Whereas pursuant to Treaties Concluded between Our Predecessors,
and the Government of Algier,[1] several Passes have been Granted
under the Hand and Seal of the High Admirals of Great Britain, or the
Commissioners for Executing that Office of Our respective Dominions:
And whereas Our Commissioners for Executing the Office of High
Admiral, have humbly Represented unto Us, That they have reason to
apprehend, that several of the said Passes of the Old Form have been
Clandestinely altered, as well in their Dates as otherwise, which
may be very Prejudicial to the Trading Ships of Our Subjects: 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 so Issued, shall
not Continue in Force longer than the Thirtieth Day of July next. 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, as soon as
may be, return the same into the Office of Admiralty of Great Britain,
in order to their being Cancelled. And whereas, pursuant to the late
Treaty with Algier, it is absolutely necessary, That all Ships and
Vessels belonging to Our Loving Subjects of Great Britain and Ireland,
as well as Our Foreign Governments and Plantations, which shall have
occasion to Trade to Portugal, the Canaries, Guinea, the Indies, into
the Mediterranean, or elsewhere, in the way of the Cruizers of the
aforesaid Government of Algier, should be furnished with Passes of
the New Form, by or before the said Thirtieth Day of July next, lest
by their being met with by the Ships of Algier, unfurnished with such
Passes, they be Brought up, and the Ships and Goods Confiscated; We do
hereby strictly Charge and Require the Owners and Masters of all Ships
and Vessels of Our Loving Subjects Trading, as aforesaid, to take
particular Care that they do timely furnish themselves with such Passes
of the New Form accordingly.
Given at Our Court at St. James's, the Fourth Day of October, 1714.
In the First Year of Our Reign.