Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1 740. 195

Present
His Excellency Samuel Ogle Esq^r Governor
Major Gen^l M. T. Ward | Col Charles Hammond

honourable Benja: Tasker Esq^r
Edmund Jenings Esq^r J Col Levin Gale

His Excellency lays before this Board the following Letter
received by him from his Grace the Duke of Newcastle One
of his Majesty's Principal Secretarys of State, as also the
following Declaration of War of his Majesty against Spain

Lib. C. B.

Whitehall 29^th October 1739

Sir
I am to acquaint You that on Friday the 19^th Instant a Great
Council was held at Kensington, where His Majesty approved
and signed a Declaration of War against Spain, and ordered
that the same should be published on Tuesday the 23^d Instant
by the Heralds at Arms, in the usual Places, and with the
accustomed Formalities on the like Occasions, which was done
accordingly, and I am commanded to send you a printed Copy
of the said Declaration, and to signify to you his Majesty's
Pleasure, that you cause it to be proclaimed in the Places
under your Government, that his Subjects having this Notice
may take Care to prevent any Mischief which otherwise they
might suffer from the Enemy, and do their Duty in their sev-
eral Stations to annoy the Subjects of Spain, And His Majesty
would have you be very rigorous and severe in preventing
any Ammunition or Stores of any kind from being carried to
them, and you are to use all proper Methods that may be most
effectual for this Purpose
I am Sir
Your most obedient humble Servant
Deputy Gov. of Maryland Holies Newcastle

His Majesty's Declaration of War against the King of
Spain
George R.
Whereas many unjust Seizures have been made and Dep-
redations carried on for several Years in the West Indies, by
Spanish Garda Costas, and Other Ships, acting under the
Commission of the King of Spain, or his Governors, contrary
to the Treaties subsisting between Us and the Crown of Spain,
and to the Law of Nations, to the great Prejudice of the law-
ful Trade and Commerce of Our Subjects; and great Cruelties
and Barbarities have been exercised on the Persons of divers
of Our Subjects, whose Vessels have been so seized, and the

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