Draft of Instructions corresponding to those of the Spanish Court for the four Frigates and the three Corvettes which His Majesty proposes to keep operational and on observation cruises in the Windward Islands and Santo Domingo.

His Majesty having deemed necessary to keep four frigates and three corvettes stationed in the American Sea, these instructions will explain to M. ———— to whom is entrusted the Command of ———— the line of conduct he is to maintain during his cruise and inform him more perfectly of the object of his mission. H.M. thought it pertinent to disclose to him the respective missions of the other frigates or corvettes and to indicate to him the areas to be guarded by the said frigates and corvettes of H.M. as well as by those of H.Cath.M. [His Catholic Majesty.]

The precautions which must be observed in the present circumstances require that particular attention be directed to the routes which the English might follow as they sail from:the New England Ports to the Gulf of Mexico, the Island of Cuba, Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe and Martinique.

Spain will direct four frigates to cruise in the following waters:

One to cruise 30 or 40 leagues Northward of the North East point of Puerto Rico.

A second one will cruise between the western point of Puerto Rico and the eastern point of Santo Domingo.

A third one, between the eastern point of Cuba and Mayaguana.

A fourth one, between the western point of Cuba and Vezil [Sisal?] and the place where one begins to take soundings before reaching Campeche.

By these dispositions, all passages on the lee-side of the Antilles are guarded by Spanish frigates; and it would be difficult for the English to reach the Gulf of Mexico without being sighted by one of these frigates stationed there on observation.

The Frigates and Corvettes which H.M. proposes to keep armed in the American Sea will receive the following assignments:

The Frigate L'Aigrette under the command of Captain Thomas Dorves will cruise to windward of Martinique and patrol Northward as far as the parallel of the southern point of Guadeloupe or that of Marie Galante and Southward as far as the parallel of the North Eastern point of St. Lucia.

The Frigate La Licorne under the command of Captain de Peynier will cruise to windward of Guadeloupe and will extend her cruise Northward as far as the parallel of Barbuda and Southward as far as the parallel of Dominica.

These two frigates will observe the English ships that will come to scout the Antilles in order to pass either to the North, or to the South of these Islands, or through the channels lying between them.

The Corvette Le Rossignol commanded by Lieutenant de L'abbadie will cruise to leeward of Martinique and will maintain such a course that she will always be able to reach Guadeloupe.²

The Corvette Le Rossignol³ commanded by Lieutenant Dussault will cruise to leeward of Guadeloupe and will extend her cruise towards Saint Christopher.

The Corvette L'Etourdie commanded by Lieutenant Le Begue will cruise to the North of the French Cape of Santo Domingo and will extend her cruise towards the Caicos Islands.⁴

The Frigate La Renommée, commanded by Captain de Monteil will cruise off St. Nicholas Mole and towards the Great Inagua.⁵

This Frigate and the Corvette Le Serin will observe the Ships that might want to reach the Old Channel.

Finally, the Frigate La Tourterelle, commanded by Captain Beaussier de Chateauvert, will cruise to the South of Fort St. Louis to Santo Domingo in order to observe the Ships which might pass through the Channel between this Island and Jamaica.

The only instructions which H.M. will give to the Commanders of his Frigates and Corvettes destined to cruise in the waters as directed above in order to observe the possible movements of the English Squadrons are limited to the following points to which M. ———— will pay the greatest attention.

1) They should hide as much as possible, even from their crews, the purpose of their cruise.

2) They should all act in concert exchanging intelligence which may guide them as much, of course, as distances and circumstances will allow it, while each one will keep strictly to the primary object of his mission.

3) With regard to inspecting and detaining of English Vessels, they should not stray from the general practice which has been followed up to now, that is to say, they should pretend that they are trying to stop smuggling on the coasts of the Isles beloging to H.M.; but each time they will be able to detain some Vessel on these just grounds they will attempt to obtain information as to the destination, movements, and business of the Ships of the English Fleet.

4) Rather than trying to intercept the illicit trade of the Americans, they should be more concerned with maintaining their cruises at fairly good distance in order to keep the English Frigates away and to prevent their daring to come too close to the French Isles or visit the harbors and various anchorages as they have already done.

5) In the event that a Vessel from New England, belonging to the Insurgents, would be pursued by an English Frigate and would ask for the protection of the French Flag, the Commanders of the King's Frigates and Corvettes will grant it to her, and if in spite of the declaration made to this effect the English Frigate still attempts to seize her, the said Commanders will oppose such an action and will use the forces entrusted to them by H.M.

6) They will act likewise with regard to Neutral Vessels having left European or American Ports and laden with ammunition or other kinds of Aid for the Insurgents; and in the event that one of these Vessels would be pursued by an English Frigate and would ask for the protection of the King's Flag, the Commanders of His Majesty's Frigates and Corvettes would not allow that said Vessel be inspected. But in both preceding cases, they are not to move towards said Vessels and must wait until circumstances bring those close enough to ask for the protection of the King's Flag, nor are they to tryand facilitate through their own manoeuvres those which the said Vessels may make in order to approach His Majesty's Frigates and Corvettes.

7) They should be prompt to communicate to the French Governors all the intelligence they will receive and their own findings, particularly to the Governor more concerned by this Information than the others by reason of securing the Colony whose defence is entrusted to him.

8) In pertinent cases the same information should be given to the Governors of the main Spanish Colonies because, independently from the fact that both Nations share the same interest in this matter, the subjects of His Catholic Majesty will endeavour on their part to obtain other intelligence which they will heedfully communicate to the French Governors.

9) If they should encounter His Catholic Majesty's Warships and Frigates, they should conduct themselves towards their Commanding Officers with suitable courtesy and trust and exchange informationthey might have which might be useful to the Service of both Monarchs.

10) Finally, at every available opportunity they should approach Vessels returning to France and those arriving in American waters, and use the former to acquaint His Majesty and the latter to acquaint the French Governors with everything of interest they may have discovered or learned during their cruise.

The Commanders of the Frigates and Corvettes will coordinate all their operations with the Commandants of the Islands where they will be stationed.

His Majesty enjoins the said Commanders to remain at sea as long as possible and to put into Port only when pressing needs will compel them to do so or when they will have intelligence for the Commandants of the Colonies.

Versailles, 31 May 1776
​Approved in the hand of the King