In pursuance to an order from Vice Admiral [Graves].

You are hereby required and directed to observe and punctually obey the following Orders and directions during the present Rebellion, or untill you receive contrary Orders from the Admiral, or any other your Superior officer vizt

You are to Seize and detail all Ships and Vessels belonging to the inhabitants of the Four New England Provinces and Send them to Boston or to any other Port in America where they may be safely kept until his Majesty's pleasure is known concerning them; And you are in all Cases of Seizure and detention as aforesaid to Transmit to me an account thereof according [to] the form annexed, And to give strict directions to the Officers put on board to prevent Embezzlement, and upon his arrival at Boston, to report to me or the commanding officer at any other Port, the Condition of the Vessel, and if any part of the Cargo is in danger of perishing.

You are to do all that is in your power to prevent any commerce between the Colonies of New York, Jersey, Pensilvania, Virginia, Maryland and the Carolinas, and other places than Great Britain, Ireland or [his] Majesty's Islands in the West Indies, Including the Bermuda, Bahama Islands; To search every vessel going into and coming out of the Ports in these Colonies; and to Seize and detain them in every case in which you shall make any discovery of Contraband Trade or Conveyance of Arms and Ammunition Milatary or Naval Stores of any kind.

You are to receive on board and afford every reasonable accomodation to the Governors or other officers of the Colonies within their respective Stations who may be compelled by the violence of the people to seek such an asylum And generally to afford every protection in your power to any of his Majesty's Subjects who may require it, And further you are hereby required and directed to cause it to be publickly Signified in all such Sea Port Towns as are accessable to the Kings Ships, that if any violence shall hereafter be offered to any of the Officers of the Crown or other peaceably disposed Subjects to His Majesty; or if any Bodies of Men shall be raised and Armed in the said Towns or any military works erected otherwise than by order of his Majesty or those acting under his Authority, or if any attempts shall be made to Seize or distroy any publick Magazines of Arms, Amunition or other Stores it will be your duty to proceed by the most vigorous Efforts, against the Said Town as in open Rebellion against the King; And if after such Signification, any Town shall persist in the Rebellious Acts above Stated, You are hereby required and directed to proceed accordingly. It being his Majesty's firm Resolution, that every measure be pursued for Suppressing by the most vigorous Efforts by Sea and Land this unnatural Rebellion which menaces the Subversion of the present happy Constitution.

And Whereas there is ground to Suspect that many people in England hold a Traitorous correspondence with his Majesty's Rebellious Subjects in North America, You are hereby most Strictly required and directed to Stop and Search all Merchant Ships and Vessels bound to and from North America, and carefully examine every Letter on board; and all those that shall in your opinion contain any matter tending to aid abet or advise the Rebellious proceedings of His Majesty's Subjects in North America, to Secure and Send them to me, carefully Sealed up by the Safest and quickest conveyance.

You are to observe the same conduct with respect to all Letters containing Intelligence of present or intended operations of the Rebels, or any other information proper for me to be acquainted with.

You are also to Seize and Send to Boston, all Ships and Vessels belonging to any of the other Colonies in North America, Laden with Provisions, Rum, Live Cattle, Hay, Salt, Lumber, Melasses, Fuel or any Sort of Naval Stores whither they are in Breach of any Act of Trade or not, Constantly Transmitting me accounts thereof as before directed upon Seizing the Ships and Vessels belonging to the Four New England provinces or Governments.

And Whereas the Rebels are Striving to Equip a Naval Force to intercept Supplies coming to the Army or Fleet at Boston; And to oppose the Small Ships and Vessels of His Majesty's Squadron, You are to take or destroy these Pirates wherever they can be found, and all Vessels of Whatever denomination, the property of the Rebels, in the Harbours or on the Coasts of the Four New England Governments; And also all those in the other Colonies that are Arming or are evidently intended to be employed in the Rebellion against his Majesty.

Whenever it can be done you are to Seize any of the Delagates to the Congress, the Rebel General officers or principal aiders and abettors of the Rebellion, and keep them prisoners until you can Safely deliver them to me; And you are to Seize all Vessels carrying Emigrants from Great Britain to the Colonies and send them to Boston or Rhode Island. Given under my hand at Halifax the 8th Novr 1775