Western Hemisphere 163
and used it on one issue in particular: the slave trade. Britain detested it and tried to
abolish its practice elsewhere in the international system. However, compelling Brazil
into ending the slave trade was difficult. Prior agreements to end the practice were
not executed in full for the years that followed. Britain passed the Aberdeen Act of
August 9, 1845, which gave it license to search, under threat of seizure, any Brazil-
ian ship suspected of engaging in the slave trade. Seizures followed from October 13,
1845, to May 16, 1846, to furious protests from Brazil. However, neither side was
willing to make concessions to their stands, resulting in the seizure of 90 more ships
between August 1849 and May 1852. In June 1850, during these seizures, British war
vessels arrived in Brazil to impound any ship suspected of engaging in the slave trade.
This part of the British efforts against Brazil ended when the ship seizures stopped.
After significant infighting in Brazil, a law was passed on September 4, 1850. This
is now known as Eusebio de Queiroz’s law, given his execution of the terms of the
law. The law declared that the slave trade was piracy, and ships found to be built for
the transportation of slaves were to be seized and sold. Slaves in captivity were to be
set free or deported back to their point of origin. Eusebio de Queiroz’s execution of
the law satisfied British demands and effectively reduced the importation of slaves to
minuscule numbers. On June 11, 1852, the British informed the Brazilians that they
were satisfied with the progress and that they were rescinding the orders that followed
from the Aberdeen Act.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from August 1, 1849. End Date changed from
Missing. Outcome changed from Victory for side A.
MID#1762
Dispute Number: 1762
Date(s): June 17, 1862 to January 5, 1863
Participants: 140 Brazil/200 United Kingdom
Outcome (and Settlement): Released (Imposed)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: The British ship Prince of Wales was found shipwrecked in June 1861.
All crew members perished, and the British government was irritated about Brazil
only being able to produce four corpses upon request and suspected that the ship was
thoroughly looted. Brazil admitted to no wrongdoing and was unwilling to pay an
indemnity into May 1862. A second incident involved the crew of the British naval
vessel Forte on June 17, 1862. Three officers of the ship, dressed in plain clothes,
were arrested by a Brazilian sentry, thrown into the worst prison in the capital, and
were only released when the Brazilians learned that the three were in the service of
the British navy. Officially, the sentries accused the three of drunk and disorderly
conduct and filed depositions that they were attacked by the three sailors. Since no
reparation was forthcoming from Brazil regarding the Prince of Wales, and no apol-
ogy was forthcoming regarding the Forte crew, the British implemented a blockade.
The blockade began from December 31, and was to last until January 5. Five Brazilian
vessels were seized during the blockade. Brazil, under pressure, agreed to indemnify
Britain for the Prince of Wales and agreed to refer the matter of the Forte to the King