Knowledge

Foreign Enlistment Act 1870

Source đź“ť

176: 45: 263:. It clarified the scope of prohibited military activity (including making clear that the act only applied to "any foreign state at war with any foreign state at peace with Her Majesty" rather than all peacetime military service, to which the 1819 act extended); limited prison sentences for violations to two years; and made it a crime to prepare for or conduct military expeditions, and made it a crime to aid or abet any violators of the act, or to induce a person's enlistment by misrepresentations. The 1870 act thus applied to wars between states in which Britain was neutral; during the 383:; ultimately, the prosecution was dropped. Rankin denounced the Foreign Enlistment Act as a violation of the rights he and other "Canadian gentlemen not only willing but eager to" fight for the Union as part of their "perfect right to enrol themselves in the cause of freedom – that of the North against the South". 236:"An Act to Prevent the Enlisting or Engagement of His Majesty’s Subjects to Serve in Foreign Service, and the Fitting out or Equipping, in his Majesty's Dominions, Vessels for Warlike Purposes Without His Majesty's Licence") was passed by in 1819. The law was passed to uphold British neutrality in the 560:
in the Spanish Civil War. The Act was passed in April 1937 and formally applied to circumstances in Spain by an order-in-council in July 1937. An investigation was conducted, prosecutors were hired, and warrants were issued for the arrest of participants in the recruiting network, but ultimately
540:
introduced an act to clarify the imperial act ("An Act to Prevent Enlistment in the Services of Any Foreign State in Certain Cases not provided for by the Foreign Enlistment Act, 1870") as it applied in Canada. The bill went through a first and second reading but was dropped by Prime Minister
193:
An Act to Prevent the Enlisting or Engagement of His Majesty’s Subjects to Serve in Foreign Service, and the Fitting out or Equipping, in his Majesty's Dominions, Vessels for Warlike Purposes Without His Majesty's
743:, "The Institutes of the Law of Nations: A Treatise of the Jural Relations of Separate Political Communities", c. XII. Edinburgh: William Blackwood and Sons, 1883, 1884; reprinted 2005 by the Lawbook Exchange 244:
proposed repeal, saying "There never was an Act of the Legislature so little under the general opinions of the country." That repeal effort failed, but the law remained ineffective.
379:. Rankin was prosecuted in October 1861; the court rejected Rankin's arguments on jurisdiction, dropped the charge of "recruiting" and referred the charge of enlistment to the 536:
passed a clarifying statute in 1865, but it only applied to the Foreign Enlistment Act 1819 and lacked any force after the 1870 statute was enacted. In 1875, MP
376: 240:
and made it a crime punishable by fines and imprisonment for British subjects to serve in foreign militaries. The 1819 Act was rarely enforced. In 1833 MP
868: 62:
An Act to regulate the conduct of Her Majesty's Subjects during the existence of hostilities between foreign states with which Her Majesty is at peace.
552:
enacted the Canadian Foreign Enlistment Act of 1937 due to concerns that it would not allow for the Canadian government to successfully convict the
363:
challenges raised by the accused, concluding that the imperial act applied in British North America. The highest-profile case was that of Colonel
1102: 1087: 368: 594: 1046: 344: 251:, Parliament repealed the 1819 Act and passed the 1870 Act, a redrafting of the prior legislation. The 1870 act, enacted during the 919: 490: 475: 460:
included "possible amendment of the Foreign Enlistment Act", which the August 1976 "Diplock Report" described as "antiquated".
199: 67: 17: 474:
said she would "absolutely" support Britons volunteering to fight for Ukraine. This suggestion caused mixed reactions. Former
310: 237: 224:
prohibition on enlistment in foreign militaries, and mercenary services predated the development of professional armies. The
1107: 441: 433: 797: 380: 1097: 264: 826: 542: 464: 359:. There were only a handful of prosecutions. In the small number of prosecutions, the Canadian courts rejected all 180: 138: 49: 545:, who cited a lack of necessity for the law and expressed concerns that it might conflict with the imperial act. 297:(to which the act applied), except in rare situations in which the foreign military activity threatened British 818:
Report of the Committee of Privy Counsellors Appointed to Inquire into the Recruit- ment of Mercenaries, 1976,
445: 521: 356: 1112: 1092: 1056: 686: 417:
government there. Problems with evidence prevented the British government from convicting enlistees to the
293:
Authorities in Britain generally did not enforce the act, and it was often ignored, both in Britain and in
510: 565: 348: 765:
Mackenzie, S. P. (1 January 1999). "The Foreign Enlistment Act and the Spanish Civil War, 1936–1939".
