Kingdom and the United States established under the treaty for the purpose of suppressing the slave trade. The treaty created three mixed courts to be staffed by an equal number of British and American judges for the purposes of adjudicating cases arising under its provisions. The courts were to be held in New York, Sierra Leone, and the Cape of Good Hope (the latter two sites then being under the control of the British Empire). There was to be no appeal from the courts. In cases in which the British and American judge disagreed on a significant issue, the regulations annexed to the treaty set up an unusual tiebreaking system, whereby both nations appointed an 'adjudicator', one of whom was selected by the drawing of lots. The selected adjudicator then consulted with the two judges and voted on the case, with the final sentence or decision reflecting the majority position on each issue. The illegal transport of slaves from Africa to America dwindled in the years following the treaty's proclamation. The eventual abolition of slavery in the United States made future large-scale illegal importation of slaves highly unlikely. As a result, although the judges remained in office and were paid a salary until the courts were abolished in 1870, they never heard a case. See also Blockade of Africa References Further reading Henderson, Conway W. "The Anglo-American Treaty of 1862 in Civil War Diplomacy." Civil War History 15.4 (1969): 308-319 excerpt. Attribution This article contains content copied from the Federal Judicial Center, a source in the public domain. External links Text of Treaty at Avalon Law 1862 treaties United Kingdom–United States treaties Anti-slavery treaties Treaties of the United Kingdom (1801–1922) Abolitionism in the United Kingdom Abolitionism in the United States