Given at Our Court at St. James's, the Twenty-third Day of January, One thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, in the Eighteenth Year of Our Reign.
_No printed copy found. Entered on Patent Rolls, and in Crown Office Docquet Book, vol. 12; entered in Privy Council Register, III Geo., vol. 14, p. 460. Printed in "London Gazette," January 24, 1778._
FOR GRANTING THE DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES DURING THE PRESENT HOSTILITIES.
Whereas, by Our Order in Council dated the Twenty-ninth Day of July last, We have ordered that general Reprisals be granted against the Ships, Goods, and Subjects of the French King, and that as well Our Fleets and Ships, as also all other Ships and Vessels that shall be commissionated by Letters of Marque, or general Reprisals, or otherwise, by Our Commissioners for executing Our Office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain, shall and may lawfully seize all Ships, Vessels and Goods, belonging to the French King, and bring the same to Judgement in any of Our Courts of Admiralty within Our Dominions: We, being desirous to give due Encouragement to all Our faithful Subjects who shall lawfully seize the same, and having declared in Council, by Our Order of the Seventh of last Month, Our Intentions concerning the Distribution of all Manner of Captures, Seizures, Prizes and Reprisals, of all Ships and Goods, during the present Hostilities, do now make known to all Our loving Subjects, and all others whom it may concern, by this Our Proclamation, by and with the Advice of Our Privy Council, that Our Will and Pleasure is, That the Neat Produce of all Prizes taken, the Right whereof is inherent in Us, and Our Crown, be given to the Takers in the Proportion and Manner of Proceeding herein-after set forth: that is to say, That all Prizes taken by Ships and Vessels having Commissions of Letters of Marque and Reprisals, may be sold and disposed of by the Merchants, Owners, Fitters, and others to whom such Letters of Marque and Reprisals are granted, for their own Use and Benefit, after final Adjudication, and not before. And We do hereby further Order and direct, that the Neat Produce of all Prizes which are or shall be taken by any of Our Ships or Vessels of War, shall be for the entire Benefit and Encouragement of Our Flag Officers, Captains, Commanders, and other Commissioned Officers in Our Pay, and of the Seamen, Marines, and Soldiers, on Board Our said Ships and Vessels at the Time of the Capture; and that such Prizes may be lawfully sold and disposed of by them and their Agents, after the same shall have been to Us finally adjudged lawful Prize, and not otherwise. The Distribution shall be made as follows; the Whole of the Neat Produce being first divided into Eight equal Parts;
