Captain William Bell Master of the Arm'd Sloop Reprisal

Sir Your Conduct being such as to merit our attention, We have accordingly appointed you to the Command of our Sloop Reprisal, in the Stead of Captain Downey, who hath desir'd to resign his Command: and as his good Fortune by falling in with Two American Vessels hath prevented him pursuing the intended Voyage to Barbadoes, we desire you wou'd folow our Instructions as herein after mentioned so far as Wind Weather and other Circumstances will Permit.

As soon as you can get on board the necessary Stores and Water, and your Compliment of Men, we desire you woud Stand to the Northward under easy Sail running as far to the Windward of St Bartholomew and St Martins as just to distinguish the Land, shortening Sail as you pass those Islands, then Steer North if the Wind is northerly, or NNE if the Wind is Southerly continueing under easy Sail as far as the Latitude 22 north then Tack and stand to the Southwd under easy Sail till you see Barbuda, then make all Sail and go to windward of Antigua and Grandterre, and as soon as you See the Latter Shorten Sail, and proceed to Windward of Dominica and Martinico towards St Lucia, and Cruize to Windward of these Islands till you think your Provissions are expended to a fortnights allowance, when it will become necessary to compleat your Voyage to Barbadoes and our further orders there. —

We have particularly recommended great care of your Water, and to loose no opportunity of ketching any Rain, we also desire you wou'd very frequently inspect both Water and Provissions, and set down in your Log-Book when you broach a Cask, and Once a Week set down how many Remains so as not to be unexpectedly disappointed in falling Short, we likewise recommend to you to be particularly Carefull in the disposing of your Powder; Shot, and Small Arms that you may not be at a loss to find any thing if you should be obliged to engage with a Vessel, and so as to prevent any from Spoiling, and when you find the Sloop in good trim, take great pains not to loose her Trim, as your Success depends almost intirely on the Vessels Sailing. —

If you fall in with a Man of War, shew the officers your clearance (if he demands the papers) and particularly your List of Men, an1 if. you shou'd have on board any Men not mentioned in the List, you must hide them for fear of their being ,impress'd by the Man of War: he cant take any Man mentioned in the List from the Custom House: If you are so fortunate as to take a Prize, you must be govern'd by her Value, to Cruize with her a Month if you are at a distance from this Island and She is not worth more than £1000. a Week only if she is worth £2000. and to come away immediatly if she is worth £3000. if your Prize Sails well and has Conveneancies we recommend you to put on board 2 Small Guns and a few Swivels and to fix some Wooden Guns as she may help you in chase and perhaps by appearance prevent a large Privateer from attacking you both, pray leave two of the Prizes Men on board to prove her being taken by you and be very carefull not to loose Sight of your Prize if of any Great Value and as by chasing you may be Seperated take care to appoint a place of Rendezvouz with the Prize Master as soon as he goes on board, and renew it as often as requir'd, and fix Signals by day and by Night and give different Signals for each Prize, for fear of their falling into the Enemies hands and your being decoy'd thereby, and as .jt Sometimes happens by light Winds Under the High Land of some of the Islands you may be Seperated, on your way to this Island pray appoint a place to meet, where the Wind blows true either at the end of that Island, or of the next Island, but if you .can get to Windward of the Islands, it is the Safest passage: and at any rate bring your Prize into this Island unless you fall in with a Man of War, and the Captain should insist on having possession in which case you must Continue your Men on board and follow the Prize to wherever the Captain may order her; and when She gets to Port you must apply to some respectable Merchant to employ a Lawyer, and as soon .as the Officer of the Man of War libells her you must put in a Claim for the Owners: if an opportunity offers for this Island, write your Owners immediately, but if not, as soon as you have put in your Claim and proved your Capture by the deposition of One of your Prize officers or Seamen, you m.ust come with your Vessel to inform us, and we will take care to prosecute the Captain for the unjust detention.

We have given you Mr [Thomas] Warne~ the Attorney Ge~erals opinion, that we have a right to take American Rebels Vessels, which we desire you wo[uld] shew to the Captain of any Man of War, who thinks we have no right to take Vessels, and we have given you several Copies of that Opinion one of which you may give to such Captain if he desires it; and you may also shew the Captain these our orders, as we mean to be open and Candid, and wish to Shew the officers of the Navy our respect for them and that this Adventure is not in opposition to them, but to the Rebellious Americans, and to make Recaptures for our very heavy losses by this Rebellion, for altho' we might be protected by a Court of Admiralty now, and by his Majesty on an appeal for defending our property by force; if a Captain of a Man of War should determine to take possession of your Vessel, or your Prize, yet we desire you wou'd not contest the matter with the Smallest Vessel, bearing the Kings Commission but Submit to their orders and go along with one or both as it happens, and if you are carried to another Island follow our orders as before Mentioned; — We have also given you 2 Copies of Instructions to prize Masters, and we desire you woud give to each Prize Master One of these Instructions and One of Mr Warner's opinions, for we are sure of having redress in time, the Law being in our favor; We most heartily wish you health and Success, and are Your Freinds.

N B the Signal given the Prize Masters must be enter'd in .the Log-Book immediatly and the places of Rendezvouz, the same when alterd according to your different Stations must be enter'd in the Log-Book, as soon as you inform the prize Master, so that your Mates or any other officer may Know them if an accident happens to yourself —

Memorandum.

The proper Vessels to take as Prizes are,
All belonging to American Subjects in Rebellion
Any Vessel having on board the property of such Rebells,
Any Vessel having Counterfeit papers and American Produce on board.
Any Vessel without papers, not Droughers about an Island with such p[roduce]

[Endorsed] Instructions given by the Owners of the Private Armed Sloop Reprisal, to William Bell the Person appointed by them to Command her.

[Second endorsement] No 12 Containg Custom house papers. Instructions. Agreements found on board the private Armed Vessels Seized by His Majestys Ships of War.

[Admiralty endorsement] In Adml Young's Letter Dated 8 March 1777 —