By the K I N G,

A  P R O C L A M A T I O N,

For granting the Distribution of Prizes during the

present Hostilities.¹

G E O R G E  R.

WHEREAS by Our Order in Council, dated the Twentieth of this Instant December, We have ordered that the General Reprizals be granted against the Ships, Goods, and Subjects of the States General of the United Provinces, so that as well Our Fleet and ships, as also all other Ships and Vessels that shall be commissioned by Letters of Marque, or General Reprizals, 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 States General of the United Provinces, or their Subjects, or others inhabiting within any of the Territories of the States General of the United Provinces, and bring the same to Judgment in any of Our Courts of Admiralty within Our Dominion : 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 Twenty-second of this Instant December, Our Intentions concerning the Distribution of all Manner of Captures, Seizures, Prizes, and Reprizals, 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, but the Payment of all such or the like Customs and Duties as the same are now, or would have been liable to, if the same were or might have been imported as Merchandize ; and that the same to be so given in the Proportion and Manner herein-after set forth ; that is to say, That all Prizes taken by Ships and Vessels having Commissions of Letters of Marque and Reprizals, may be sold and disposed of by the Merchants, Owners, Fitters, and others, to whom such Letters of Marque and Reprizals 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.

The Captain or Captains of any of Our said Ships and Vessels of War, who shall be actually on Board at the taking of any Prize, shall have Three Eighth Parts ; but in the case of any such Prize shall be taken by any of Our ships or Vessels of War, under the Command of a Flag or Flags, the Flag Officer or Officers, being actually on Board, or directing and assisting in the Capture, shall have One of the said Three Eighth Parts ; the said One Eighth Part to be paid to such Flag or Flag Officers in such Proportion, and subject to such Regulations, as are herein-after mentioned :

The Captains of Marines and Land Forces, Sea Lieutenants, and Master on Board, shall have One Eighth part, to be equally divided amongst them :

The Lieutenants and Quarter-Masters of Marines, and Lieutenants, Ensigns, and Quarter-Masters of Land Forces, Secretaries of Admirals or of Commodores, with Captains under them, Boatswains, Gunners, Purser, Carpenter, Master’s Mates, Chirugeon, Pilot, and Chaplain on Board, shall have One Eight Part, to be equally divided amongst them :

The Midshipmen, Captain’s Clerk, Master Sailmaker, Carpenter’s Mates, Boatswain’s Mates, Gunner’s Mates, Mast at Arms, Corporals, Yeomen or the Sheets, Cockswain, Quarter-Master, Quarter-masters Mates, Chirugeon’s Mates, Yeomen of the Powder-Room, Serjeants of Marines, and Land Forces on Board, shall have One Eighth Part, to be equally divided amongst them :

The Trumpeters, Quarter Gunners, Carpenter’s Crew, Stewards, Cook, Armourer, Steward’s Mate, Cook’s Mate, Gunsmith, Cooper, Swabber, Ordinary Trumpeter, Barber, Able Seamen, Ordinary Seamen, and Marines, and other Soldiers, and all other Persons doing Duty and assisting on Board, shall have Two Eighth Parts, to be equally divided amongst them.

Provided, That if any Officer being on Board any of Our ships of War, at the Time of taking any Prize, shall have more Commissions of Offices than One, such Officer shall be intitled only to the Share or Shores of the Prize which, according to the above-mentioned Distribution, shall belong to his superior Commission or Office. And We do hereby strictly enjoin all Commanders of Our ships and Vessels of War taking any Prize, as soon as may be, to transmit, or cause to be transmitted, to the Commissioners of Our Navy, a true List of the Names of all the Officers, Seamen, Marines, Soldiers, and others, who were actually on Board Our Ships and Vessels of War under their Command at the Time of the Capture ; which List shall contain the Quality of the Service of each Person on Board, and be subscribed by the Captain or Commanding Officer, and Three or more of the Chief Officers on Board. And We do hereby require and direct the Commissioners of Our Navy, or any Three or more of them, to examine, or cause to be examined, such Lists by the Muster Books of such Ships and Vessels of War, and Lists annexed thereto, to see that such Lists do agree with the said Muster Books and annexed Lists, as to the names, Qualities or Ratings, or the Officers, Seamen, Marines, Soldiers, and others belonging to such Ships and Vessels of War, and upon Request forthwith to grant a Certificate of the Truth of any List transmitted to them, to the Agents nominated and appointed by the Captors, to take care and dispose of such Prize ; and also upon application to them (the said Commissioners) they shall give or cause to be given, to the said Agents, all such Lists from the Muster Book, of any such Ships of War, and annexed Lists, as the said Agents shall find requisite for their Direction in paying the Produce of such Prizes, and otherwise shall be aiding and assisting to the said Agents in all such Matters as shall be necessary. We do hereby further will and direct, that the following Regulations shall be observed concerning the One Eighth Part herein-before mentioned to be granted to the Flag, or Flag Officers, who shall actually be on Board at the taking of any Prize, or shall be directing or assisting therein :

