Now, therefore, I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States, with a view to the same purposes before mentioned, and to the protection of the public peace, and the lives and property or quiet and orderly citizens pursuing their lawful occupations, until Congress shall have assembled and deliberated on the said unlawful proceedings, or until the same shall have ceased, have further deemed it advisable to set on foot a blockade of the ports within the states aforesaid, in pursuance of the laws of the United States and of the laws of nations in such cases provided. For this purpose a competent force will be posted so as to prevent entrance and exit of vessels from the ports aforesaid. If, therefore, with a view to violate such blockade, a vessel shall approach, or shall attempt to leave any of the said ports, she will be duly warned by the commander of one of the blockading vessels, who will indorse on her register the fact and date of such warning, and if the same vessel shall again attempt to enter or leave the blockaded port, she will be captured and sent to the nearest convenient port, for such proceedings against her and her cargo, as prize, as may be deemed advisable. And I hereby proclaim and declare that if any person, under the pretended authority of said states, or under any other pretence, shall molest a vessel of the United States, or the persons or cargo on board of her, such person will be held amenable to the laws of the United States for the prevention and punishment of piracy. By the President: WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State. WASHINGTON, April 19, 1861. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. A PROCLAMATION, BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. WHEREAS, for the reasons assigned in my proclamation of the 19th instant, a blockade of the ports of the states of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas was ordered to be established: And whereas, since that date, public property of the United States has been seized, the collection of the revenue obstructed, and duly commissioned officers of the United States, while engaged in executing the orders of their superiors, have been arrested and held in custody as prisoners, or have been impeded in the discharge of their official duties without due legal process, by persons claiming to act under authorities of the states of Virginia and North Carolina, an efficient blockade of the ports of those states will also be established. By the President: ABRAHAM LINCOLN. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State. WASHINGTON, April 27, 1861. THE BLOCKADE.-TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. UNITED STATES FLAG-SHIP CUMBERLAND, I hereby call attention to the proclamation of his Excellency, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, under date of April 27, 1861, for an efficient blockade of the ports of Virginia and North Carolina, and warn all persons interested that I have a sufficient naval force here for the purpose of carrying out that proclamation. All vessels passing the capes of Virginia coming from a distance and ignorant of the proclamation, will be warned off, and those passing Fortress Monroe will be required to anchor under the guns of that fort and subject themselves to an examination. G. J. PENDERGRAST, Flag Officer, commanding Home Squadron. A PROCLAMATION, BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. WASHINGTON, Friday, May 3, 1861. WHEREAS, existing exigencies demand immediate and adequate measures for the protection of the National Constitution and the preservation of the National Union, by the suppression of the insurrectionary combinations now existing in several states for opposing the laws of the Union and obstructing the execution thereof, to which end a military force in addition to that called forth by my proclamation of the fifteenth day of April, in the present year, appears to be indispensably necessary, now, therefore, I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States, and commander-in-chief of the army and navy thereof, and of the mili tia of the several states, when called into actual service, do hereby call into the service of the United States forty-two thousand and thirty-four volunteers, to serve for a period of three years, unless sooner discharged, and to be mustered into service as infantry and cav alry. The proportions of each arm and the details of enrolment and organization will be made known through the Department of War; and I also direct that the regular army of the United States be increased by the addition of eight regiments of infantry, one regiment of cavalry, and one regiment of artillery, making altogether a maximum aggregate increase of 22,714 officers and enlisted men, the details of which increase will also be made known through the Department of War; and I further direct the enlistment, for not less than one nor more than three years, of 18,000 seamen, in addition to the present force, for the naval service of the United States. The details of the enlistment and organization will be made known through the Department of the Navy. The call for volunteers hereby made, and the direction for the increase of the regular army, and for the enlistment of seamen hereby given, together with the plan of organization adopted for the volunteers and for the regular forces hereby authorized, will be submitted to Congress as soon as assembled. In the mean time I earnestly invoke the co-operation of all good citizens in the measures hereby adopted for the effectual suppression of unlawful violence, for the impartial enforcement of constitutional laws, and for the speediest possible restoration of peace and order, and with those of happiness and prosperity throughout our country. By the President: WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State. PROCLAMATION BY QUEEN VICTORIA. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. VICTORIA R. Whereas we are happily at peace with all sovereigns, powers and states, and whereas hostilities have unhappily commenced between the government of the United States of America and certain states styling themselves the Confederate States of America, and whereas, we being at peace with the government of the United States, have declared our royal determination to maintain a strict and impartial neutrality in the contest between the said contending parties: We, therefore, have thought fit, by and with the advice of our privy council, to issue this our royal proclamation. [The provisions of the Foreign Enlistment Act are here cited.] And we do hereby warn all our loving subjects, and all persons whatsoever entitled to our protection, that if any of them shall presume, in contempt of this our royal proclamation and of our high displeasure, to do any acts in derogation of their duty as subjects of a neutral sovereign in the said contest, or in violation or in contravention of the law of nations: as, for example, more especially, by entering