608 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



King of Spain, and bring the same 

 to judgment in any of the courts of 

 admiralty within his majesty's do- 

 minions ; and, to that end, his ma- 

 jpsty's advocate general, with the 

 advocate of the admiralty, are forth- 

 ■with to prepare the draft of a com- 

 mission, and present the same to his 

 majesty at this board, authorising 

 the commissioners for executing the 

 office of lord high admiral, or any 

 person or persons by them empow- 

 ered and appointed, to issue forth 

 and grant letters of marque and re- 

 prisals to any of his majesty's sub- 

 jects, or others whom the said com- 

 missioners shall deem fitly qualified 

 in that behalf, for the apprehending, 

 seizing, and taking the ships, ves- 

 sels, and goods belonging to Spain, 

 and the vassals and subjects of the 

 king of Spain, or any inhabit, 

 ing within his countries, territo- 

 ries, or dominions; and that such 

 powers and clauses be inserted in 

 the said commission, as have been 

 usual, and arc according to former 

 precedents ; and his majesty's said 

 advocate-general, with the advocate 

 of the admiralty, are also forthwith 

 to prepare the draft of a commis- 

 sion, and present the same to his 

 majesty at this board, authorising 

 the said commissioners for executing 

 the office of lord high admiral, to 

 •will and require the high court of 

 admiralty of Great Britain, and the 

 lieutenant and judge of the said 

 court, his surrogate or surrogates, 

 as also the several courts of admi- 

 ralty within his majesty's domi- 

 nions, to take cognizance of, and 

 judicially proceed upon, all and all 

 manner of captures, seizures, prizes, 

 and reprisals of all ships and goods 

 that are or shall be taken, and to 

 hear and determiue the same ; and, 

 according to the course of admi- 

 4 



ralty, and the laws of nations, t» 

 adjudge and condemn all such ships, 

 vessels, and goods as shall belong to 

 Spain, or the vassals and subjects of 

 the king of Spain, or to any others 

 inhabiting within any of his coun- 

 tries, territories, and dominions ; 

 and that such powers and clauses be 

 inserted in the said commission, as 

 have been usual, and are according 

 to former precedents ; and they are 

 likewise to prepare, and lay before 

 his majesty, at this board, a draft of 

 such instructions as may be proper 

 to be sent to the courts of admiralty 

 in his majesty's foreign governments 

 and plantations for their guidance 

 herein ; as also another draft of in- 

 structions for such ship^ as shall be 

 comniissionated for the purposes, 

 aforementioned. 



Kidon, C. Hawkesbury. 



Montrose. Ellcnborough. 



Camden. W. Pitt. 



Melville. W. Grant. 



Sidmouth. C. Morgan. 



Castlereagh. E. JNepean. 



Mulgrave. 



Declaration of War with Spain, on 

 the Part of the King of England^ 

 laid before Parliament, and pub- 

 lished on Thursday, the lAlh of 

 Januari/, 1805. 



From the moment that hostilities 

 had commenced between Great 

 Britain and France, a sufficient 

 ground of war against Spain, on 

 the part of Great Britain, neces- 

 sarily followed from the treaty of 

 St. Ildephonso, if not disclaimed by 

 Spain. — That treaty, in fact, identi- 

 fied Spain with the republican go- 

 vernment of France, by a virtual 

 acknowledgment of unqualified vas- 

 salage, and by specific stipulations 



of 



