Instructions to Captain Richard Dale, Commander of the United States [strikethrough: armed] Ship of war The Ganges. [1795?] Sir, Altho' Congress have authorized the arming &equipping of a number of Ships, whose sole object is the protection of the commerce of the United States; yet as Congress possess exclusively the power to grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captives, [strikethrough: impressment &c] on land &water; and neither has yet been done; your operations for the protection of our commerce will be extremely limited; they can apply only to the prevention and punishment of violations of our jurisdictional rights, and to the rights of Self-defence. 1. The jurisdiction of the U. States on our coasts has been determined to extend one marine league from our shores, and to comprehend all our rivers & inlets, and all the bay and found lands locked by the territory of the U. States. If within these limits you find any armed vessel whatever committing or threatening depredations on our coasts, or attacking, or that has taken, or pursuing, or threatening to attack or take any vessel of the United States, or the vessel of every nation whatever because within our jurisdiction the U. States are bound as well in maintenance of their sovereignty, as by the duties of treaty stipulations or of national hospitality, to afford, all the protection in their power, you are to make every necessary exertion to prevent the execution of such unlawful designs, and to take the offending vessel, and to liberate or retake the pursued, attacked or captured vessel and her crew; and the armed vessel and her crew thus violating our territorial rights, you are to bring into some port of the U. States, to be dealt with as the Laws of the U. States ordain. 2. If on the high Seas you are attacked by any armed vessel whatever, you are to defend yourself with all your power. If the assailant strikes, examine her papers; and if she has not a regular commission then in force, and then in force, bring her into some port of the U. States to be tried as a pirate [strikethrough: and] [strikethrough: take from her] her [undecipherable] Citizens as well as Subjects of the U. States. 3. It has appeared that many French vessels have cruized against neutral commerce, especially against the commerce of the U. States, without [strikethrough: actual] commission. If therefore you find any French [strikethrough: armed] vessel hovering on the coasts of the U. States, you are to summon and require and compel her to exhibit her [strikethrough: regular] commission; and on refusal, or if on the production of her papers, no proper commission is found, you are to consider such vessel as a privateer, and to take & bring her in for trial as such. 4. Your knowledge of the American coast and of the tracks usually followed by [strikethrough: the] vessels of the U. States, in coming or going off the coast between the capes of Virginia and [undecipherable], [underline: found] will enable you to cruise where you [strikethrough: can] [underline: most] afford the best protection to them, in conveying and defending them against French cruizers; for as these are governed in their captures [strikethrough: even] by any rule of justice, and condemnation almost universally follows the captive, without the hope of redress, it is against French cruizers only that this fourth article of instruction is directed. 5. For the same reason you are to rescue from the hazard of such [strikethrough: pirates] French cruizers any American vessels of which they may have seized. 6. If you find [strikethrough: any persons] on board any French cruizers any citizens or inhabitants of the U. States, you are to take them out; and if they have composed a part of the crew of such vessel, you are effectually to seize and bring them in for trial, as offenders against the laws, and as traitors to their Country. 7. You will of course daily train your men to the service of your cannon; but when the weather [strikethrough: does] or other circumstances do not permit you. An extension of your powers may soon be expected, when full force may be given to the exertion of their Skill.