Germantown November 15 1793 — Sir In cassing wars between some of the European powers having occa­sioned the capture of vessels on our sea coast, it has become essential that some certain distance from our shores should be pronounced fixed as the limits of the protection of the United States. The President of the United States in determining what this distance should be has been guided more by the principles of moderation and a hope that it — may hereafter be assented to by negotiation with the different powers who may be concerned in this question, than by the opinions of some Jurists, who are for a greater distance, which however do not appear to have had such influ­ence as to fix any general standard among the European powers. The President therefore has conceived it best as far as shall con­cern the Executive, powers to take the distance of a Sea league as the limits of the protection of the United States. This distance being settled by Treaty between some of the belligerent powers, and as little as any of them claims on their own vessels can admit of no reasonable opposition on their — heads. He has therefore directed me to request that your Excellency will con­sider a Marine of one Sea league being a very small fraction less than three and an half British or American Miles from our coast as that within which all hostilities are interdicted. The rivers and bays being land locked are of course by the laws of Nations and it is presumed by the laws of most of the States within the ivory of the United States and under the same protection from hostilities. As the Question whether the capture has been made within these limits is a question of fact to be decided by Witnesses it becomes necessary to take measures for the examination of these Witnesses in the different States where the capture may happen and the laws of the Union having as yet made no provision for this purpose the President considers that this duty ought for the present to be performed by the Attorneys of the respective districts — In case therefore that your Excellency should take possession of any vessel upon an allegation of her having been captured within one league you will have the goodness to cause the Attorney of the United States within your State to be notified thereof in order that he may take the proper steps for the examination of the necessary Witnesses upon the affair. The President of the United States has further instructed me to inform your Excellency that if any privateers which have been illegally fitted in any of our ports should by any circumstances be constrained to come into any of the ports of those Islands — that they be permitted to make no repairs whatever but on the condition of their divesting themselves of all warlike equipments. In such a case they may be permitted to make any repairs belonging solely to a commercial vessel — I have the honor to be with great respect Your Excellency's Hed. Servant [signature] His excellency The Governor of Rhode Island