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On This Day 4/3/1776
4/7/2011 8:19:38 PM

Congress authorizes provateers to attach British vessels

Because it lacked sufficient funds to build a strong Navy, the Continental Congress gives privateers permission to attack any and all British ships. In a bill signed by John Hancock, its President, and dated April 3, 1776 the Continental Congress issued:

"Instructions to the Commanders of Private Ships
or vessels of War, which shall have, Commissions
of Letters of Marque and Reprisal, authorizing
them to make Capture of British Vessels and
Cargoes."

"Letters of Marque and Reprisal" werethe official documents by which Eighteenth Century governments commissioned provate commercial ships, known as privateers, to act on their behalf attacking ships carrying the flags of enemy nations.

Any goods captured by the provateer were divided between the ship's owner and the government that had issued the letter. Congress informed American provateers on this day that:

"You may, by Force of Arms, attack, subdue,
and take all Ships and other Vessels
becomming to the Inhabitants of Great
Britain, on the high seas, or between high-
water Marks, except Ships and Vessels
bringing Persons who intend to settle and
reside in the United Colonies, or bringing
Arms, Ammunition, or War like Stories to
the said Colonies, for the Use of such
Inhabitants thereof as are Friends to the
American Cause, which you shall suffer to
pass unmolested, the Commanders thereof
permitting a peaceable Search, and giving
satisfactory information of the Contents
of the Landings, and Destinations of the
Voyages."

The distinction between pirates and privateers was non-existent to those who faced them on the high seas. They behaved in an identical manner, boarding and capturing ships using force if necessary. However, privateers holding "Letters of Marque" were not subject to prosecution by their home nation and if captured, were treated as prisoners of war instead of criminals by foreign nations.

(K) (HST)

John Hancock American Patriot

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