VICTORIA, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith, to Our right trusty and right well-beloved Cousin and Councillor, Thomas Earl of Haddington, Our right trusty and well-beloved Councillor, Sir George Cockburn, Knight Grand Cross of the most honourable military Order of the Bath, Admiral of the White Squadron of Our Fleet, Our trusty and well-beloved Sir William Hall Gage, Knight, Vice-Admiral of the White Squadron of Our Fleet, Sir George Francis Seymour, Knight, Captain in Our Navy, and William Gordon, Esquire, Captain in Our Navy, and Our right trusty and well-beloved Councillor, Henry Thomas Lowry Corry, greeting: Whereas, We did by Our letters patent under the great seal of Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the 25th day of June in the fifth year of Our reign, nominate, constitute, and appoint Our right trusty and right well-beloved Cousin and Councillor, Gilbert, Earl of Minto, Knight Grand Cross of the most honourable military Order of the Bath, Our trusty and well-beloved Sir Charles Adam, Knight, Commander of the most honourable military order of the Bath, Vice-Admiral of the Blue Squadron of Our Fleet, Sir Edward Thomas Troubridge, Baronet, Captain in Our Navy, Sir Samuel John Brooke Pechel, Baronet, Companion of the most honourable military Order of the Bath, Captain in Our Navy, Archibald Primrose, Esquire, (commonly called Lord Dalmeney), and James Whitley Deans Dundas, Esquire, Captain in Our Navy, to be Our Commissioners for executing the Office of Our High Admiral of Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the Dominions, Islands, and Territories thereunto belonging, and of Our High Admiral of Jamaica, Barbadoes, Saint Christopher, Nevis, Montserrat, Bermudas, and Antegoa, in America, and of Guiney, Binny, and Angola, in Africa, and of the Islands and Dominions thereof; and also of all and singular Our foreign Plantations, Dominions, Islands, and Territories whatsoever, and places thereunto belonging, during Our pleasure, as by the said recited letters patent, amongst other things therein contained, relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear: Now know ye, that We have revoked and determined, and by these Presents do revoke and determine the said recited letters patent, and every clause, article, and thing therein contained: And further know ye that We, reposing especial trust and confidence in the approved wisdom, fidelity, and experience of you the said Thomas Earl of Haddington, Sir George Cockburn, Sir William Hall Gage, Sir George Francis Seymour, William Gordon, and Henry Thomas Lowry Corry, of Our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, have nominated, constituted, and appointed, and by these Presents do nominate, constitute, and appoint you to be Our Commissioners for executing the said Office of Our High Admiral of Our said United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the Dominions, Islands, and Territories thereunto belonging, and of Our High Admiral of Jamaica, Barbadoes, Saint Christopher, Nevis, Montserrat, Bermudas, and Antegoa, in America, and of Guiney, Binny, and Angola, in Africa, and of the Islands and Dominions thereof, and also of all and singular our other foreign Plantations, Dominions, Islands, and Territories whatsoever, and places thereunto belonging, during Our pleasure; giving, and by these presents granting unto you, Our said Commissioners, or any two or more of you, during Our pleasure, full power and authority to do, execute, exercise, and perform all and every act, matter, and thing which do belong or appertain to the Office of Our High Admiral of Our said United Kingdom, and of the Dominions, Islands, and Territories thereunto belonging, and of Our High Admiral of Jamaica, Barbadoes, Saint Christopher, Nevis, Montserrat, Bermudas, and Antegoa, in America, and of Guiney, Binny, and Angola, in Africa, and of the Islands and Dominions thereof, and also of all and singular Our other foreign Plantations, Dominions, Islands, and Territories whatsoever, and places wheresoever to them or any of them belonging, as well in and touching all those things which concern Our Navy and Shipping as those which concern the right and jurisdiction of, or appertain to the Office of Our High Admiral aforesaid: And We do further by these Presents give and grant unto you Our said Commissioners, or any two or more of you, full power and authority to make such orders and issue such warrants for repairing and preserving Our Ships and Vessels already built and to be built in Harbour, with all things belonging to them and every of them according to your best discretion, and for the well building, repairing, fitting, furnishing, arming, victualling, and setting forth such Ships and Fleets as you shall receive directions for either from Us or from Our