Whereas the Earl of Suffolk one of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State acquainted us, by his Letter of the 14h Instant, that, upon Intelligence received that several Vessels bound to North America from the Port of London had taken on board Arms and Ammunition orders were given to the Commissioners of His Majesty's Customs to direct their Officers to search those Vessels but that there was reason to apprehend that the Intention of such search had been, and would be, eluded by Vessels bound to North America taking in Arms and Ammunition after they get below Gravesend; and whereas it hath been represented to our Secretary, by Letter from his Lordship's office of Yesterday's date, that further orders have been given to the said Commissioners to station two or three Cutters for visiting and searching all Vessels bound to North America in their passage from the River to the Downes, and that, in case the Officers of such Cutters shall stand in need of the Assistance of His Majesty's Ships, they do, upon coming in sight of such Ships, hoist a Custom House Jack at the Mast head; You are hereby required and directed to repair in the Sloop you command, without a moment's loss of time, into the five fathom Channel, and use your best endeavours to intercept, seize, and bring into Port, all Ships and Vessels having on board Gunpowder, arms, or ammunition prohibited to be carried Coastwise or to be transported into Ports beyond the Seas by His Majesty's order in Council of the 5h of April last (which with our order thereupon is herewith sent to you) and in case any Cutters, or other Vessels belonging to the Commissioners of His Majesty's Customs shall come in sight and make the Signal above mentioned, you are to give their Officers respectively such assistance as they may stand in need of in intercepting, visiting, and searching Vessels bound to North America, and if such Vessels shall have any of the abovementioned Articles on board without a proper licence for that purpose in conveying them afterwards in safety into the first convenient Port to be proceeded against according to Law. Given &c the 18h August 1775