Folios 237-238: Edward Oliver Osborn, HMS Arrogant, Linton Island near Macau. He...

Folios 237-238: Edward Oliver Osborn, HMS Arrogant, Linton Island near Macau. He writes that he does not know when he will be able to get another letter to the Admiralty given the difficulties with communication. In a previous letter, sent with HMS Lion, he referred to HMS Arrogant and HMS Orpheus being in service in this place as ordered by Vice Admiral Peter Rainier. He writes that the Governor General of India had armed two of the East India Company's ships and sent a detachment of troops from Bengal to join him. The Governor also send him a letter with a copy of his orders to the President and Committee of the Super cargoes at Canton. He then proceeds to bring the Admiralty up to date with the many events that have occurred since his last letter to them and which are evidenced further by the enclosed correspondence. His first concern was to strengthen the garrison with further troops to defend the trading interests of the Committee of the Supercargoes against the activities of the French and their allies. In this he has consulted with Mr Drummond of the Super Committee. He has offered armed assistance to the Governor of Macao but this was rejected by the Senate who argued that this was against Chinese interests and only a ruse to advance British ambitions to take over Macao. Indeed considerable attachments of Chines troops have been sent to Macao and have started to impede the trade overseen by the East India Company's Committee of Super cargoes. As a consequence, Captain Osborn, Mr Drummond and the Commanding officer of the troops made a personal intercession with the Governor of Macao and wrote to him about the matter. The Portuguese have also become involved and are intriguing against British trading interests. The Spanish frigate Fame has arrived from Manilla bringing letters from the Governor General and the Spanish Admiral commanding ships in Manilla transmitting the articles of peace between Britain and Spain. He has also received despatches from the Governor General of India. These he encloses. They urge the continued presence of the Navy until such time as a treaty can be agreed. HMS Fox arrived with despatches from Vice Admiral Peter Rainer, which he encloses. These contain a draft peace treaty. Additionally the Vice Admiral orders him to remain in Macao until such time as the Committee of Super Cargoes deem it no longer necessary. Given the present difficult situation he will do what is thought best for the protection of the Committee's commercial interests. He is forwarding this letter with the East India ship True Briton.

Folios 239-273: enclosure to folios 237-238. A dossier of copy letters evidencing the matters referred to in Captain Osborn's letter of 25 May 1802. These include at folios 239, 240-241, 242, 251 and 268-270, letters from Arthur Wellesly (or Wellesley) then in Benares, India. The rest are exchanges of correspondence between Joseph Manuel Pinto the Portuguese governor of Macao and Captain Osborn, Mr Drummond of the Committee of Super Cargoes and Robert Hamilton at folios 243, 244, 245, 246, 247-248, 249-250. And correspondence from members of the Committee of Supra cargoes and at folios 260-262 An order from Vice Admiral Peter Rainier to Captain Osborne.