John Hancock on 24 October 1775. Washington described the burning of Falmouth as "an Outrage exceeding in Barbarity & Cruelty every hostile Act practised among civilized Nations". The Massachusetts Provincial Congress authorized the issue of letters of marque, licensing privateer actions against the British navy. The Second Continental Congress heard of the event just as word arrived of King George's Proclamation of Rebellion. Outraged by the news, Congress recommended that some provinces adopt self-rule and that Royal Navy ships be seized in South Carolina. The attack on Falmouth stimulated Congress to advance its plans to establish a Continental Navy. It authorized commissioning two ships on October 30 "for the protection and defense of the united Colonies". The Falmouth incident was again mentioned on November 25, when Congress passed legislation described by John Adams as "the true origin of the American Navy". When news of the event first reached England, it was dismissed as rebel propaganda. When the reports were confirmed, Graves' superior, Lord George Germain expressed surprise rather than offense: "I am to suppose that Admiral Graves had good reason for the step he took". This was in spite of orders to not commit such acts unless the town clearly refused to do business with the British. Graves was relieved of his command in December 1775, in part due to his failure to suppress the American naval forces. Conciliatory factions of the British press took a skeptical view of the assault on Falmouth, warning the "Coercive and sanguinary Measures pursued against the Americans...will produce nothing but the bitter Fruit of Ruin, Misery, and Devastation." News of the event also reached the French government who were carefully monitoring political developments in North America. The French foreign secretary wrote: "I can hardly believe this absurd as well as barbaric procedure on the part of an enlightened and civilized nation." Mowat's career suffered as a result of his actions. He was repeatedly passed over for promotion, and achieved it only when he downplayed his role in the event or omitted it entirely from his record. Similar acts of reprisal On August 30, 1775, Royal Naval Captain James Wallace commanding fired into the town of Stonington, Connecticut after the townspeople there prevented Roses tender from capturing a vessel that it had chased into the harbor. He did not fire any heated rounds or incendiaries. Wallace also fired on the town of Bristol, Rhode Island