prodnod,  or  mantifiEtctare  of  liis  majesty's  dominions ;  and  whereas  tlie
mid  Ooyernment  lias  also  taken  upon  itself  to  declare  all  his  majesty's
dominions  to  be  in  a  state  of  Blockade,  at  a  time  when  the  fleets  of  Fiance
and  her  allies  are  themselves  confined  within  their  own  ports  by  the
flupeiior  valour  and  discipline  of  the  British  navy ;  and  whereas  snob
aittempts  on  the  part  of  the  enemy  would  give  to  his  majesty  an  nnqnes-
tionable  right  of  retaliation,  and  wonld  warrant  his  majesty  in  enfbreiDg
the  same  prohibition  of  all  commerce  with  France,  which  that  Power
n^l^l  ^^^y  ^op^  ^  effect  against  the  commerce  of  his  ^majesty's
1-        J  subjects,  a  prohibition  which  the  superiority  of  his  majest/s
naval  forces  might  enable  him  to  support,  by  actually  investing  the  ports
and  coasts  of  the  enemy  with  numerous  squadrons  and  cruisers,  so  as  to
make  the  entrance  or  approach  thereto  manifestiy  dangerous ;  and  whereas
his  majesty,  though  unwilling  to  follow  the  example  of  his  enemies,  by
proceeding  to  an  extremity  so  distressing  to  all  nations  not  engaged  in
tiie  war,  and  carrying  on  their  accustomed  trade,  yet  feels  himself  bounds
by  a  due  regard  to  the  just  defence  of  the  rights  and  interests  of  his
people,  not  to  suffer  such  measures  to  be  taken  by  the  enemy,  without
taking  some  steps  on  his  part  to  restrain  tiiis  violence,  and  to  retort  upon
them  the  evils  of  their  own  injustice }  his  majesty  is  thereupon  pleased,
by  and  with  the  advice  of  his  Privy  Council,  to  order,  and  it  is  hereby
ordered,  that  no  vessel  shall  be  permitted  to  trade  from  one  port  to
another,  both  which  ports  shall  belong  to,  or  be  in  the  possession  of
France  or  her  allies,  or  shall  be  so  far  under  their  control  as  that  British
vessels  may  not  freely  trade  tiiereat ;  and  the  commanders  of  his  majesty's
ships  of  war  and  privateers  shall  be,  and  are  hereby  instructed  to  warn
evexy  neutral  vessel  coming  from  any  such  port,  and  destined  to  another
such  port,  to  discontinue  her  voyage,  and  not  to  proceed  to  any  such
port ;  and  any  vessel,  after,  being  so  warned,  or  any  vessel  coming  fh>m
any  such  port,  after  a  reasonable  time  shall  have  been  afforded  for  re-
ceiving information  of  this  his  majesty's  orders,  which  shidl  be  found
proceeding  to  another  such  port,  shall  be  captured  and  brought  in,  and,
togetiier  with  her  cargo  shall  be  condemned  as  lawful  prise. 