Privy Council, and also to establish and direct such entertainments, wages, and rewards for and unto all and every such person and persons as are or shall be employed in any of Our services under you, or in anything appertaining thereunto; and further to give discharges for those services or any of them, as to you or any two or more of you in your wisdom and good discretion shall be thought fit, in as ample manner and form as any Our High Admiral or Admirals of Our said United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the Dominions, Islands, and Territories thereunto belonging, or any of them, and as any Our High Admiral of Jamaica, Barbadoes, St. Christopher, Nevis, Montserrat, Bermudas, and Antegoa, in America, and of Guiney, Binny, and Angola, in Africa, and of the Islands and Dominions thereof, or of any other our foreign Plantations, Dominions, Islands, and Territories whatsoever, and places thereunto or to any of them belonging, might have done by virtue of his or their office or place of Our High Admiral, or by virtue of any Commission granted in that behalf, might do or perform the same: And Our will and pleasure is, and We do hereby strictly charge and command all Our Officers and Ministers of or belonging to Our Navy or Ships, and every of them, now and for the time being, and all others in any department of Our Naval Service in their several places whom it may in anywise concern, that they and every of them be from time to time attendant to you, Our said Commissioners, and do carefully and diligently observe, execute, and perform all such Orders, Warrants, and Commands as you, Our said Commissioners, or any two or more of you, shall make, give, and direct, touching Our Naval Service, in such manner and sort as if Our High Admiral of Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the Dominions, Islands, and Territories thereunto belonging, or of Jamaica, Barbadoes, St. Christopher, Nevis, Montserrat, Bermudas, and Antegoa, in America, and of Guiney, Binny, and Angola, in Africa, and of the Islands and Dominions thereof, or of any other Our foreign Plantations, Dominions, Islands, and Territories whatsoever and places wheresoever thereunto or to any of them belonging, had made, given, or directed the same; and to the intent that you, Our said Commissioners, may be the better instructed how to perform this great and weighty service to Our best advantage, and that We and Our Privy Council may be the better informed what Orders and Directions from time to time to give them, Our will and pleasure is, and We do, of Our more especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, give and grant unto you, Our said Commissioners, or any two or more of you, power and authority, not only by yourselves, but also by any other fit person or persons whom you, or any two or more of you, shall make choice of and appoint, with all convenient speed, to make a true and perfect survey and account of all such Ships, Pinnaces, and Vessels of or belonging to Our Navy, and of all the Munition, Tackles, and Furniture belonging to them, or to any of them, and of all Stores, Ammunition, and Furnitures prepared for them, and every of them, of all sorts, and also of all courses now held in managing, ordering, and governing Our Navy, and to deliver the same so made and taken unto Us, in writing, and to propound such ways and means for the establishing such Orders and Instructions for regulating the same as shall be found agreeable to Our Service, and as may increase Our power and forces by Sea, and remove such corruptions and abuses as may prejudice the same, and especially may reduce the Mariners and Seamen, and Sea Service, to better order and obedience than is now found amongst them; that thereupon We may take such speedy and effectual course for the supplying of all defects and reforming of all abuses as shall be necessary to make and continue Our Navy serviceable and powerful for Our honour, and for the honour and safety of Our Realm and Dominions: And whereas all wrecks of the Sea, Goods and Ships taken from Pirates, and divers Droits, Rights, Duties, and Privileges, have been, by express words or otherwise, heretofore granted to Our said High Admiral, and to former Admirals, for their own benefit, as Duties appertaining to the office or place of Our High Admiral aforesaid; now, Our further will and pleasure is, and We do hereby charge and command, that all casual Duties, Droits, and Profits be taken, collected, and received in all places where they shall happen, by the Vice-Admirals and other Officers of or belonging to the Admiralty, in such sort as they formerly were or ought to have been taken, collected, and received by them, and every of them respectively, when there was an High Admiral of Great Britain; and the said Vice-Admirals and others so