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Foreign News
March 15, 1809
Alexandria Daily Gazette, Commercial & Political
Alexandria, Virginia
What is this article about?
Louis Napoleon, King of Holland, issues a decree on November 27, 1808, closing Dutch ports to all vessels, confiscating those from enemy ports, and imposing strict regulations on trade and passengers. Additional decisions on November 29 treat armed vessels as merchants under blockade laws and reduce a forced loan from 30 to 20 million guilders.
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BY HIS IMPERIAL AND ROYAL MAJESTY.
We, Louis Napoleon, by the grace of God and the constitution, King of Holland, and Grand Duke of Berg, and hereby King of France and Constable of France, decree
Art. 1. The ports of Holland shall remain shut and no vessel shall enter this kingdom, nor to land any merchandize.
2. Vessels that may have touched at any port in England, or any enemy's port, that shall be found to have been carrying on any prohibited commerce or intercourse, or to have brought in therefrom merchandize, letters or passengers; and also such as shall have taken on board, at sea, and brought in merchandize, letters or passengers shall not be warned off, but shall be detained and confiscated.
3. The master and crew of all vessels that shall be known to have put into England, or any enemy's port, and there to have taken on board merchandize, letters or passengers; and also to those who shall have taken in at sea, merchandize, letters or passengers, shall without any distinction, be put on board any one of our ships of war, to serve therein as common sailors.
4. Should any vessel sailing under allied or neutral flags, laden with neutral goods and coming from a neutral port, be stranded upon our coast, or through extreme distress be compelled to enter this kingdom and being disabled from again putting to sea, the cargoes of all such vessels shall be deposited in the royal ware-house, to be re-shipped after they are repaired, or, in case of a repair being impracticable, to be there kept in safe custody, until after the peace.
5. In cases where the said cargoes, or a part thereof, shall be found to be damaged, we shall grant permission to dispose of the same by public sale, and the produce shall be deposited in the royal treasury until after the peace.
6. The regulations enacted by articles 2 and three, are also applicable to fishing boats and other small vessels, of whatever denomination and likewise to the skippers, captains, masters and crews of such vessels that shall be found to have carried on any prohibited commerce, or intercourse, and to have brought in, or to have been aiding or abetting in bringing in merchandize, letters or passengers.
7. From the restrictions imposed by art. 1, are nevertheless excepted vessels laden with tea and other Chinese produce, which previous to our decree of blockade, may have obtained a license from us to proceed for a Chinese cargo. Such produce shall be lodged in the Royal Ware-houses, and shall not be disposed of, nor the proceeds of any sale paid over to the owners, without our special order.
8. Vessels laden with salt, and which shall not have brought in any other article of merchandize, nor any letters or passengers, are not included in the above regulations. Nevertheless, if found to have contravened the dispositions of articles 2 and 3 the same shall be applicable to them also, without excepting therefrom even the salt which shall likewise be confiscated.
9. Marshals De Winter and Dumonceau and general Vercken, are each in the district assigned to them by our decree of the 13th of October last, charged with, and made responsible for providing that no vessel arriving, shall be suffered to proceed to sea again, but that she shall be effectually secured until they have been apprised of our further pleasure, which shall be made known to them by our minister of Finance, with which minister they shall correspond on this subject, and who shall apply to us, and wait for our order, in the case of each vessel, in manner before decreed.
10. Our Ministers, of Finance, Justice and Police, are charged with the execution of the present decree, of which notice shall be given to Ministers of Marine and Colonies, and of War, and which shall be published.
Given at our Royal Palace in Amsterdam, the 27th of Nov. 1808, and of the third of our reign.
(Signed)
LOUIS.
AMSTERDAM, Nov. 29.
The following decision was this day given by his majesty:
"Every vessel, armed or unarmed, even though provided with letters of marque, be considered as a merchant vessel, and as such, be subject to the laws of blockade.
On the 21st his majesty issued a decree, reducing the forced loan, agreed to by the legislative body from 30 to 20 millions of guilders. The deficit of ten millions for the service of the year 1808, and also ten millions for that of March loan, to be completely repaid in eight years.
" LOUIS."
We, Louis Napoleon, by the grace of God and the constitution, King of Holland, and Grand Duke of Berg, and hereby King of France and Constable of France, decree
Art. 1. The ports of Holland shall remain shut and no vessel shall enter this kingdom, nor to land any merchandize.
