Their High Mightinesses the States General have this Day issued a Proclamation, of which the following is a Translation:

PROCLAMATION

The States General of the United Provinces, To all who shall see, or hear these Presents read. Greeting:

Be it known that We, for particular Reasons Us thereunto moving, have thought fit absolutely to prohibit, and We hereby absolutely do prohibit, all Exportation of Ammunition, Gunpowder, Guns, and Shot, by Ships belonging to the Dominions of Great Britain, provisionally for the Term of Six Months, upon Pain not only of Confiscation of the Arms and Ammunition which shall be found there on Board, but also of a Fine of a Thousand Guilders over and above, at the Charge of the Commander, whose Ship shall be answerable and liable to Execution for the same.

That We have further thought fit to enact, and We do hereby enact, that during the abovesaid Term of Six Months, no Gunpowder, Guns, Shot, or other Instruments of War, shall be embarked on Board any other Ships, whether Foreign or belonging to this Country, to be transported Abroad, without Consent or Permission of the College of Admiralty under whose jurisdiction the Embarkation shall be made, under Pain of Confiscation of the Arms, Gunpowder, Guns, Shot, or other Ammunition, which shall have been embarked without Permission, and of the Commander's incurring a Fine of a Thousand Guilders, on Board of whose Ship the said Arms and Ammunition shall have been embarked, and his Ship be answerable and liable to Execution for the said Fine.

And, that no one may pretend Ignorance hereof, We call upon and require the States, the Hereditary Stadtholder, the Committee of Council, and the Deputations of the States, of the respective Provinces, and all other the Officers and Justices of these Countries, to cause this our Proclamation to be forthwith promulged, published, and affixed, in all Places where such Publication is wont to be made. And We do further charge and command the Counsellors of the Admiralty, the Advocates General, together with all Admirals, Vice-Admirals, Captains, Officers and Commanders to pay Obedience to this Our Proclamation, proceeding and causing to be proceeded against the Transgressors thereof, without Favour, Connivance, Dissimulation, or Composition. ー For such have We found meet.

Given at the Hague, under the Seal of the State, the Signature of the President or Our Assembly, and the Counter-Signature of Our Greffier, the 20th Day of March, 1775.

By Order of the States General,

(Counter-Signed) H. Fagel.

To which was affixed the Seal of their High Mightinesses.