collecting or receiving the same shall account for the same and every part thereof unto or before you, Our said Commissioners, or any two or more of you, or unto such other person or persons, in such manner and form as you, or any two or more of you, shall to that purpose appoint, but to Our only use and behoof, and not otherwise: And whereas We conceive it just and reasonable that those who have or shall truly and faithfully account for what they receive should have sufficient discharges for the same; accordingly Our will and pleasure is, and We do therefore by these presents give and grant to you, Our said Commissioners, or to any two or more of you, full power and authority to issue forth Discharges, Releases, and Quietus Ests upon such Accounts for all Duties, Droits, and Profits whatsoever, received or to be received by the aforesaid Vice-Admirals, or other Collectors, Receivers, or any Commissioners authorized by Our High Court of Admiralty of England to receive any Droits or Profits of Admiralty, or any Register or Registers, or his or their Deputy or Deputies exercising the office of Register in the said High Court of Admiralty itself, or in any other inferior Court of Admiralty, as you Our said Commissioners, or any two or more of you, shall approve of, the said Releases, Discharges, or Quietus Ests, to be under the hands of you Our said Commissioners, or any two or more of you, and the Seal commonly used by you for things appertaining to the said Commission, which We will shall be and remain of Record in the High Court of Admiralty under the custody of the Register there, to the end that the parties concerned in such Accounts and Discharges may, according to their occasions (if they desire it) receive the same exemplified under the Great Seal of Our Admiralty; and Our further will and pleasure is, and We do hereby declare, that the said Releases, Discharges, and Quietus Ests so signed by you Our said Commissioners, or any two or more of you, and seal (sic) with your Seal aforesaid, or the duplicates thereof, recorded in the High Court of Admiralty aforesaid, shall be held, deemed, taken, and be a full, sufficient, and lawful Discharge, Release, and Quietus Est to every such Accountant, his executors or administrators: And whereas, all Offices, Places, and Employments belonging to the Navy or Admiralty are properly in the trust and disposal of Our High Admiral of Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the Dominions, Islands, and Territories thereunto belonging, and of Our Admiral of Jamaica, Barbadoes, Saint Christopher, Nevis, Montserrat, Bermudas, and Antegoa, in America, and of Guiney, Binny, and Angola, in Africa, and of the Islands and Dominions thereof; and also of all and singular Our other foreign Plantations, Dominions, Islands, and Territories whatsoever and Places wheresoever thereunto belonging for the time being; and such High Admirals have constituted Vice-Admirals under them; Our will and pleasure now is, and We do hereby of Our further especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, declare and grant that all such Offices, Places, and Employments as shall fall, become, or be made void, during the vacancy of the Office or Place of Our High Admiral aforesaid, shall be given and disposed of by you Our said Commissioners, or any two or more of you, and you Our said Commissioners, or any two or more of you, shall and may constitute Vice-Admirals for such places where Vice-Admirals have been usually appointed by Our said High Admiral for the time being: And whereas Our late Royal Uncle King William the Fourth, sometime ago thought fit to abolish the Offices of Principal Officers and Commissioners of His Navy, and of Commissioners for Victualling his Navy, and for the care of sick and wounded Seamen in his Service, and he therefore deemed it expedient to make other provision for the due execution of the Trusts and Duties theretofore reposed in such Commissioners respectively: Know ye further, that We of Our more especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, do hereby give and grant unto you full power and authority, from time to time, by warrants under the hands of any two or more of you, and the Seal of the Office of Admiralty, to nominate, constitute, and appoint certain Principal Officers for conducting, under your especial and immediate control and directions, the business of the Civil Departments of Our Naval Service, that is to say, a Surveyor of our Navy, an Accountant-General of Our Navy, a Storekeeper-General of Our Navy, a Comptroller of the Victualling of Our Navy, and Physician-General of Our Navy; and likewise, by your warrants, to be made as aforesaid, to nominate, constitute, and appoint other sufficient Officers or Persons, in the quality of Superintendents, to be resident at such of Our Naval Arsenals, Dockyards, Victualling Establishments, and Naval Hospitals within Our said United Kingdom or within any of Our Islands, Dominions, and Territories as you in your wisdoms and discretions shall see necessary, to watch over the Interests of Our Navy and of Our Naval Service, and subject to your authority and control, to execute at such Naval Arsenals, Dockyards, Victualling Establishments and Hospitals respectively, all such Duties as you shall think fit to confide to them, or as were formerly performed by any Commissioners of our Navy, and for victualling Our Navy, and for the care of sick and wounded Seamen in Our Service at any such places, and from time to time, as you shall see fitting, to revoke the Appointments of any such Principal Officers, Superintendents, and persons, and by Warrant as aforesaid to constitute others in their stead, hereby commanding and strictly enjoining all such Principal Officers, Superintendents, and persons so from time to time to be appointed, and all others whom it may concern, to be obedient to you Our said Commissioners in all things as becometh: And moreover, We do by these presents give and grant to you Our said Commissioners, or any two or more of you, full power and authority to make, or cause to be made, on Our behalf, all requisite contracts for the hire of Vessels, and for the supply of Naval, Medical, and Chirurgical Stores, and of Victuals, Provisions, and other Necessaries for Our Fleets and Naval Service, and for the performance of Works in relation thereto, and for any other Services, as in your discretion shall be from time to time found necessary for the carrying on of Our said Service, and likewise to cause Bills of Imprest, and other Bills and Orders upon the Treasurer of Our Navy, to be made out, for paying for the hire of the said Vessels, and for the said Stores, Victuals, Provisions, Necessaries, and Works as aforesaid from time to time, and for payment to any person or persons, as well Officers and Clerks as others who shall be employed under you, and perform any Service, or disburse any Monies for or in relation to any Department of our Naval Service aforesaid, such sum and sums of Money as you, or any two or more of you, shall think reasonable, or as shall be authorized by Our Order or Orders in Council from time to time to be made, in reward for such Service performed, or in satisfaction of incident or contingent charges or disbursements arising in the management of the said Service, and generally to do, execute, and perform, or cause to be done, executed, and performed, all and every act, power, matter, and thing which, previous to the passing of a certain Statute made in the Second year of His said late Majesty’s Reign, for amending the Laws relating to the business of the Civil Departments of the Navy, and for making other Regulations for more effectually carrying on the Duties of the said Departments, did in any respect appertain to the Office or Duties of Principal Officers and Commissioners of the Navy, and of Commissioners for Victualling the Navy, and for the care of sick and wounded Seamen in the Service, or which they or any of them, collectively or individually, in quality of such Commissioners respectively, could or might, under any Letters Patent theretofore granted, or under any Title or other Authority whatsoever, have lawfully done or executed: And We do hereby also will and require Our Commissioners for Auditing the Public Accounts, and all others by whom the Accounts relating to Our Navy are to pass, to give Allowance to all Bills and Books of Accounts, and Payments of the Treasurer of Our Navy, and all other Accounts and Payments of the said Treasurer, signed or approved by two or more of you Our said Commissioners for executing the Office of Our High Admiral aforesaid: Lastly, Our Will and Pleasure is, and We do by these Presents grant to you, Our said Commissioners for executing the Office of Our High Admiral aforesaid, that these Our Letters Patent, or the exemplification or inrolment thereof, shall be and remain in and by all things, good, firm, valid, sufficient, and effectual in the Law, notwithstanding the ill-reciting, or not truly, or not fully reciting the said recited Letters Patent, or the date thereof, and notwithstanding the not reciting any other Letters Patent or Commission concerning the said several Offices and Premises, or any of them heretofore made or granted by any of Our Ancestors or Predecessors, or any other omission, imperfection, defect, matter, cause, or thing whatsoever to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding. In Witness whereof, We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patent. Witness Ourself at Westminster, the 8th day of September, in the Fifth year of Our Reign.
By Writ of Privy Seal,
EDMUNDS.