My Lords The King having received Advices that not only the 4 New England Governments are in open and actual Rebellion, & that the People have been daring enough, amongst other Acts of Hostility to make Seizures of several Vessels, and to send the Crews to Prison, but also that the Flame has extended itself to most of the other Colonies, in which the greatest Violences have been committed, the Constitutional Authority of Government trampled upon, & the People armed & arrayed with an avowed Intention of Resistance by force to the Measures His Majesty has ordered to be pursued for restoring the public Peace and for protecting the Commerce of His Subjects, it is His Majesty's firm Resolution of which I am directed to acquaint your Lordships, that every measure be pursued for suppressing, by the most vigorous Efforts, by Sea and Land, this unnatural Rebellion which menaces the Subversion of the present happy Constitution. To this end it is His Majesty's Pleasure that the Admiral commanding upon the Boston Station, do carry on such Operations upon the Sea Coasts of the 4 Governments in New England as he shall judge most effectual for suppressing in Conjunction with His Majesty's Land Forces, the Rebellion which is now openly avowed and supported in those Colonies, and that he do seize and detain, untill His Majesty's pleasure be known, all Ships & Vessels belonging to the Inhabitants of those Colonies, such only excepted as he shall find upon good Evidence and Information to be bona fide the sole property of persons who have been in no shape concerned in the Rebellious Proceedings within those Colonies and have given Proof of their attachment to the Constitution by refusing to concur in the unwarrantable Measures which have been adopted to subvert it.ー
It is His Majesty's further pleasure that the utmost Expedition should be used for sending out the four Frigates now preparing in Consequence of my Letter to your Lordships of the 17 Ulto & that Vice Admiral [Samuel] Graves be instructed to make such a disposition of his Fleet as that, without crippling the Force necessary for the Service upon the Station where he commands in Person, a small detached Squadron under the Command of an able and discreet Officer, may be stationed at each of the following places Vizt at New York, in Delawar Bay, in Chesapeak Bay and within the Bar of Charles-Town, the Commanders of which Squadrons are to be instructed to do all that in them lays to prevent any Commerce between the Colonies of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland and the Carolinas, and any other places than Great Britain, Ireland, or His Majesty's Islands in the West Indies, including the Bermuda & Bahama Islands; to search every Vessel going into & coming out of any of the Ports of those Colonies, and to seize & detain them in every case in which they shall make any discovery of Contraband Trade, or Conveyance of Arms & Ammunition or military Stores of any kind.ー
It is His Majesty's further pleasure that the Commanders of those detached Squadrons should be instructed to receive on board His Majesty's Ships and to afford every reasonable accommodation to the Governors, or other Officers of the Colonies within their respective Stations who may be compelled by the Violence of the People to seek such an Asylum, and generally to afford every protection in their Power to any of His Majesty's Subjects who may require it, and further that the said Commanders do cause it to be publickly signified in all such Sea port Towns as are accessible to the King's Ships, that if any Violences shall hereafter be offered therein to any Officers of the Crown, or other peaceably disposed Subjects to His Majesty or if any Bodies of Men shall be raised and armed in the said Towns, or any Military works erected, otherwise than by order of His Majesty, or those acting under His Majesty's Authority, or if any attempts shall be made to seize or destroy any public Magazines of Arms, Ammunition, or other Stores, it will be the Duty of such Commander to proceed by the most vigorous Efforts, against the said Town, as in open Rebellion against the King; and it is His Majesty's Pleasure, that the Commander of each Squadron be further instructed, that if, after such Signification, any Town shall persist in the rebellious Acts above stated, he do proceed accordingly.
What further may be necessary must depend upon the Activity and Discretion of the Admiral, and of the Commanders of His Majesty's Ships in Events as they shall arise, And I have only to add that it is His Majesty's Pleasure that Your Lordships do lose no time in transmitting to Vice Admiral Graves such Instructions as shall correspond with the Directions contained in this Letter, giving him ground to expect that a further Augmentation, over and above the four Frgates, will be sent to him as soon as His Majesty's Service will permit.
I am &ca