the Corporation for the Relief and Support of the Sick, Maimed, and Disabled Seamen of the Merchant Service: and if such forfeiture be incurred in any outport, where a Corporation already is or may hereafter be established for those purposes, one moiety of the penalty is to be paid to the trustees for the use of such Corporation (33 Geo. III. c. 66, § 16; 43 Geo. III. c. 160, § 14).

Previously however to obtaining letters of marque, bail must be given with sureties before the lieutenant and judge of the High Court of Admiralty or his surrogate, in the sum of £3,000 sterling if the ship carry more than 150 men, and if she carry a less number in the sum of £1,500 sterling (Instructions for letters of marque, &c., Art. 15). Further, such sureties must prior to their being bound severally make oath before the Judge of the said Court of Admiralty of England, or Judge of any other Court of Admiralty in any other part of his Majesty's dominions, or his or their surrogates, that they are respectively worth more than the sum for which they are to be bound, over and above all their just debts. And in order to prevent frauds the Marshal of the Admiralty Court is enjoined to make diligent inquiry into the sufficiency of such bail and security, and to make report accordingly to the Judge or his surrogate before any commission or letter of marque can be granted (43 Geo. III. c. 160, § 12).

No Judge of any Vice-Admiralty Court established in the West Indian or American colonies can either directly or indirectly have any share or interest whatever in any privateer or letter of marque (41 Geo. III. c. 96, § 17). Nor can any judge, advocate, marshal, proctor, or any other officer of any Admiralty or Vice-Admiralty Court, either in England or in the Colonies possess any such interest, on pain of forfeiting his employment and also the sum of £500 to the use of his Majesty. And all advocates and proctors thus offending are for ever disqualified from practising their professions (33 Geo. III. c. 66, § 33; 43 Geo. III. c. 160, § 32).

Letters of marque are always subject to revocation.

APPENDIX C.

LETTERS OF MARQUE, OR PRIVATEER'S COMMISSION, 1812. GEORGE THE THIRD by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, to all people to whom these presents shall come, greeting. Whereas in consequence of the repeated insults and provocations which we have experienced from the Government of France we find ourselves compelled to take such measures as are necessary for maintaining the honour of our crown and the just rights of our subjects, and have, therefore, by and with the advice of our Privy Council, ordered that general reprisals be granted against the ships, goods and subjects of the French Republic, so that as well our fleets and ships as also all other ships and vessels that shall be commissionated by letters of marque and general reprisals or otherwise shall and may lawfully apprehend, seize and take the ships, vessels and goods belonging to the French Republic or to any persons being subjects of the French Republic or inhabiting within any of the territories of the French Republic, and bring the same to judgment in our High Court of Admiralty of England, or in any of our Courts of Admiralty within our dominions for proceedings and adjudication and condemnation to be thereupon had according to the course of Admiralty and the Laws of Nations; and whereas by our commission under our Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the 16th day of May, 1803, we have willed, required and authorized our Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of our said United Kingdom, or any person or persons by them empowered or appointed to issue forth and grant letters of marque and reprisals accordingly, and with such powers and clauses to be therein inserted, and in such manner as by our said commission more at large appeareth. And whereas our said Commissioners for executing the office of our High Admiral aforesaid have thought W. B. fitly qualified, who hath equipped, furnished and victualled a ship called the burthen of

about

shot of

tons (here descriptive particulars are added) and masts, mounted with

carriage guns, carrying

pounds weight, and

swivel-guns, and

navigated with

men, of whom one-third are landsmen,

and belonging to the port of whereof the said W. B. is commander, and that N. N. are the owners. And whereas the said W. B. hath given sufficient bail and sureties to us in our said High Court of Admiralty according to the effect and form set down in our instructions made the 17th day of the aforesaid month of May in the 43rd year of our reign, a copy of which is given to the said W. B. Know ye therefore that we do by these presents issue forth and grant letters of marque and reprisals to, and do license and authorize the said W. B. to set forth in a warlike manner the said ship called the under his own

