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Alexandria Daily Advertiser
Alexandria, Virginia
What is this article about?
Napoleon issues the Berlin Decree on November 21, 1806, from Berlin, declaring the British Isles in a state of blockade and prohibiting all commerce and correspondence with Britain in response to British maritime practices, initiating the Continental System.
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IMPERIAL DECREE,
Declaring the British isles in a state of Blockade.
IMPERIAL CAMP, BERLIN,
Nov. 21. 1806.
Napoleon, emperor of the French and king of Italy, considering,
1. That England does not admit the right of nations as universally acknowledged by all civilized people.
2. That she declares as an enemy every individual belonging to an enemy state, and in consequence makes prisoners of war not only of the crews of armed vessels, but those also of merchant vessels, and even the supercargoes of the same.
3. That she extends or applies to merchant vessels, to articles of commerce, and to the property of individuals, the right of conquest which can only be applied or extended to what belongs to an enemy state.
4. That she extends to ports not fortified, to harbors and mouths of rivers, the right of blockade, which, according to reason and the usage of civilized nations, is applicable only to strong or fortified ports.
That she declares blockaded places before which she has not a single vessel of war: although a place ought not to be considered blockaded but when it is so invested as that no approach to it can be made without imminent hazard ;---that she declares even places blockaded which her united forces would be incapable of doing, such as entire coasts, and a whole empire.
5. That this unparalleled abuse of right of blockade has no other object than to interrupt the communications of different nations, and to extend the commerce and industry of England upon the ruin of those of the continent.
6. That this being the evident design of England, whoever deals on the continent in English merchandise, favors that design, and becomes an accomplice.
7. That this conduct in England (worthy only of the first ages of barbarism) has benefited her to the detriment of other nations,
8. That it being right to oppose to an enemy the same arms she makes use of to combat as she does; when all ideas of justice, and every liberal sentiment (the result of civilization among men) are disregarded.
We have resolved to enforce against England the usages which she has consecrated in her maritime code.
The present decree shall be considered as the fundamental law of the empire, until England has acknowledged that the rights of war are the same on land as at sea, that it cannot be extended to any private property whatever, nor to persons who are not military, and until the right of blockade be restrained to fortified places actually invested by competent forces.
Art. 1. The British islands are in a state of blockade.
2. All commerce and correspondence with them is prohibited. Consequently, all letters or packages, written in England or to an Englishman, written in the English language, shall not be dispatched from the post-offices, and shall be seized.
3. Every individual, a subject of Great Britain, of whatever rank or condition, who is found in countries occupied by our troops or those of our allies, shall be made prisoners of war.
4. Every warehouse, all merchandise or property whatever belonging to an Englishman, are declared good prize.
5. The trade in English merchandise is prohibited; all merchandise belonging to England, or coming from her colonies, or of her manufacture, are declared good prize.
6. One half of the proceeds of merchandise declared to be good prize and forfeited as in the preceding articles, shall go to indemnify merchants who have suffered losses by the English cruisers.
7. No vessel coming directly from England or her colonies, or having been there since the publication of this decree, shall be admitted into any port.
8. Every vessel that by a false declaration contravened the foregoing disposition, shall be seized ;--and the ship and cargo confiscated as English property.
9. This article states, that the councils of prizes at Paris and at Milan shall have cognizance of what may arise in the empire, and in Italy under the present article.
10. Communications of this decree shall be made to the king of Spain, Naples, Holland, Etruria, and to our other allies, whose subjects as well as ours, are victims of the injustice and barbarity of the English Maritime code.
11. Our ministers of foreign relations &c. &c. are charged with the execution of the present decree.
Signed,
NAPOLEON.
By the emperor,
H. B. Maret sec'ry of state.
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Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Berlin
Event Date
1806 11 21
Key Persons
Outcome
british isles declared in state of blockade; all commerce and correspondence with britain prohibited; british subjects in allied territories to be made prisoners of war; english merchandise and property declared good prize; trade in english goods prohibited; half proceeds to indemnify affected merchants; vessels from england or colonies barred from ports; false declarations lead to confiscation.
Event Details
Napoleon, from the Imperial Camp in Berlin, issues a decree condemning British maritime practices as violations of international law and civilized norms. The decree declares the British Islands blockaded, prohibits all trade and communication with Britain, mandates seizure of British persons, property, and merchandise in French and allied territories, and establishes it as fundamental law until Britain reforms its practices. Communications to be sent to allied kings including Spain, Naples, Holland, and Etruria.