497:, called the Foreign Enlistment Act an "antiquated piece of legislation" that should not be enforced. 112: 553: 1000: 827:"Leashing the Corporate Dogs of War: The Legal Implications of the Modern Private Military Company" 740: 494: 364: 282: 241: 728: 514: 482: 278: 268: 618: 588: 557: 437: 410: 134: 1018: 631: 537: 418: 398: 294: 188: 57: 792: 687:
Mercenaries and Adventurers: Canada and the Foreign Enlistment Act in the Nineteenth Century
485:, said that Britons who fought in Ukraine would be violating the 1870 Act. By contrast, Sir 955: 391: 8: 549: 453: 248: 896: 1071: 983: 533: 457: 449: 352: 302: 275:(1904–05), British officials blocked naval vessels from sailing to belligerents. 272: 260: 116: 987: 975: 576:
veteran was prosecuted for violation of the Canadian Foreign Enlistment Act of 1937.
468: 426: 387: 318: 95: 967: 842: 774: 422: 256: 130: 72: 548:
Foreign enlistment was not a political issue again in Canada until the 1930s. The
731:, "A History of the Criminal Law of England", p262, 1883, republished 2014 by CUP 372: 288: 1067: 506: 478: 347:, yet more than 50,000 British North Americans (many Canadians) fought for the 252: 1081: 1070:
as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from
979: 819: 334: 306: 298: 115:
as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from
386:
Parliament formally suspended the law on one occasion – in 1835, during the
920:"Statute Law Revision Bill [no. 27 of 1981] [As initiated]" 850: 778: 402: 360: 338: 330: 314: 149: 85: 971: 846: 793:"Committee of Privy Counsellors on the Recruitment of Mercenaries: Report" 614: 573: 569: 406: 325:
were also not prosecuted. Nor was any action taken against the Irish and
869:"Liz Truss criticised for backing Britons who wish to fight in Ukraine" 390:, for two years, permitting British subjects to join the army of Queen 233: 221: 572:. Although Canada was officially neutral in the conflict, no Canadian 579:
The Canadian Foreign Enlistment Act of 1937 remains a valid statute.
486: 471: 397:
The last successful prosecution occurred in 1896 in the trial of Sir
229: 204: 142: 520:
In the Republic of Ireland it was repealed as "inoperative" by the
322: 1061: 1047:"The Foreign Enlistment Act and the Spanish Civil War, 1936–1939" 1057:
Record of parliamentary debates on Foreign Enlistment, 1819-2005
326: 289:
Prosecutions and non-prosecutions under the 1819 and 1870 acts
1019:"Consolidated federal laws of canada, Foreign Enlistment Act" 371:
who in the summer of 1861 personally offered his services to
913:
Foreign Enlistment Act 1870 Rep. 11/1983, s.1, sch., pt. 4
717:
From Byron to Bin Laden: A History of Foreign War Volunteers
436:
advertised for recruits in the British press, prompting the
1001:
The Canadian Way: The Case of Canadian Vietnam War Veterans
956:"Canada's Foreign Enlistment Act and the Spanish Civil War" 414: 329:
Catholics (British subjects) who fought on behalf of the
706:(Cambridge University Press, 1936), 15th edition, p. 378 456:) to "Inquire into the Recruitment of Mercenaries". Its 301:
in armed conflicts. More than 5,000 Britons served with
285:
publishes the law of 1870 as it was originally enacted.