into the military service of either of the said contending parties as commissioned or non-commissioned officers or soldiers; or by serving as officers, sailors or marines on board any ship, or vessel of war, or transport of or in the service of either of the said contending parties; or by serving as officers, sailors, or marines on board any privateer bearing letters of marque of or from either of the said contending parties; or by engaging to go, or going to any place beyond the seas with an intent to enlist or engage in any such service; or by procuring or attempting to procure within her majesty's dominions at home or abroad others to do so; or by fitting out, arming, or equipping any ship or vessel to be employed as a ship of war, or privateer, or transport by either of the said contending parties; or by breaking or endeavoring to break any blockade lawfully and actually established by or on behalf of either of the said contending parties; or by carrying officers, soldiers, dispatches, arms, military stores or materials, or any article or articles considered and deemed to be contraband of war, according to the law or modern usage of nations, for the use or service of either of the said contending parties. All persons so of fending will incur and be liable to the several penalties and penal consequences by the said stat ute, or by the law of nations in that behalf imposed and decreed. And we do hereby declare that all our subjects and persons entitled to our protection, who may misconduct themselves in the premises, will do so at their peril and of their own wrong and that they will in nowise obtain any protection from us against any liabilities or penal consequences, but will, on the contrary, incur our high displeasure by such misconduct. No. VII. DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZE MONEY. ACT OF CONGRESS, JULY 17TH, 1862. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the proceeds of all ships and vessels, and the goods taken on board of them, which shall be adjudged good prize, shall, when of equal or superior force to the vessel or vessels, making the capture, be the sole property of the captors; and when of inferior force, shall be divided equally between the United States and the officers and men making the capture. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the prize money belonging to the officers and men shall be distributed in the following manner: First. To the commanding officer of a fleet or squadron, one-twentieth part of all prize money awarded to a vessel or vessels under his immediate command. Second. To the commander of a single ship, one-tenth part of all prize money awarded to the ship under his command, if such ship, at the time of making the capture, was under the immediate command of the commanding officer of a fleet or squadron, and three-twentieths if his ship was acting independently of such superior officer. Third. The share of the commanding officer of the fleet or squadron, if any, and the share of the commander of the ship being deducted, the residue shall be distributed and apportioned among all others doing duty on board, and borne upon the books, according to their respective rates of pay in the service. Fourth. When one or more vessels of the navy shall be within signal distance of another making a prize, all shall share in the prize, and the money awarded-shall be apportioned among the officers and men of the several vessels according to the rates of pay of all on board who are borne upon the books, after deducting one-twentieth to the flag-officer, if there be any such entitled to share. Fifth. No commander of a fleet or squadron shall be entitled to receive any share of prizes taken by vessels not under his immediate command; nor of such prizes as may have been taken by ships or vessels intended to be placed under his command before they have acted under his immediate orders; nor shall a commander of a fleet or squadron, leaving the station where he had the command, have any share in the prizes taken by ships left on such station after he has gone out of the limits of his said command, nor after he has transferred his command to a successor. Sirth. No officer or other person who shall have been temporarily absent on duty from the vessel, on the books of which he continued to be borne while so absent, shall be deprived, in consequence of such absence, of any prize money to which he would otherwise be entitled. SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That a bounty shall be paid by the United States for cach person on board any ship or vessel-of-war belonging to an enemy at the commencement of an engagement, which shall be sunk or otherwise destroyed in such engagement, by any ship or vessel belonging to the United States, or which it may be necessary to destroy in consequence of injuries sustained in action, of one hundred dollars, if the enemy's vessel was of inferior force; and of two hundred dollars, if of equal or superior force; to be divided among the officers and crew in the same manner as prize money; and when the actual number of men on board any such vessel cannot be satisfactorily ascertained, it shall be estimated according to the complement allowed to vessels of their class in the navy of the United States; and there shall be paid as bounty to the captors of any vessel-of-war captured from an enemy, which they may be instructed to destroy, or which shall be immediately destroyed for the public interest, but not in consequence of injuries received in action, fifty dollars for every person who shall be on board at the time of such capture. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That the commanding officer of every vessel, or the senior officers of all vessels of the navy, which shall capture or seize upon any vessel or vessels as a prize, shall carefully preserve all the papers and writings found on board, and transmit the whole of the originals, unmutilated, to the judge of the district to which such prize is ordered to proceed, with the necessary witnesses, and a report of the circumstances attendin the capture, stating the names of vessels claiming a share thereof; and the com. manding officer of every vessel in the navy entitled to, or claiming an award of prize money, shall, as early as practicable after the capture, transmit to the navy department a complete list of the officers and men of his vessel, entitled to share, inserting thereon the quality of every person rating, on pain of forfeiting his whole share of the prize money resulting from such capture, and suffering such further punishment as a court-martial shall adjudge. SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That any armed vessel in the service of the United States which shall make a capture, or assist in a capture, under circumstances which would entitle a vessel of the navy to prize money, shall be entitled to an award of prize money in the same manner as if such vessel belonged to the navy, and such prize money shall be