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.