William Marsden. We were not aware of the delay in delivery of the sloops Otter and...

William Marsden. We were not aware of the delay in delivery of the sloops Otter and Scout, until a query was raised about them. Messrs. Peter Atkinson and Company of Hull, the contractor, advised in January that the partnership had been dissolved due to insolvency and it was impossible to complete the contract. Have tried to get one of the partners, John King of Dover, who was known to be solvent, to complete the contract on pain of a penalty for not doing so. He cannot perform now is there another builder at Hull who could complete the work. Have instructed the Overseer at Hull to hire men to complete the ships. Mr. Palmer, the contractor for building the Cygnet and Ariel at Yarmouth advises us that he could not complete and have ordered the Overseer to take on the work. The Brisk and Slam are being built by the contractor, