proves damp, to have it aired upon the quarter-deck or poop; and also examine the flesh-cask, and if any of the pickle be leaked out, to have new made and put in, and the cask made tight and secure.

The Captain or Purser shall secure the clothes, bedding, and other things of such persons as shall die or be killed, to be delivered to their executors or administrators.

All papers, charter-parties, bills of lading, passports, and other writings whatsoever, found on board any ship or ships which shall be taken, shall be carefully preserved, and the originals sent to the court of justice for maritime affairs, appointed or to be appointed by the Legislatures in the respective Colonies, for judging concerning such prize or prizes; and if any person or persons shall wilfully or negligently destroy, or suffer to be destroyed, any such paper or papers, he or they so offending shall forfeit their share of such prize or prizes, and suffer such other punishment as they shall be judged by a court-martial to deserve.

If any person or persons shall embezzle, or steal, or take away any cables, anchors, sails, or any of the ship’s furniture, or any of the powder, arms, ammunition, or provisions of any ship belonging to the thirteen United Colonies, he or they shall suffer such punishment as a court-martial shall order.

When in sight of a ship or ships of the enemy, and at such other times as may appear to make it necessary to prepare for an engagement, the Captain shall order all things in his ship in a proper posture for fight, and shall, in his own person, and according to his duty, heart on and encourage the inferior officers and men to fight courageously, and not to behave themselves faintly or cry for quarters, on pain of such punishment as the offence shall appear to deserve for his neglect.

Any Captain or other officer, mariner or others, who shall basely desert their duty or station in the ship, and run away while the enemy is in sight, or, in time of action, shall entice others to do so, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as a court-martial shall inflict.

Any officer, seaman, or marine, who shall begin, excite, cause, or join in any mutiny or sedition in the ship to which he belongs, on any pretence whatsoever, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as a court-martial shall direct.

Any person in or belonging to the ship, who shall utter any words of sedition and mutiny, or endeavour to make any mutinous assemblies, on any pretence whatsoever, shall suffer such punishment as a court-martial shall inflict.

None shall presume to quarrel with or strike his superior officer, on pain of such punishment as a court-martial shall order to be inflicted.

If any person shall apprehend he has just cause of complaint, he shall quietly and decently make the same known to his superior officer, or to the Captain, as the case may require, who will take care that justice be done him.

There shall be no quarrelling or fighting between shipmates on board any ship belonging to the thirteen United Colonies, nor shall there be used any reproachful or provoking speeches, tending to make quarrels and disturbance, on pain of imprisonment, and such other punishment as a court-martial shall think proper to inflict.

If any person shall sleep upon his watch, or negligently perform the duty which shall be enjoined him to do, or forsake his station, he shall suffer such punishment as a court-martial shall judge proper to inflict, according to the nature of his offence.

All murder shall be punished with death.

All robbery and theft shall be punished at the discretion of a court-martial.

Any Master-at-Arms who shall refuse to receive such prisoner or prisoners as shall be committed to his charge, or, having received them, shall suffer him or them to escape, or dismiss them without orders for so doing, shall suffer in his or their stead, as a court-martial shall order and direct.

The Captains, officers, and others, shall use their utmost endeavours to detect, apprehend, and bring to punishment, all offenders, and shall, at all times, readily assist the officers appointed for that purpose in the discharge of their duty, on pain of being proceeded against and punished by a court-martial at discretion.

All other faults, disorders, and misdemeanors, which shall be committed on board any ship belonging to the thirteen United Colonies, and which are not herein mentioned, shall be punished according to the laws and customs in such cases at sea.

A court-martial shall consist of at least three Captains and three First Lieutenants, with three Captains and three First Lieutenants of Marines, if there shall be so many of the marines then present, and the eldest Captain shall preside.

All sea officers of the same denomination shall take rank of the officers of the marines.

Every member of a court-martial shall take the following oath, viz:

“You,...., swear that you will well and truly try, and impartially determine the cause of the prisoner now to be tried, according to the rules of the Navy of the United Colonies. So help you God.”

Which oath shall be administered by the President to the other members, and the President shall himself be sworn by the officer in said court next in rank.

All witnesses, before they may be admitted to give evidence, shall take the following oath, viz:

“You swear the evidence you shall give, in the cause now in hearing, shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help you God.”

The sentence of a court-martial for any capital offence shall not be put in execution until it be confirmed by the Commander-in-Chief of the fleet; and it shall be the duty of the President of every court-martial to transmit to the Commander-in-Chief of the fleet every sentence which shall be given, with a summary of the evidence and proceedings thereon, by the first opportunity.

The Commander-in-Chief of the fleet, for the time being, shall have power to pardon and remit any sentence of death that shall be given in consequence of any of the aforementioned articles.

There shall be allowed to each man serving on board the ships in the service of the thirteen United Colonies, a daily proportion of provisions, according as is expressed in the following table, viz:

Sunday: One pound bread, one pound beef, one pound potatoes or turnips.

Monday: One pound bread, one pound pork, half pint peas, and four ounces cheese.

Tuesday: One pound bread, one pound beef, one pound potatoes or turnips, and pudding.

Wednesday: One pound bread, two ounces butter, four ounces cheese, and half pint of rice.

Thursday: One pound bread, one pound pork, and half pint of peas.

Friday: One pound bread, one pound beef, one pound potatoes or turnips, and pudding.

Saturday: One pound bread, one pound pork, half pint peas, and four ounces cheese.

Half pint of rum per man every day, and discretionary allowance on extra duty, and in time of engagement.

A pint and half of vinegar for six men per week.

The pay of the officers and men shall be as follows: *

Orders of Congress.

We, whose hands and marks are hereunto set and subscribed, being officers, seamen, and marines, do, and each of us doth agree to and with..., of the good ship called the..., belonging to the thirteen United Colonies of North-America, now bound on a cruise from the port of..., against the enemies of the thirteen United Colonies of North-America, in manner and form following, that is to say:

* See 13th and 19th of December, 1775.

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