Folios 134-136B. Letter John Brown, Admiralty Office, transmitting information received...

Folios 134-136B. Letter John Brown, Admiralty Office, transmitting information received from Admiral Thomas Foley, Portsmouth, [Hampshire].

An enclosed copy of a letter is one sent by Thomas Foley, from the Saint Vincent, docked in Portsmouth harbour, to John Wilson Croker, reporting the precautionary orders he has issued to commanders of ships at Portsmouth. He reports that individuals at the garrison have received anonymous threatening letters, and that he has now issued confidential instructions to captains and commanders instructing them of the precautions necessary in case of having to aid civil powers in keeping the peace.

He records that they have been told, in the case of fires, to have ready to dispatch at any time, an engine from each ship accompanied by a body of seamen. He also gave the direction that, in the event of a riotous body attempting to cross the harbour from Gosport, as many seaman and marines that can be spared must put back the 'mob' but under the instruction of the magistrate present. He comments that these measures have been put in place as a precaution and only to be used in an emergency.