As the Lords High Admirals are impowered, by their Pa-

mts, to execute the Duty of their Office, either in Person,jr by Deputies, it has been customary formerly, when theyhave been employed themselves at Sea (as in the Cafe of theDuke of Nork, in the Reign of King Claries JL) for them todelegate such other Persons as they have deemed most properto do their Duty at Home, and to require all subordinate Of-ficers, to shew Obedience to the Commands of those, in suchManner, deputed by them.

The Lord High Admiral, being the Principal Officer, bywhom all Matters, which concern the Royal Navy , are direct-ed, and put in Motion, the Principal Officers and Commissio-ners of the Navy are so, next and immediately under him, inThings which relate more particularly to the Oeconomy there-of, on Shoar. In particular, he issues his Orders to them, forthe Building, Repairing, Fitting out, Paying oft, and Layingup in Harbour, His Majesty’s Ships ; And as for the Victual-ing those Ships, which are in Sea-Pay, from Time to Time,they, in Compliance with his Orders, issue their Directions tothe Commissioners, who are particularly appointed to managethat Branch of the Navy.

The fame anonymous Author, whom I mentioned above, speak-ing of the Care which ought to be taken in putting Persons ofCapacity and Probity into these Offices of subordinate Trust, fays,very well: " If one Wheel of a Watch be out of Order, it" will either make a Cessation of Motion, or at least make it" irregular. If the Executive Power of the Admiralty be“ lodged in able and knowing Persons, as it ought always to" be, the Navy-and Victualling-Office, which are Dependen-ce cies upon it, ought to be so also.

Before the Conclusion of each Year, it is the Business ofthe Lord High Admiral, by Memorial to the King and Coun-cil, humbly to pray His Majesty, to declare what Number ofMen he judges necessary to be employed at Sea, for the Ser-vice of the Year ensuing. This being done, Estimates areprepared, and offered to His Majesty in Council, for His Roy-al Approbation, what will be the Charges of their Wages andVictuals, and of the Wear and Tear of the Ships, in whichthey may - be' employed ; And the Navy-board is directed, bythe Lord High Admiral, to consider and propose to him, inwhat Manner, according to their Opinion, and the Opinion ofthe Commissioners for Victualing the Navy, the necessary Pro-visions for the said Men may be most conveniently distributedat the several Ports. These Things being regulated and ap-proved of, Orders are then sent to the said Commissioners ofthe Navy, and by them conveyed to the Commissioners of theVictualing Office.

In the same Manner, the Lord High Admiral does, byLetter to the Master General of the Ordnance, require him toorder Guns, and Gunners Stores, to be put on Board His Ma-jesty’s Ships, which are, from Time to Time, ordered to beequip’d for Service, and to fee them taken on Shoar again, andlaid up in His Majesty’s Magazines, when such Ships are order-ed to be discharges from farther Service, or when any Shipscome into Port to be refitted.

The Extent of the Jurisdiction of the Lord High Admiral,or of the Lords Commissioners for Executing that Office, is, atthis Time, over Great Britain, Ireland and Wales , with theDominions and Islands of the same ; As also New England,New Nork, East and IVest Jerseys, Jamaica , Virginia , Bur-ba does, St.Christophers, Mevis, Montferrat, Bermudas and An-tegoa, in America , and Guinea, Binny, and Angola, in Africa,with the Islands and Dominions of the fame ; and all and everyother Plantations, Dominions and Territories whatsoever, inParts beyond the Seas, in the Possession of any of His Majesty’sSubjects.

War being declared against any Prince, or State, the LordHigh Admiral is, by his Memorial to the King, in Council, topray that His Majesty will be pleased to direct the Advocatefor the Office of High Admiral, in the Court of Admiralty, toprepare, and lay before Him, for his Royal Approbation, theDraught of a Commission, authorizing him, the said LordHigh Admiral, to impower the High Courts of Admiralty, inthe foreign Governments and Plantations , to take Cogni-zance of, and judicially to proceed upon all, and all Manner ofCaptures, Seizures, Prizes, and Reprizals, of all Ships andGoods seized, and to adjudge and condemn the same, accordingto the usual Course of the Admiralty, and the Law of Nations;As likewise upon all Ships and Goods that are liable to Confis-cation, pursuant to the respectiye Treaties with His Majesty,and other Princes and States.

