At the Court of St. James's the 17 Day of May, 1776,
Present,
Whereas the Time limited by his Majesty's Order in Council of the 21st of February last, for prohibiting the Exporting out of this Kingdom, or Carrying Coastwise, Gunpowder, Saltpetre, or any Sort of Arms or Ammunition, will expire on the 23d of this Instant May; and whereas it is judged expedient that the said Prohibition should be continued for some Time longer, except in those Cases where (for the .benefit and Advantage of Trade, and for the Use and Defence of Ships trading to Foreign Parts, and of the Transports and Victualling Vessels employed in His Majesty's Service) His Majesty, by His several Orders in Council, of the 13th and 27th of October, and of the 6th and 22d of November, 1775, and of the 5th and 19th of February last, has thought proper to permit and allow the Exportation of, and Carrying Coastwise, Gunpowder, Saltpetre, Arms and Ammunition under certain conditions and Restrictions mentioned in the said Orders ー His Majesty doth therefore, by and with the Advice of His Privy Council, hereby order, require, prohibit, and command, That no Person or Persons whomsoever (except the Master-General, Lieutenant General, or Priilcipal Officers of the Ordnance for His Majesty's Service, do) at any Time during the Space of Three Months, to commence from the said 23d Day of this Instant May, presume to transport into any Parts out of this Kingdom, or carry Coastwis~, any Gunpowder, Saltpetre, or any Sort of Arms or Ammunition, or ship or lade any Gunpowder, or any Sort of Arms and Ammunition, on Board any Ship or Vessel, in order to transporting the same beyond the Seas, or carrying the same Coastwise, except in the Cases comprized within the aforementioned Orders in Council of the 13th and 27th of October, and the 6th and 22d of November, 1775; and of the 5th and 19th. of February last, without Leave or Permission in that Behalf first obtained from His Majesty or His Privy Council, upon Pain of incurring and suffering the respective Forfeitures and Penalties inflicted by an Act passed in the 29th Year of His late Majesty's Reign, entituled, "An Act to impower His Majesty to prohibit the Exportation of Saltpetre, and to enforce the Law for empowering His Majesty to prohibit the Exportation of Gunpowder, or any Sort of Arms and Ammunition;' and also to impower His Majesty to restrain the Carrying Coastwise of Saltpetre, Gunpowder, or any Sort of Arms or Ammunition." And the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, the Commissioners for Executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain, the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, the Master General of the Ordnance, and His Majesty's Secretary at War, are to give the necessary Directions herein as to them may respectively appertain. Steph. Cottrell.