Alexandria Daily Advertiser

Late Foreign Intelligence.

HAGUE Sept. 3

Decree against English Commerce.

Louis Napoleon, by the grace of God and the constitution of the kingdom, king of Holland. Considering that, consistent with the true interest of our kingdom, it is our duty by all the means in our power, to co-operate in the desired execution of the great measures adopted by the emperor and king, against the common enemy, for the purpose of obtaining a general peace and the independence of the seas--considering that some subaltern agents have rendered themselves criminal by want of firmness and neglect in the execution of our measures directed by our decree of the 15th of December 1806--considering the artifice and bad faith which have been employed in several ports of the enemy, with respect to the papers of neutral vessels, and by which the health of Europe was put to hazard by making out letters of quarantine--considering finally, that all those irregularities ought to be terminated at a moment so critical for the enemy of the whole continent, and in particular of all commercial states: and that the honour and dearest interest of our subjects would be compromised, were the strict execution of the laws and decrees passed for this purpose overlooked--we have therefore decreed as follows:--

Art. 1 The agents arrested in consequence of the orders of our minister of justice and police, shall be brought before the competent courts to answer for their conduct according to the laws.

2. The vessels stopped in our harbors a list of which is subjoined, shall be decided upon by the competent tribunals.

3. Reckoning from the date of the present decree, all vessels entering inwards shall give a double security, which shall remain until the legality of their papers be fully acknowledged, and until it be proved that those vessels have not touched at an enemy's port.

4. In case the papers should be false, or it should appear that contrary to the declaration of the captain, the ship had touched at an enemy's port, the double security shall be immediately demanded of the sureties, and the amount paid into the public treasury.

5. As soon as the security shall be settled, the delivery of the ships may take place, in presence of the persons appointed to superintend it by the minister of finance, who shall take care that the owners do not unload any articles which may be presumed to be English merchandise.

6. If it should be proved that the goods are of English manufacture, or have come from an enemy's port, they shall not only be seized, but the duties shall also be levied, and the ship shall be obliged to pay into the treasury, but the double security shall be confiscated, for the benefit of the public. put to sea; and the same shall, in case of bad weather, have no shelter, except under the strictest precautions.

7. All correspondence, journals, &c. which come in a neutral flag, shall be seized and burnt.

[To] prove that they do not come from the [British] islands.

8. All passengers or travellers, who can [prove from British islands], shall immediately be sent out of the kingdom.

9. All prohibitory regulations respecting commerce with England remain in full force, in so far as they are not altered by the present decree.

10. All who contravene the present regulations shall be tried and punished for disobeying the laws.

11. Our minister of finance is solely and personally answerable for the execution of these regulations. Our minister at war shall place at his disposal such troops and vessels as he may deem necessary.