distributed and apportioned in the same manner and under the same rules and regulations as provided for persons in the naval service, and paid under the direction of the secretary of the navy. SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That no person in the navy shall take out of a prize, or vessel seized as a prize, any money, plate, goods, or any part of her equipment, unless it be for the better preservation thereof, or absolutely necessary for the use of any of the vessels or armed forces of the United States, before the same shall be adjudged lawful prize by a competent court; but the whole, without fraud, concealment or embezzlement, shall be brought in, and judgment passed thereon, upon pain that every person offending herein shall forfeit his share of the capture, and suffer such further punishment as a court-martial shall adjudge. SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That no person in the navy shall strip off the clothes, or pillage, or in any manner maltreat, persons taken on board a prize, on pain of such punishment as a court-martial shall adjudge. SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That all ransom money, salvage, bounty, or proceeds of forfeiture or confiscation, accruing or awarded to any vessel of the navy, shall be distributed and paid to the officers and men entitled thereto, in the same manner as prize money, under the direction of the secretary of the navy. SEC. 10. And be it further enacted, That any person entitled to wages or prize money may have the same paid to his assignee, provided the assignment be attested by the captain and paymaster; and in case of the assignment of wages, the power shall specify the precise time they commence. But the commander of every vessel is required to discourage his crews from selling any part of their wages or prize money, and never to attest any power of attorney, until he is satisfied that the same is not granted in consideration of money given for the purchase of wages or prize money. SEC. 11. And be it further enacted, That all money accruing or which has already accrued to the United States from sale of prizes shall be and remain forever a fund for the payment of pensions to the officers, seamen, and marines who may be entitled to receive the same; and if the said fund shall be insufficient for the purpose, the public faith is hereby pledged to make up the deficiency; but if it should be more than sufficient, the surplus shall be applied to the making of further provision for the comfort of the disabled officers, seamen, and marines. No. VIII. DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR LETTERS OF INSTRUCTION TO NAVAL COM MANDERS. (CIRCULAR.) NAVY DEPARTMENT, May 14, 1862. Commanding officers of vessels of the navy will, in cases of captures made by them, bo held to a strict observance of the requirements of law in relation to captured vessels. The first section of the "Act for the better government of the navy of the United States," approved April 23, 1800, provides that "ART. 7. The commanding officer of every ship or vessel in the navy, who shall capture or seize upon any vessel as a prize, shall carefully preserve all the papers and writings found on board and transmit the whole of the originals, unmutilated, to the judge of the district to which such prize is ordered to proceed, and shall transmit to the navy department complete lists of the officers and men, entitled to a share of the capture, inserting therein the quality of every person rating, on pain of forfeiting his whole share of the prize money resulting from such capture, and suffering such further punishment as a court-martial shall adjudge." "ART. 8. No person in the navy shall take out of a prize, or a vessel seized as a prize, any money, plate, goods, or any part of her rigging, unless it be for the better preservation thereof, or absolutely necessary for the use of any of the vessels of the United States, before the same shall be adjudged lawful prize by a competent court; but the whole, without fraud, concealment, or embezzlement, shall be brought in and judgment passed thereon, upon pain that every person offending herein shall forfeit his share of the capture, and suffer such further punishment as a court-martial, or the court of admiralty in which the prize is adjudged, shall impose." "ART. 9. No person in the navy shall strip off their clothes, or pillage, or in any manner maltreat persons taken on board a prize, on pain of such punishment as a court-martial shall adjudge." Whenever it shall be necessary to take any part of the captured property for the use of the United States, a correct inventory shall be made of property so taken, and, also, a careful appraisement of its value, by suitable officers qualified to judge of such value; the inventory and appraisement to be made in duplicate-one part to be transmitted to the navy department, and the other to the judge or United States attorney of the district into which the prize is sent. If, from unavoidable circumstances, it should become necessary to sell any portion of the captured property, a full report of the facts shall be made to the United States attorney or judge of the district into which the prize is sent, and any proceeds of sale shall be held subject to the order of the district court. The law requires that the master of the captured vessel shall be sent in, his evidence being considered primary; and as many of the officers and crew of the captured vessel as can properly be taken care of should be sent forward, in custody of the prize master, who will report immediately on his arrival to the United States attorney, as well as to the depart ment. The prize master will vigilantly guard the captured property intrusted to his care from spoliation and theft, such offences leading to a forfeiture of the prize money, both of the crew and the prize master. A full report will be made to the navy department of all the material facts attending a capture, and the report will state particularly what public ships or vessels were in sight at the time of capture, and entitled to share in the prize; and the commanders of all vessels entitled to share will transmit complete prize lists to the navy department. G. V. FOX. Acting Secretary of the Navy. (CIRCULAR.) NAVY DEPARTMENT, November 6, 1861. The attention of commanding officers in the navy is called to the following extract in relation to their duties, from the 29th article of the act of April 23, 1800, for the better government of the navy: "He shall, whenever he orders officers and men to take charge of a prize and proceed to the United States, and whenever officers and men are sent from his ship, for whatever cause, take care that each man be furnished with a complete statement of his account, specifying the date of his enlistment and the period and terms of his service, which account shall be signed by the commanding officer and purser." These requirements must be strictly complied with, and, in addition, duplicate statements |