The Lord High Admiral also humbly prays His Majesty’sDirections in Council, to His Advocate General, in the HighCourt of Admiralty, and to the Advocate to the Office ofHigh Admiral, in the said Court, to prepare, and lay beforeHis Majesty a Commission, authorizing him, the said LordHigh Admiral, to issue forth Letters of Marque and Reprizals,to such Persons as he shall judge fitly qualified, to seize allShips or Vessels, which belong to the Prince or State, againstwhom War is declared, his Vassals and Subjects, or to any jwithin his Countries and Dominions, as likewise other Ships, ‘Vessels and Goods, as are, or shall be liable to Confiscation, in ,Consequence of Treaties between His Majesty, and other jPrinces, States and Potentates. And by. such, like Directions (of the King in Council, the Lord High Admiral’s Advocate, jin the Court of Admiralty prepares, for His Majesty’s RoyalApprobation, Instructions to be given to Commanders of ■Merchant-men, to whom such Letters' of Marque or,Reprizalsshall or may be granted; The Substance -of which Instructionsis generally as follows-'

Instructions to the Commanders of Private Ships of War.

1. The y are impowered to seize all Ships of War, and o-ther Vessels whatsoever, as also the Goods, Merchandizes,Vaslals, and Subjects, of the Prince or State, against whomWar. shall be declared; As also all other Ships and’ Vessels,that may have Contreband Goods on Board ; But they are totake special Care, that not any Hostilities' be committed, norPrizes taken, within the Harbours of Princes.and States, whichare in Amity with His Majesty ; Or in Rivers or Roads, with-in the Reach of their Cannon.

2. ' They are instructed to bring such Prizes, as they shalltake, either to some Part of this Kingdom, or to carry themto some or one of His Majesty’s Foreign Colonies and Planta-tions, where there are Courts of Admiralty, ’ as it may be mostconvenient for them, in Order to their being there condemn’d,and adjudged as Prizes, in a lawful Manner. And here, it isto be observed, that there is no Appeal from the said Courtsof Admiralty abroad, with Regard to Prizes, but to a Com-mittee of His Majesty’s most Honourable Privy Council, spe-' dally appointed to hear and determine the same.

3. They are obliged to produce before the Judge of theHigh Court of Admiralty, or the Judges of the Admiralty-Courts, in the Foreign Governments, three or four of thePrincipal Persons, who were taken, or belonging to the Prize,that so they may be examined, upon Oath, concerning the realInterest and Property of such Ships, Goods, and Merchan-dizes: They must also deliver to the Judge all Papers, (andparticularly the Commission, and List of Seamen’s Names)which they found on Board such Prizes, and produce somePersons or Person, who can, upon Oath, declare, that thosePapers were actually found on Board, at the Time of the Cap,ture: To which End, at the taking of a Privateer, the Com,mander is to take special Care, above all to secure the Com,mission, and List of the Seamen, and that three or soup of hisShip’s Crew take particular Notice of them, and of the Seizuf eand Delivery of them, and set their Mark upon them, so aSthat they may be able to swear to the Indentity of the sarslOupon Occasion.

4- They are to take Care, that not any Thing belongsto the Prizes be embezzeled or alienated, before Judgmentgiven in the High Court of Admiralty,or by the Courts abroadthat the said Ship, Goods and Merchandizes are lawful Prse®'Nor are they to kill any Person or Persons belonging to se*-* 1Prize m cold Blood, or to treat them otherwise than is use 3 "and according to Custom, in such Cases.

5. They are strictly forbid to attempt, or do any TfiEagainst the true Meaning of any Article, Articles, Treaty

T. reaties, which is or are depending between the Crown ° hGreat Britain and it’s Allies, or against the Subjects of se c 1Allies.

6. It is allowed and lawful for Captors, after Condem 113 "tion, in Manner as above, to fell or dispose of such Prisedwith the Goods and Merchandizes which are on Board th eti> lsuch only excepted as, by Act of Parliament, must be depositfor Exportation.

7. T he Y are required to aid and assist any Ship or Vessel selonging to His Majesty’s Subjects, which they may find ztt^ed by the Enemy.

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