First, that a Flag Officer, Commander in Chief, when there is but One Flag Officer upon Service, shall have to his own Use the said One Eighth Part of the Prizes taken by Ships and Vessels under his Command :

Secondly, That a Flag Officer, sent to command at Jamaica, or elsewhere, shall have no Right to any Share of Prizes taken by Ships or Vessels employed there, before he arrives at the Place to which he is sent, and actually takes upon him the Command :

Thirdly, That when an inferior Flag Officer is sent out to Jamaica, or elsewhere, the superior Flag Officer shall have no Right to any Share of Prizes taken by the inferior Flag Officer, before the inferior Flag Officer shall arrive within the Limits of the Command of the superior Flag Officer, and actually receive some Order from Him :

Fourthly, That a Chief Flag Officer returning home from Jamaica, or elsewhere, shall have no Share of the Prizes taken by the Ships and Vessels left behind to act under another Command :

Fifthly, That if a Flag Officer is sent to command in the Out-ports of this Kingdom, he shall have no share of the Prizes taken by Ships or Vessels which have sailed from that Port by Order from the Admiralty :

Sixthly, That when more Flag Officers than One serve together, the Eighth Part of the Prizes taken by any Ships or Vessels of the Fleet or Squadron, shall be divided in the following Proportions, viz.  If there are be but Two Flag Officers, the Chief shall have Two Third Parts of the said One Eighth Part, and the other shall have the remaining Third Part : but if the Number of Fag Officers be more than Two, the Chief shall have only One Half, and the other Half shall be equally divided amongst the other Flag Officers :

Seventhly, That Commodores with Captains under them shall be esteemed as Flag Officers with respect to the Eight Part of Prizes taken, whether commanding in Chief or serving under Command.

And we do hereby further Order, That in the Case of Cutters, Schooners, and other armed Vessels commanded by Lieutenants, the Share of such Lieutenants shall be Three Eights Parts of the Prize, unless such Lieutenants shall be under the Command of a Flag Officer or Officers ; in which Case the Flag Officer or Officers shall have One of the said Three Eights, to be divided among such Flag Officer or Officers in the Manner herein-before directed in the Case of Captains serving under Flag Officers :

Secondly, We direct that the Share of the Master or other Person acting as Second in Command, and the Pilot (if there happens to be One on Board,) shall be One Eight Part, to be divided into Three equal Parts ; of which Two Thirds shall go to the Master or other Person acting as second in command, and the remaining One Third to the Pilot ; but if there is no Pilot, then such Eight Part to go wholly to the Master or Person acting as Second in Command;

That the Share of the Chirurgeon, or Chirugeon’s Mate (where there is no Chirurgeon), Midshipmen, and Clerk and Steward, shall be One Eighth :

That the Share of the Boatswain’s, Gunner’s, and Carpenter’s Mates, Yeomen of the Sheets, Sailmaker, Quarter Master, and Quarter Master, and Quarter master’s Mate, shall be One Eighth ; and the Share of the Seamen, Marines, and all other Persons on Board, assisting in the Capture, shall be Two Eighth Parts.

But it is Our Intention nevertheless that the above Distribution shall only extend to such Captures as shall be made by any Cutter, Schooner, or armed Vessel, without any of His Majesty’s Ships or Vessels of War being present or within Sight of, and adding to the Encouragement of the Captors, and Terror of the Enemy:

But in case any of His Majesty’s Ships or Vessels of War shall be present, or in sight, that then he Officers, Pilots, Petty Officers, and Men on Board such Cutters and Schooners, or armed Vessels, shall share in the same Proportion as is allowed to Persons of the Like Rank and Denomination on Board His Majesty’s Ships and Vessels of War.

Given at Our Court of St. James’s, the Twenty-seventh Day of December, One thousand seven hundred and eighty, in the Twenty-first Year of Our Reign.

G O D save the K I N G.

¹.

The London Gazette, Numb. 12149. from Saturday December 30, [1780,] to Tuesday, January 2, 1781.

Posted 11 August 2008

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