1. The two orders in council and an extract from Thomas Pinckney’s letter to Randolph of 17 March were published in The Philadelphia Gazette & Universal Daily Advertiser of this date. Pinckney’s letter conveyed the two orders and added that his “applications … in behalf of impressed mariners, are much more expeditiously decided on and answers given than heretofore, and that in general, this government seems disposed to give the friendly system a fair trial.”

Responding to Pinckney’s complaints about the effect of British regulations on the tobacco trade, the order of 21 Feb. modified the rules pertaining to American vessels that stopped in Great Britain while en route to France. The new regulations allowed vessels that did not take on board contraband articles to “be permitted freely to depart with their cargoes” and required vessels that did load contraband to give bond “for landing the same in some country in amity with his majesty, and to produce a certificate within a limited time, of the said goods having been so landed, or the bond to be forfeited.”

The order of 9 Feb. gave instructions to British warships and privateers to detain all Dutch vessels until their cargoes were examined and to “bring into the ports of this kingdom all ships to what ever country they may belong, which shall be found laden with naval or military stores, and bound to any port in Holland, in order that the said cargoes may be detained provisionally,” the government promising “indemnification” to allied or neutral owners of such vessels or cargoes.