513:
it was gradually repealed or replaced by independent
505:
The Westminster Act initially applied throughout the
825: 1017:Branch, Legislative Services (31 December 2002). 1079: 421:or those thousands who joined the fight against 281:presents late 19th century establishment views. 556:'s ongoing effort to recruit Canadians for the 561:there were no prosecutions under the statute. 369:Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada 595:British ambulances in the Franco-Prussian War 500: 375:, accepted a Union commission and raised the 345:Britain was neutral in the American Civil War 681: 679: 677: 675: 673: 671: 669: 667: 665: 663: 661: 659: 255:era, implemented many recommendations of a 862: 860: 657: 655: 653: 651: 649: 647: 645: 643: 641: 639: 313:. The 300 Britons who participated in the 764: 719:(Harvard University Press: 2018), p. 129. 953: 897:"British Public Statutes Affected: 1870" 337:) in the late 1860s, during the Italian 1068:Text of the Foreign Enlistment Act 1870 866: 857: 636: 566:Canadians enlisted in the U.S. military 113:Text of the Foreign Enlistment Act 1870 14: 1103:Military history of the United Kingdom 1088:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1870 1080: 1016: 476:Attorney General for England and Wales 413:(Transvaal) in rebellion against the 311:Spanish American wars of independence 247:On 9 August 1870, in response to the 238:Spanish American wars of independence 867:Sparrow, Andrew (27 February 2022). 835:Journal of Conflict and Security Law 401:, who was convicted for leading the 355:, and a much smaller number for the 954:Wentzell, Tyler (1 November 2017). 823: 434:National Liberation Front of Angola 24: 25: 1124: 1051:Twentieth Century British History 1040: 767:Twentieth Century British History 630:The Foreign Enlistment Act 1870, 613:The citation of this act by this 465:2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine 181:Parliament of the United Kingdom 174: 145:activities of British citizens. 139:Parliament of the United Kingdom 50:Parliament of the United Kingdom 43: 1010: 994: 947: 886: 812: 785: 1007:, Vol. 15, No. 3, Summer 2015. 939:Foreign Enlistment Act. 1870. 758: 755:(1896) 65 LJMC 218; 60 JP 662. 746: 734: 722: 709: 696: 624: 607: 13: 1: 600: 522:Statute Law Revision Act 1983 481:, a former member of Truss's 155: 100:United Kingdom: 9 August 1870 929:. 26 August 1981. p. 23 7: 1108:United Kingdom military law 824:Liu, H. Y. (1 March 2010). 582: 511:Statute of Westminster 1931 367:, a militia officer of the 309:and other units during the 226:Foreign Enlistment Act 1819 164:Foreign Enlistment Act 1819 127:Foreign Enlistment Act 1870 106:Status: Current legislation 33:Foreign Enlistment Act 1870 10: 1129: 501:Outside the United Kingdom 160:United Kingdom legislation 29:United Kingdom legislation 1005:Canadian Military Journal 691:Canadian Military History 554:Communist Party of Canada 527: 211: 198: 187: 173: 168: 111: 104: 94: 84: 79: 66: 56: 42: 37: 1098:1870 in military history 822:6569, para 92; cited in 704:Outlines of Criminal Law 495:Justice Select Committee 444:to appoint a committee ( 1023:laws-lois.justice.gc.ca 729:James Fitzjames Stephen 141:that seeks to regulate 693:vol. 23, no. 2 (2014). 