2. Vessels that may have touched at any port in England, or any enemy's port, that shall be found to have been carrying on any prohibited commerce or intercourse, or to have brought in therefrom merchandize, letters or passengers; and also such as shall have taken on board, at sea, and brought in merchandize, letters or passengers shall not be warned off, but shall be detained and confiscated.
3. The master and crew of all vessels that shall be known to have put into England, or any enemy's port, and there to have taken on board merchandize, letters or passengers; and also to those who shall have taken in at sea, merchandize, letters or passengers, shall without any distinction, be put on board any one of our ships of war, to serve therein as common sailors.
4. Should any vessel sailing under allied or neutral flags, laden with neutral goods and coming from a neutral port, be stranded upon our coast, or through extreme distress be compelled to enter this kingdom and being disabled from again putting to sea, the cargoes of all such vessels shall be deposited in the royal ware-house, to be re-shipped after they are repaired, or, in case of a repair being impracticable, to be there kept in safe custody, until after the peace.
5. In cases where the said cargoes, or a part thereof, shall be found to be damaged, we shall grant permission to dispose of the same by public sale, and the produce shall be deposited in the royal treasury until after the peace.
6. The regulations enacted by articles 2 and three, are also applicable to fishing boats and other small vessels, of whatever denomination and likewise to the skippers, captains, masters and crews of such vessels that shall be found to have carried on any prohibited commerce, or intercourse, and to have brought in, or to have been aiding or abetting in bringing in merchandize, letters or passengers.
7. From the restrictions imposed by art. 1, are nevertheless excepted vessels laden with tea and other Chinese produce, which previous to our decree of blockade, may have obtained a license from us to proceed for a Chinese cargo. Such produce shall be lodged in the Royal Ware-houses, and shall not be disposed of, nor the proceeds of any sale paid over to the owners, without our special order.
8. Vessels laden with salt, and which shall not have brought in any other article of merchandize, nor any letters or passengers, are not included in the above regulations. Nevertheless, if found to have contravened the dispositions of articles 2 and 3 the same shall be applicable to them also, without excepting therefrom even the salt which shall likewise be confiscated.
9. Marshals De Winter and Dumonceau and general Vercken, are each in the district assigned to them by our decree of the 13th of October last, charged with, and made responsible for providing that no vessel arriving, shall be suffered to proceed to sea again, but that she shall be effectually secured until they have been apprised of our further pleasure, which shall be made known to them by our minister of Finance, with which minister they shall correspond on this subject, and who shall apply to us, and wait for our order, in the case of each vessel, in manner before decreed.
10. Our Ministers, of Finance, Justice and Police, are charged with the execution of the present decree, of which notice shall be given to Ministers of Marine and Colonies, and of War, and which shall be published.
Given at our Royal Palace in Amsterdam, the 27th of Nov. 1808, and of the third of our reign.
(Signed)
LOUIS.
AMSTERDAM, Nov. 29.
The following decision was this day given by his majesty:
"Every vessel, armed or unarmed, even though provided with letters of marque, be considered as a merchant vessel, and as such, be subject to the laws of blockade.
On the 21st his majesty issued a decree, reducing the forced loan, agreed to by the legislative body from 30 to 20 millions of guilders. The deficit of ten millions for the service of the year 1808, and also ten millions for that of March loan, to be completely repaid in eight years.
" LOUIS."
What sub-type of article is it?
Naval Affairs
Trade Or Commerce
Economic
What keywords are associated?
Blockade Decree
Dutch Ports Closure
Vessel Confiscation
Napoleonic Regulations
Forced Loan Reduction
What entities or persons were involved?
Louis Napoleon
Marshals De Winter
Dumonceau
General Vercken
Where did it happen?
Amsterdam, Holland
Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Amsterdam, Holland
Event Date
27th Of Nov. 1808
Key Persons
Louis Napoleon
Marshals De Winter
Dumonceau
General Vercken
Outcome
ports shut; vessels from enemy ports detained and confiscated; crews impressed into service; neutral cargoes warehoused until peace; forced loan reduced to 20 million guilders.
Event Details
Decree closes Dutch ports to all vessels and merchandise; confiscates ships from England or enemy ports carrying prohibited items; impresses crews; regulates neutral and stranded vessels' cargoes; exceptions for Chinese produce and salt; officials responsible for enforcement; additional decision treats armed vessels as merchants under blockade; prior decree reduces loan.