[Extract]
His Majesty having decided that the Frigate la Renommée will cruise off the coast of St. Domingue, he issues these particular instructions to Captain de Monteil in order to acquaint him with the nature of his mission and the line of conduct he will maintain with respect to the command of his frigate, his Crew, the victuals and the salutes.
As soon as the said frigate is ready and the winds are favorable, M. de Monteil is to get under way and leave the road of Brest....
Upon his arrival at Port au Prince, he will communicate the present Instructions to the Commandant of the Colony and M. de Vaivren, Intendant, and he will comply with the orders contained in his particular Instructions relative to his operations and his cruise while he will be stationed in this Colony.
One of the main objects of M. de Monteil's mission during his cruise is to stop the trade which foreigners might try to carry in to St. Domingue. In this end, His Majesty orders him to remain constantly at sea and to put into ports and roads only when he will receive special orders in writing from the said Commandant a copy of which he will send to the Secretary of State in charge of the department of the Navy upon his return in order to establish the length of his calls as well as the extraordinary expenses which they may have caused....
The campaign of the frigate la Renommée will last seven months as of the date of her departure from Brest....
He will salute all the ships of the crowned heads flying our flag or some other mark senior to his. However, he will not salute English ships regardless of their flag and he will not request to be saluted by them; he will act likewise if he has to put into the places and dominions of the King of England.
