forces and Marines and for dispensing with Part of the Act for the Incouragement and Increase of Shipping and Navigation during the present Warr. |
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| Citation | 2 & 3 Ann. c. 13 (Ruffhead c. 19) |
| Territorial extent | |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 3 April 1704 |
| Repealed | 15 July 1867 |
| Other legislation | |
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Status: Repealed
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| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Recruiting Act 1703 was an important Act (a law) made by the Parliament of England. This happened during a time of big wars. These wars included the War of the Spanish Succession in Europe and Queen Anne's War in America.
The full name of this law was An Act for raising Recruits for the Land Forces, and Marines, and for dispensing with Part of the Act for the Encouragement and Increase of Shipping and Navigation, during the present War. Basically, it was about finding more people for the army and navy. It also changed some rules for ships during the war.
Why the Act Was Needed
During the early 1700s, England was fighting in major wars. They needed many soldiers and sailors. It was hard to find enough people to join the military.
Because of this, the government created the Recruiting Act. This law helped them get more people for the fighting forces.
What the Act Did
This Act allowed the government to make certain men join the army or navy. These were men who were strong and healthy. They were often people who did not have a clear way to support themselves.
The Act also set up rules for how this process would work. It explained how local areas should manage it. This law was in effect for one year, starting from March 1, 1703.
Helping Merchant Ships
The Recruiting Act also changed some rules for merchant ships. These are ships that carry goods for trade. Normally, old laws called the Navigation Acts said that three-quarters of a ship's crew had to be English.
But during the war, this Act allowed up to half of the crew to be foreigners. This was a big change. It meant that more experienced English sailors could join the navy. This helped the country's war effort.
When the Act Ended
The Recruiting Act 1703 was not a permanent law. It was later cancelled. The law that cancelled it was the Statute Law Revision Act 1867. This happened on July 15, 1867.
