48 THE UKASE OF 1821. 



1 M •^^''I'v"'^^ ^^^T sliii^s and the imprisonment of crews eng-aCTed 



uibited lioni visit- -L i n n 



Sfente(f''by^sl-iii ^^^^^ illegal traffic. You must act with the 

 seiar '"^*^^ ^^^" greatest severity in cases where foreigners 

 have sold to the natives arms, powder, and lead. 

 They must be made to understand that their 

 presence in our waters is contrary to our laws, 

 and that they will never be admitted to any 

 port unless you or your subordinates convince 

 yourselves that such is necessary for the saving 

 of life. In a word, you must preserve an 

 attitude in full accord with the views of the 

 Imperial Government on this subject, and 

 protect against all intruders the domain of 

 land and water granted to us by the grace of 

 the Emperor and necessary for our continued 

 existence and prosperity. You must transmit 

 these instructions without delay to your sub- 

 ordinate commanders for their conduct in their 

 intercourse with foreigners, and especially to 

 the commanders of ships navigating our waters, 

 to enable them to drive away the foreign intru- 

 ders."^ 

 The Pi gott affair, ''pjjig question of the contract with foreio'iiers 

 was again referred to in a letter from the board 

 of administration to the chief manager of the 

 Colonies, March 31, 1821. Speaking of Messrs. 

 Riccord, Dobello, and Pigott, it is said: "From 



'Vol. I, pp. 53, 54. 



