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Whereas a Chief Object in the appointment of the large naval Force destined to be employed in North America, has been for carrying into Execution the Provisions of an Act passed in the last Session of Parliament for preventing all Trade and Intercourse with the several Colonies and Provinces therein mentioned; And I have thought it necessary to put the Ships intended to be stationed on the Southern Parts of this Continent under your particular Direction for that Purpose, until further Order: You are therefore hereby directed to repair as soon as may be in His Majesty's Ship the Preston with the other Ships named in the Margin [Brune and Emerald] to Chesepeak Bay, where you are to establish your present Chief Station in the mean time, and in such part thereof as You see fit. And You are to appoint the said Ships, in conjunction with those you may find within the Limits of your command, or which may be hereafter sent to you, to such Stations between the Eastern Point of the River Delaware and Southern Extremity of the Province of Georgia & Coast of East Florida provisionally, as you shall judge from information obtained, and your further knowledge of the Ports and Shores thereof, they may be best employed on, correspondent to the intentions of the Legislature in the said Act expressed: And also to prevent the King's rebellious Subjects from succeeding in their endeavors to procure Supplies of Ammunition and other military Stores, And to take or destroy their Armed Vessels, by every Means in your power.

You are nevertheless at liberty in respect to these Instructions to grant, and it is advisable to take all suitable opportunities to allow, the Inhabitants dwelling upon the Coasts adjacent to the Stations of the Ships under your Orders, the use of their ordinary Fishing-Craft, or other means of providing for their daily subsistence and support; where the same does not seem liable to any material abuse. And in your Signification thereof to the several Captains You are to recommend to them to encourage and cultivate all amicable Correspondence with the said Inhabitants to gain their good will and confidence, whilst they demean themselves in a peaceable and orderly manner; And to grant them every other Indulgence which the necessary Restrictions from their Trade conformable to the Tenor of the before recited Act, will admit: In order to conciliate their friendly Dispositions, and to detach them from the Prejudices they have imbibed, to the subversion of all legal authority in the different Provinces concerned.

If by the Capture of any Trading Ships ofthe Rebels, or Ships armed for War, the Ships of the Squadron under your Command should be encumbered with a number of Prisoners not inclined to enter for the Service; You are permitted to cause and direct an Exchange to be made of the same, against any British Prisoners, Officer for Officer, claiming equal Rank in the said Armed Ships, and Sailor for Sailor, as by any communication for that purpose, which the Captains may have opportunity to open with the Inhabitants of the Provinces having such British Prisoners in Possession, they are able to effect, But if being unable to make such advantageous Exchange, they are likely to be forced to quit their Stations because of the number of prisoners they may have on board, You are in that Case equally permitted to direct the landing of such Prisoners as were not taken in Arms; In the provinces to which they belong, or where more convenient with respect to the purpose of the cruising Instructions which shall have been given to the Captains subject to that Inconvenience.

You are to co-operate with the Commander in Chief or other General Officer commanding His Majesty's Land Forces by every means suggested to you, wherein you are able to promote the King's Service, and for restoring Order and legal Government in the Colonies and Provinces in which the re-establishment thereof is still opposed.

And You are finally to transmit by every safe Conveyance, the most particular account of your proceedings in the employment of the Ships under your Direction, the incidents that occur, and the Stations on which they are placed from time to time, with the Condition of them, as Change of Circumstances may require. And you are to communicate by such Opportunities all Intelligence you may be able to gain of the practices and design of the Rebels for strengthening themselves in their illegal Resistance; With the measures that in your judgment appear most effectual for preventing the Success of their hostile purposes. That I may be better able to suit the general Arrangement of the Ships of the Squadron to provide accordingly for these and the several other equally important services which I have in charge.
Given on board His Majesty's Ship Eagle off New York the 23d Day of December 1776.

[Endorsed] No 2 In Lord Howe's Lre of the 15 Janry 77