My Lord

Having received a letter from Vice Admira} [James] Young, Commander in chief of His Majesty's Ships & Vessels at the leeward Islands, dated at Antigua the 8 March last, ² giving an account of sundry armed Vessels, without any Commissions, having been fitted out from those Islands to Cruize and make Capture of American Vessels &ca on the High Seas, and of the Steps which he had taken to put a stop to such proceedings, and also of the Actions which had thereupon been brought against him; We send your Lordship herewith, for His Majesty's Information, Copies of the said Letter and it's Inclosures, together with a Copy of the Duplicate of the Vice Admiral's letter of the 12th February on the same Subject, therein referred to, the original of which is not yet come to hand.

We do not take upon us to form any judgement upon the legality of the proceedings abovementioned; But we cannot avoid reminding your Lordship that all private Ships of War, or Ships having Letters of Marque, besides the Commissions issuing from the Admiralty, have always delivered to them a body of Instructions under the Royal Signet and Sign Manual, which we presume are meant to restrain such Ships from committing any Enormities, and to avoid unnecessarily offending foreign States; Whereas, on the con'trary, the Ships armed and fitted out in the manner beforementioned without Commissions have no other Instructions than what the Owners themselves think fit to give them; And if we may judge of such Instructions in general by those which have fallen into our hands, they do not only require them to seize American Vessels, but to visit all Ships whether British or belonging to foreign States. The Memorandum at the foot thereof declaring in express terms "the proper Vessels to take as Prises are

All belonging to American Subjects in Rebellion.
Any Vessel having onboard the Property of such Rebels.
Any Vessel having counterfeitt Papers and American Produce onboard.
Any Vessel without Papers, not Droughers, about an Island, with such Produce.

The consequences that may result from these Practices are so obvious, that it is unnecessary for us to enlarge upon them.

We are, therefore, upon the whole, to desire that your Lordship, when you have laid this Matter before the King will signify to Us His Majesty's pleasure what Answer we shall give to Vice Admiral Young, or what Instructions we shall send Him for his Guidance and future Conduct. We are &ca