command, and therewith by force of arms to apprehend, seize, and take the ships, vessels, and goods, belonging to the French Republic, or to any persons being subjects of the French Republic, or inhabiting within any of the territories of the French Republic, excepting only within the harbours or roads of princes and states in amity with us, and to bring the same to such port as shall be most convenient, in order to have them legally adjudged in our said High Court of Admiralty of England, or before the Judge of such other Admiralty Court as shall be lawfully authorized within our dominions, which being finally condemned, it shall and may be lawful for the said W. B. to sell and dispose of such ships, vessels, and goods so finally adjudged and condemned in such sort and manner as by the course of Admiralty hath been accustomed. Provided always that the said W. B. keep an exact journal of his proceedings, and therein particularly take notice of all prizes which shall be taken by him, the nature of such prizes, the times and places of their being taken, and the values of them as near as he can judge, as also of the station, motion, and strength of the French as well as he or his mariners can discover by the best intelligence he can get, and also of whatsoever else shall occur unto him or any of his officers or mariners or be discovered or declared unto him or them or found out by examination or conference with any mariners or passengers of or in any of the ships or vessels taken or by any other person or persons or by any other ways and means whatsoever touching or concerning the designs of the French or any of their fleets, vessels, or parties and of their stations, ports and places, and of their intents therein, and of what ships or vessels of the French bound out or home, or to any other place, as he or his officers or mariners shall hear of, and of what else material in those cases may arrive to his or their knowledge, of all which he shall from time to time as he shall or may

have opportunity transmit an account to our said Commissioners for executing the office of our High Admiral aforesaid or their secretary, and keep a correspondence with them by all opportunities that shall present. And further provided that nothing be done by the said W. B. or any of his officers, mariners, or company contrary to the true meaning of our aforesaid instructions, but that the said instructions shall by them and each and every of them as far as they or any of them are therein concerned in all particulars be well and truly performed and observed. And We pray and desire all kings, princes, potentates, states, and republics being our friends and allies and all others to whom it shall appertain to give the said W. B. all aid, assistance, and succour in their ports with his ship, company, and prizes without doing or suffering to be done to him any wrong, trouble, or hindrance We offering to do the like when we shall be thereunto desired, and We will and require all our officers whatsoever to give him succour and assistance as occasion shall require. In witness whereof we have caused the Great Seal of our said Court to be hereunto affixed. Given at London the fifth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twelve, and in the fifty-second of our reign.

REGISTRAR.

APPENDIX D.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRIVATEERS, 21 JUNE, 1815.

In the name and on the behalf of His Majesty,
GEORGE P. R.

INSTRUCTIONS for the commanders of such merchant ships or vessels who shall have letters of marque and reprisals for private men-of-war, against the ships, goods, and subjects of France by virtue of our commission granted under our Great Seal of our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date the twenty-first day of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifteen. Given at our Court at Carlton House the twenty-first day of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifteen, in the fifty-fifth year of our reign.

ARTICLE I.-That it shall be lawful for the commanders of ships, authorized by letters of marque and reprisals for men-of

♦

war, to set upon by force of arms and subdue and take the men-of-war, ships, and vessels, goods, wares, and merchandises belonging to France, or to any persons being subjects of France, or inhabiting within any of the territories of France, saving always such exceptions as we shall at any time or times hereafter be pleased to declare; but so as that no hostility be committed, nor prize attacked, seized or taken within the harbours of princes and states in amity with Us, or in their rivers or roads, within the shot of their cannon, unless by permission of such princes or states, or of their commanders or governors-inchief in such places.

II. That the commanders of the ships and vessels so authorized as aforesaid shall bring all ships, vessels, and goods which they shall seize and take into such port of this our realm of England, or some other port of our dominions as shall be most convenient for them, in order to have them legally adjudged in our High Court of Admiralty of England, or before the Judge of any other Admiralty Court lawfully authorized within our dominions.

III.—That after such ships, vessels, and goods shall be taken and brought into any port, the taker, or one of his chief officers, or some other person present at the capture, shall be obliged to bring or send as soon as possibly may be three or four of the principal of the company (whereof the master, supercargo, mate, or boatswain, to be always two) of every ship or vessel so brought into port before the Judge of our High Court of Admiralty of England, or his surrogate, or before the Judge of such other Admiralty Court within our dominions lawfully authorized as aforesaid, or such person or persons as shall be lawfully commissioned in that behalf, to be sworn and examined upon such interrogatories as shall tend to the discovery of the truth concerning the interest or property of such ship or ships, vessel or vessels, and of the goods, merchandises, and other effects found therein; and the taker shall be further obliged at the time he produceth the company to be examined, and before any monition shall be issued to bring and deliver into the hands of the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty of England, his surrogate, or Judge of such other Admiralty Court within our dominions lawfully authorized, or others commissioned as aforesaid, all such papers, passes, sea briefs, charter parties, bills of lading, cockets, letters, and other documents and writings, as shall be delivered up or found on board any ship; the taker or one of