My Lords,

There being reason to beleive that a Ship, supposed to be now on her Passage from Quebec, may have on board some Rebels; who have been taken Prisoners in that Province; I am commanded by the King, to signify to Your Lordships His Majesty's Pleasure, that you do give Instructions to the Commanders of His Majesty's Ships & Vessels, in their different Stations upon the Coast of Great Britian, that they do, immediately upon the Arrival of any Ship or Vessel from Quebec, send a proper Officer on board, and in case it shall be found that there are any Rebel Prisoners in the Custody of the Master of the said Ship or Vessel, that they do take the said Prisoners on board His Majesty's Ship; But if the Person having Custody of such Prisoners shall make any difficulty of delivering them up, in that case to detain the Vessel until His Majesty's Pleasure be known.