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the like Conduct in this respect until further Order, or 'til the Behaviour of the French, by an Abuse of the said Liberty shall make it necessary for you to alter it.
13.
And, in order that these Services may be more effectually performed, you are to assign to the several Ships and Vessels under your Command such Stations on the Coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador, including the Islands of Magdalen and Anticosti in the Gulph of St Lawrence, as shall be most proper, giving to their respective Commanders full and clear Instructions on the several points herein beforementioned conformable to the aforegoing Articles of these our Instructions to yourself, and directing them also very carefully to visit the several Coasts, Harbours & Fishing Grounds within the limits of their respective Stations and to make Charts of such parts of the Coasts and Draughts of such of the Harbours, as have not already been surveyed, noting the Depths of Water, Conveniency for fishing, and whatever Observations occur worthy our knowledge which are to be transmitted to you to be laid before us; And you are yourself, if practicable to visit such parts of the said Coasts &cª as your necessary Attention to the other Branches of your Duty will admit of, in the Course of the Season, that you may compare the Reports made to you, with your own Observations, before you transmit them to us.
14.
When the Early Trade shall be ready about the latter End of August, you are to order one of the Frigates to take them under Convoy and proceed off Cape Finisterre where she is to leave those bound to the Ports on the North Coast of Spain, and proceed off the Coast of Portugal with the rest, calling at Lisbon for any Trade that may be ready in Ten Days; beyond which time she is on no Account to tarry there but is then to proceed to England with such Trade as may be ready and accompany them to Spithead, where she is to remain for farther Order.
15.
And, when the Service will admit, you are to send home the other Ships and Vessels Vizt One Ship and one Sloop to Plymouth and the remainder to Portsmouth, directing their Commanders to take under their Convoy any homeward bound trade that may be ready and willing to accompany them, and to see them in safety as far as their way lies together.
16.
By the End of October you are to take under your Convoy any Fishing Ships which may then be bound to Portugal & Spain and seeing them off their respective Ports as far to the Southward as Cadiz, you are at Liberty to tarry there Three Weeks -(but on no Account to exceed that time); At the expiration whereof you are to put to Sea with such homeward bound
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Trade as may be ready and willing to accompany you, and to call at Lisbon for such Trade as may be ready to sail with you from thence homeward in eight days at farthest after your arrival there, and, taking them also under your protection see the whole in safety to Spithead, cohere you are to remain 'til further Orders, sending us an Account of your arrival and proceedings. But, in case you shall find it necessary or more eligible, to send a Frigate to perform this Service, you are at Liberty to do so; and, in that case, to proceed in the Ship you command directly to Spithead, with any Trade homeward bound from Newfoundland that may be ready and desirous of accompanying you.
17.
In case you shall, at any time, find that a greater number of Ships and Vessels than those which may be under your command shall be necessary to enable you to execute the Service on which you are employed, you are to apply to Commodore Hood, or the Commander in Chief for the time being of His Majesty's Ships and Vessels employed and to be employed in the River St Lawrence and along the Coasts of Nova Scotia the Islands of St John and Cape Breton and thence to Cape Florida and the Bahama Islands for such Reinforcements as you shall stand in need of, who has our Orders to supply you therewith.
18.
For the better maintaining a proper Government and strict discipline in the Squadron under your Command; We do hereby authorize and empower you to call and assemble Courts Martial in foreign parts as often as you shall see occasion; And whereas Commanders in chief of Squadrons of His Majesty's Ships in Foreign parts have sometimes neglected to hold Courts Martial for enquiring into the Occasion of the Loss of His Majesty's Ships when such Misfortunes have happened whereby the Crown has been put to an unnecessary Expence and the Officers and Companies been put to great inconveniences by being kept out of their Wages; You are, in case, of such Accident, to cause a Court Martial to be assembled as soon afterwards as possible to try the Officers and Company for the same and to transmit to our Secretary the proceeding and judgment thereupon, by the first conveyance.
19.
In case of the death of any Officer of the Ships or Vessels under your command or the dismission of them by a Court Martial you are hereby empowered to appoint such other persons, as, by the quality of their employment, ought to succeed therein particularly observing to appoint Commanders to be Captains of Post Ships in preference to Lieutenants; And you are to take Notice that we will not confirm any Officers appointed to Vacancies arising in any other manner. In Case of Suspension you are only to give orders to proper persons to act, until such suspension shall be removed, or we shall think fit to give directions therein; And you are constantly to transmit
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to us, by the first opportunity after appointing any Officer as aforesaid, an Account thereof, with your reasons for appointing him.
20.
You are to send, by all opportunities to our Secretary for our Information an Account of your proceedings relative to the Service, and such Intelligence as you may have collected proper for our knowledge; And you are, moreover upon your return to England, to transmit to our Secretary, to be laid before us, a Journal of your proceedings with the Squadron under your Command or any part thereof, and of the Services upon which you may send any of the Ships or Vessels, with your reasons for the same, and to note therein all such particulars and remarkable Occurrences as may be proper for our information. Given &cª the 23d May 1769.
E. HAWKE
J: BULLER
GEO: YONGE.
To the Honble John Byron Commander
in Chief of His Majesty's Ships &
Vessels intended to be employed at
and about the Island of Newfound-
land, the Islands of Madelaine and
Anticosti and upon the Coast of
Labrador from the River St John
to the Entrance of Hudsons Straits.
By &cª
P. S.
Copy
[1927lab]
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