Instructions to the commanders of warships to protect American trade

General instructions to commanders of armed vessels in the service of the United States in order to protect United States trade on the coast. Urges them to defend selves with all necessary force against attacks on the high seas, but orders that they not make prize of the ship that attacked, unless a pirate and not a regularly commissioned ship of war. Also warns that they may run across French armed vessels who had illegally seized American merchant vessels, ordering that they insist upon the delivery of any prisoners onboard.

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