589:Neutrality Act of 1794 558:International Brigades 463:Interviewed after the 411:South African Republic 381:Court of Queen's Bench 377:First Michigan Lancers 315:1832 military campaign 18:Foreign Enlistment Act 972:10.1353/llt.2017.0048 419:French Foreign Legion 399:Leander Starr Jameson 295:British North America 271:(1894–95), and 1053:, 1999, 10(1):52-66. 779:10.1093/tcbh/10.1.52 392:Isabella II of Spain 1113:Franco-Prussian War 1093:1870 in British law 960:Labour / Le Travail 847:10.1093/jcsl/krp025 550:Canadian Parliament 543:Alexander Mackenzie 538:TĂ©lesphore Fournier 489:, the chair of the 454:Geoffrey De Freitas 319:Dom Pedro of Brazil 259:convened after the 249:Franco-Prussian War 165: 34: 1072:legislation.gov.uk 903:. 16 February 2022 901:Irish Statute Book 534:Province of Canada 483:Conservative Party 458:terms of reference 450:Derek Walker-Smith 405:, a raid from the 273:Russo-Japanese War 261:American Civil War 163: 152:on 9 August 1870. 117:legislation.gov.uk 32: 798:National Archives 617:is authorised by 469:Foreign Secretary 427:Spanish Civil War 388:First Carlist War 269:Sino-Japanese War 267:(1877–78), 265:Russo-Turkish War 218: 217: 169:Act of Parliament 131:33 & 34 Vict. 123: 122: 73:33 & 34 Vict. 38:Act of Parliament 16:(Redirected from 1120: 1034: 1033: 1031: 1029: 1014: 1008: 998: 992: 991: 951: 945: 941: 936: 934: 924: 915: 910: 908: 890: 884: 883: 881: 879: 864: 855: 854: 841:(1): 150 n. 48. 832: 829: 816: 810: 809: 807: 805: 789: 783: 782: 762: 756: 750: 744: 738: 732: 726: 720: 713: 707: 700: 694: 685:Tyler Wentzell, 683: 634: 628: 622: 611: 491:House of Commons 423:Francisco Franco 257:royal commission 213:Status: Repealed 178: 177: 166: 162: 47: 46: 35: 31: 21: 1128: 1127: 1123: 1122: 1121: 1119: 1118: 1117: 1078: 1077: 1043: 1038: 1037: 1027: 1025: 1015: 1011: 999: 995: 952: 948: 944: 932: 930: 922: 918: 906: 904: 895: 891: 887: 877: 875: 865: 858: 830: 817: 813: 803: 801: 791: 790: 786: 763: 759: 751: 747: 739: 735: 727: 723: 714: 710: 701: 697: 684: 637: 629: 625: 612: 608: 603: 585: 530: 503: 438:Wilson ministry 373:Abraham Lincoln 291: 214: 183: 175: 161: 158: 107: 52: 44: 30: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1126: 1116: 1115: 1110: 1105: 1100: 1095: 1090: 1076: 1075: 1065: 1054: 1042: 1041:External links 1039: 1036: 1035: 1009: 993: 946: 943: 942: 916: 892: 885: 856: 811: 784: 757: 745: 733: 721: 708: 695: 635: 623: 605: 604: 602: 599: 598: 597: 592: 584: 581: 529: 526: 507:British Empire 502: 499: 479:Dominic Grieve 290: 287: 253:British Empire 216: 215: 212: 209: 208: 202: 196: 195: 191: 185: 184: 179: 171: 170: 159: 157: 154: 121: 120: 109: 108: 105: 102: 101: 98: 92: 91: 88: 82: 81: 77: 76: 70: 64: 63: 60: 54: 53: 48: 40: 39: 28: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1125: 1114: 1111: 1109: 1106: 1104: 1101: 1099: 1096: 1094: 1091: 1089: 1086: 1085: 1083: 1073: 1069: 1066: 1064: 1063: 1058: 1055: 1052: 1048: 1045: 1044: 1024: 1020: 1013: 1006: 1002: 997: 989: 985: 981: 977: 973: 969: 965: 961: 957: 950: 940: 928: 921: 917: 914: 902: 898: 894: 893: 889: 874: 870: 863: 861: 852: 848: 844: 840: 836: 828: 821: 815: 800: 799: 794: 788: 780: 776: 772: 768: 761: 754: 749: 742: 741:James Lorimer 737: 730: 725: 718: 715:Nir Arielli, 712: 705: 699: 692: 688: 682: 680: 678: 676: 674: 672: 670: 668: 666: 664: 662: 660: 658: 656: 654: 652: 650: 648: 646: 644: 642: 640: 633: 627: 