[Concerning Passes for Ships.]

BY THE KING.

A PROCLAMATION

Requiring Passes formerly granted to Ships and Vessels trading in the Way of the Algerine Cruizers, to be returned into the Office of the Admiralty of Great Britain; and other Passes to be issued of a New Form.

George R.

Whereas by Our Royal Proclamation bearing Date the Fourth Day of October,[1] in the First Year of Our Reign, We did Charge and Require, that the Owners and Masters of all Ships and Vessels belonging to Our loving Subjects of Great Britain and Ireland, as well as Our Foreign Governments and Plantations, which should have Occasion to trade to Portugal, the Canaries, Guinea, the Indies, into the Mediterranean, or elsewhere, in the Way of the Cruizers of the Government of Algier, should be furnished with Passes of the Form thereby directed, by or before the Thirtieth Day of July, in the Year of Our Lord One thousand seven hundred and fifteen. And whereas Our Commissioners for Executing the Office of High Admiral of Great Britain and Ireland, have humbly represented unto Us, That it may have happened, that when such Ships or Vessels have either been taken in Time of War, or disposed of by Sale in Remote Parts, the Passes issued to them, as aforesaid, may have fallen into the Hands of Foreigners, or have been sold to them with the Ships or Vessels, the latter being directly contrary to the Bonds entred into by the Masters of such Ships and Vessels to return the aforesaid Passes, that so they may be Cancelled at the Admiralty-Office: And Our said Commissioners for Executing the Office of High Admiral of Great Britain and Ireland, having further represented unto Us, That they have been informed, that several Ships and Vessels, belonging to Foreign Princes or States, have by some Indirect Means procured and carried on their Trade with such Passes, as aforesaid; which Indirect Proceedings are not only Prejudical to Our Trading Subjects, and Our Revenue, but may occasion Misunderstandings between Us and the aforesaid Government of Algier: For Preventing whereof We have thought fit, by the Advice of Our Privy-Council, to Publish this Our Royal Proclamation, hereby Declaring, that all such Passes of the Old Form, which have been issued before the Date of this Our Royal Proclamation, shall not continue in Force longer than for the Space of Twelve Months from the Date hereof (Excepting such as have been granted to such Ships or Vessels as are gone or going to the East-Indies, or to the South-Seas, or any other long Trading Voyages.) And We do hereby strictly Charge and Command all Our Loving Subjects, who are, or shall be possessed of any such Passes, that they do, within the Space of Twelve Months from the Date of this Our Royal Proclamation, as aforesaid, return the same (Excepting such as before excepted) into the Office of the Admiralty of Great Britain, in Order to their being Cancelled; and that they do furnish themselves with Passes of a New Form, under the Hands and Seals of Our Commissioners for Executing the Office of High Admiral of Great Britain and Ireland, in lieu thereof, for their several Ships and Vessels, according to the Treaties concluded between Us and the said Government of Algier, and Our Instructions given to Our said Commissioners for Executing the Office of High Admiral of Great Britain and Ireland touching the same.

Given at Our Court at Kensington the Nineteenth Day of July, in the Eighth Year of Our Reign.

God save the King. London, Printed by John Baskett, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, And by the Assigns of Thomas Newcomb, and Henry Hills, deceas'd. 1722.

1 p. folio. Copies in P. C., and P. R. O. Entered on Patent Rolls; entered in Privy Council Register, I Geo., vol. 4, p. 62. Printed in "London Gazette," July 24, 1722.

FOOTNOTE: