593 State of Public AJairs in December, 1 806. [Jan. 1 , 



qiwfts to the car^o and commodities, nnd to 

 the property of individuals 5 which right of 

 coiiqueO, however, ought only to be applica- 

 ble to that which belongs to the hoftile State. 

 " 5. That <he extends her right of block- 

 ade to places not foitifiecl, and to commercial 

 ports, in hays, and the mouths ofnavisjable 

 rivers; which blockade, arcordine; to the prin- 

 ciples and the pra£tice of all civilized nations, 

 is applicable only to fortified places. 



" That flie confiders a place in a ftite of 

 blockade before which (he has not even a An- 

 gle (hip of war, although a place can only be 

 confidercd as blockaded when it is fo circuni- 

 fcribcd at its communication, that it is im- 

 poiriblc to approach it without vifible danger. 

 " That (lie even declares places in a (?ate 

 of blockade which, with their whole united 

 ftrength, the would be unable eflcfti.ally to 

 blockade, for inftance, whole coafts and whole 

 kingdoms. 



" .'). That this monftrous abufe of the 

 right of blockade has no other objeft but to 

 impede the communication between nation.-;, 

 and to agjjrandire the commerce and iiidullry 

 of England by ruins of the commerce and in- 

 <iuftry of the Continent. 



" 6. That as this is the obieft of Eng- 

 land, all thofe who carry on traffic in Englifh 

 conuiioditits upon the Continent, by doing fo, 

 fccond her views and render themfelves her 

 accomplices. 



" 7. That) this conduct of England, which 

 is altiyether worthy of the age of barbarifm, 

 has become advantageous to that power to the 

 prejudice of every other. 



" 8. That it is a right conferred by na- 

 ture to oppoft to an enemy the weapons he 

 employs aj;ain(l you, and to fiuht againft him 

 in the fame manner in which he attacks, and 

 that this principle is recognifcd by all ideas of 

 juilice and all liberal fentinients, the refult 

 of that civilization by which focieties are dif- 

 tinguhhed. 



•' We therefore determine to employ 

 againft England thcfe principles which (he 

 has adopted in her maritime code. 



" The confcquence of tli8 prefent decree 

 (hall be conlidered as (ixtd fundamental laws 

 of the empire, fo long as England refufes to 

 acknowledge one and the fame law as appli- 

 cable both to fea and land, till ihe ceafes to 

 confiaer private property, what it may, a good 

 prize — till (he ceafes to extend tlie perlbns 

 of individuals who are not engaged in military 

 operations, the principles by which (he at 

 prefent treats them as prifoners of war — and 

 until (lie (liall apply the right of blockade 

 cnly to thofe places which ihe has a force 

 /ully adequate to cut off from comraum- 

 calion. 



' ' We have therefore decreed and decree as 

 follows :— 



Article 1. "The Britilh iflandsare declared 

 to be in a ftate of blockade. 



•' 2. All commerce and all correfpondence 

 ■Jth the Britilh Ifles are prohibited. 

 ans\}- The letters or j)acktt5 which are ad- 

 vh.;h 

 for the tt 



drelTed to Engl.md or fo En^Urtimen, or 

 which arc written in the r.ngli(h language, 

 (hall not be forwarded by tlie ports, and (hall 

 be t.ikcn away. 



" 4. Every individual who is an Eng1i(h 

 fubject, of whatever condition he be, who is 

 found in the countries occupii^d by our troops, 

 or thofe of our allies, (hall be made prifoners 

 of war. 



" .5. Every magazine, every commodity, 

 every article of property, of whatever fyW, 

 which belongs to an Englifh fubjccl, fliall be 

 declared good prize. 



" 6. Th- trade In Engllfli commodities is 

 prohibited, and every article which belongs to 

 England, or is the produce of her manufac- 

 tures and colonics, is declared good prize. 



" 7. The hnlf Of the proceeds of the con- 

 fifcation of the articles, property and good 

 prize by the preceding article, will be em- 

 ployed to indemnity •ie merchants for the 

 lofi'cs which they fuft'er •;• the capture of 

 trading velTelj I'eized by tlie Engiilh cruizeis. 

 " a. No Ihip which comes direil from 

 England or the En^lilh co!' i.ies, or has beeri 

 there after the pullic.tion oi the prefent De- 

 cree, {hall be admitted in'o „ny harbour. 



'' J. Every (hip ivhicii tr.ides with a falfe 

 declaration, in contravention of the above 

 principles, jhall be Icizcd, nnd the iliip and 

 cari;o confifcated as if ihey weie Englirti pro- 

 perty. 



" 10. Our Prize Court at Paris 15 inverted 

 with'poxer definitively to ft-ttle all difputes 

 which may arilc in our empire or in the ca^in- 

 tries occupied by the French armies, in regard 

 to the execution 01 the preftnt decree. More- 

 over, our Prize Court at Milan is inverted 

 witli full power finally to deride all difputes 

 which may aiil'e within the dominions of our 

 kingdom of Italy. 



" n. The prefent decree (hall be com- 

 municated to the Kinijs of Spi'n, of Naples, 

 of Holland and Etruria, and our other Allies, 

 whofc fubjefts, as well as our own, have been 

 the vidlim'S of the injurtice and barbarity of 

 the Englifh maritime code. 



" 12. Our Minifters of Foreign Afl'airs, of 

 War, of Maritime, Unance, ot Police, and 

 our Poft-mafters General, each of them, in as 

 far as concerns his department, is entruded 

 with the execution of the |/rcfent Decree." 



Note prcfcntcd on the '2Uh of Kovcmbcr, ly 

 til Excellency thi In.fcrini French Mir.ijier 

 M. Bcarienney to the Hciinte if Humbwgh. 



" The underfjgned Minifter of his Mnjofty 

 the Emperor of the French and Kmg of Italy 

 to the States of Lnwer Saxony, has been com- 

 niaiid'^d by his Sovereign to comiYiunicace to 

 the city of Hamburgh, as follows : 



" That all Engiilh goods which are 

 found in the city, porti, and tenicoiics of 

 Hainburgh, to whomioever they may belong, 

 (hall lie confifcatcd. 



" That every EnglKhman, or Engiilh fub- 

 jefl, in the city, or in the ports or territoiy 

 above-meutioaed, is a prifoner of war. 



<« That 