620: 616: 610: 606: 596: 593: 590: 587: 586: 580: 577: 575: 571: 567: 564:Up to 40,000 562: 559: 555: 551: 546: 544: 539: 535: 525: 523: 518: 516: 512: 508: 498: 496: 492: 488: 484: 480: 477: 473: 470: 466: 461: 459: 455: 451: 447: 443: 442:Privy Council 439: 435: 430: 428: 424: 420: 416: 412: 408: 404: 400: 395: 393: 389: 384: 382: 378: 374: 370: 366: 365:Arthur Rankin 362: 358: 354: 350: 346: 342: 340: 336: 332: 328: 324: 320: 316: 312: 308: 307:Albion Legion 304: 303:SimĂłn BolĂ­var 300: 296: 286: 284: 280: 276: 274: 270: 266: 262: 258: 254: 250: 245: 243: 239: 235: 231: 227: 223: 220:There was no 210: 206: 203: 201: 197: 192: 190: 186: 182: 172: 167: 153: 151: 146: 144: 140: 136: 133:c. 90) is an 132: 128: 118: 114: 110: 103: 99: 97: 93: 90:9 August 1870 89: 87: 83: 78: 74: 71: 69: 65: 61: 59: 55: 51: 41: 36: 27: 19: 1060: 1050: 1026:. Retrieved 1022: 1012: 1004: 996: 963: 959: 949: 938: 931:. Retrieved 926: 912: 905:. Retrieved 900: 888: 876:. Retrieved 873:The Guardian 872: 851:academia.edu 849:– via 838: 834: 814: 802:. Retrieved 796: 787: 773:(1): 52–66. 770: 766: 760: 752: 748: 736: 724: 716: 711: 703: 698: 690: 626: 621:of this act. 609: 578: 563: 547: 531: 519: 515:Commonwealth 509:. After the 504: 462: 446:Lord Diplock 432:In 1975 the 431: 403:Jameson Raid 396: 385: 361:jurisdiction 343: 339:Risorgimento 331:Papal States 292: 277: 246: 225: 219: 150:royal assent 148:It received 147: 126: 124: 96:Commencement 86:Royal assent 26: 966:: 213–246. 933:27 February 907:27 February 878:27 February 804:27 February 753:R v Jameson 615:short title 574:Vietnam War 570:Vietnam Era 568:during the 440:to get the 407:Cape Colony 357:Confederacy 351:during the 242:John Murray 1082:Categories 927:Oireachtas 702:Kenny, C. 601:References 299:neutrality 234:long title 232:. c. 69) ( 222:common law 189:Long title 156:Background 58:Long title 988:149252443 980:1911-4842 632:section 3 619:section 1 517:members. 487:Bob Neill 472:Liz Truss 409:into the 230:59 Geo. 3 205:59 Geo. 3 143:mercenary 1028:21 April 583:See also 323:Portugal 321:against 200:Citation 194:Licence. 68:Citation 1062:Hansard 425:in the 335:Zouaves 305:in the 283:Lorimer 279:Stephen 207:. c. 69 137:of the 986:  978:  528:Canada 327:Quebec 984:S2CID 923:(PDF) 831:(PDF) 349:Union 80:Dates 75:c. 90 1030:2019 976:ISSN 935:2022 909:2022 880:2022 820:Cmnd 806:2022 591:(US) 532:The 452:and 415:Boer 333:(as 125:The 1059:in 968:doi 843:doi 775:doi 353:war 317:of 135:act 1084:: 1049:, 1021:. 1003:, 982:. 974:. 964:80 962:. 958:. 937:. 925:. 911:. 899:. 871:. 859:^ 839:15 837:. 833:. 795:. 771:10 769:. 689:, 638:^ 524:. 493:' 467:, 448:, 429:. 394:. 341:. 1074:. 1032:. 990:. 970:: 882:. 853:. 845:: 808:. 781:. 777:: 228:( 129:( 119:. 20:)

Index

Foreign Enlistment Act
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title
Citation
33 & 34 Vict.
Royal assent
Commencement
Text of the Foreign Enlistment Act 1870
legislation.gov.uk
33 & 34 Vict.
act
Parliament of the United Kingdom
mercenary
royal assent
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title
Citation
59 Geo. 3
common law
59 Geo. 3
long title
Spanish American wars of independence
John Murray
Franco-Prussian War
British Empire
royal commission
American Civil War
Russo-Turkish War
Sino-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.

↑