We have Authority to inform the Public, that the Right Honourable the Earl of Dartmouth¹ has written circular Letters to the several Governors on the Continent, signifiying his Majesty's Command, that they take the most effectual Measures for arresting, detaining and securing, any Gunpowder, or any Sort of Arms or Ammunition, which may be attempted to be imported into the Colonies;² and likewise inclosing an Order of the King in Council, prohibiting the Exportation thereof from Great-Britain or Ireland, of which the following is an exact Copy. At the Court of St. James's, the 19th Day of October, 1774.

PRESENT

The KING's most excellent MAJESTY in Council,

WHEREAS an Act of Parliament was passed in the Twenty-ninth Year of the Reign of his late Majesty King George the Second, intituled, "An Act to impower his Majesty to prohibit the Exportation of Saltpetre, and to enforce the Law for impowering his Majesty to prohibit the Exportation of Gunpowder, or any Sort of Arms or Ammunition, and also to impower his Majesty to restrain the carrying coastwise of Saltpetre, Gunpowder, or any Sort of Arms or Ammunition: " And his Majesty judging it necessary to prohibit the Exportation of Gunpowder, or any Sort of Arms or Ammunition, out of this Kingdom, or carrying the same coastwise, for some Time, doth therefore, with the Advice of his Privy Council, hereby order, require, prohibit and command, that no Person or Persons whatsoever (except the Master-General of the Ordnance for his Majesty's Service) do, at any Time during the Space of Six Months from the Date of this Order in Council, presume to tranpsort into any Parts out of this Kingdom, or carry coastwise, any Gunpowder, or any Sort of Arms or Ammunition, or ship or lade any Gunpowder, or any Sort of Arms or Ammunition, on board any Ship or Vessel, in order to transporting the same into any Parts beyond the Seas, or carrying the same coastwise, without Leave and Permission in that Behalf first obtained from his Majesty or his Privy Council upon pain of incurring and suffering the respective Forfeitures and Penalties inflicted by the aforementioned Act. And the Lords Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury, the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of Great-Britain, the Lord Warden of the Cinque-Ports, the Master-General of the Ordnance, and his Majesty's Secretary at War, are to give the necessary Directions herein, as to them may respectively appertain.

Sunday last [December 4] arrived at Boston the Asia Man of War, of 64 Guns, with 500 Marines more than her usual Complement. Three other ships of the Line were hourly expected.