In the late 1720s the Caribbean pirates’ flourishing community was brought to a screeching halt. An enhanced British naval presence was partly responsible for this. But, as I discuss in The Invisible Hook, most important in bringing pirates to their end was a series of early 18th-century legal changes that made it possible to effectively prosecute pirates.
Interesting. I had always assumed that old time piracy had ended because of a vigorous campaign on the part of the Royal Navy (which is indeed true). I had no idea there was a parallel legal war against piracy.
More here.
