“The persons exercizing Supreme Authority in France having declared War against his Majesty on the 1st of this month, I am to signify to you the King’s Commands, that you instantly cause the same to be made as public as possible in the Island under your Government, that his Majesty’s subjects, having this notice, may take care on the one hand, to prevent any mischief which otherwise they might suffer from the French, and on the other may do their utmost in their several stations to distress and annoy them, by making captures of their ships, and by destroying their Commerce …. “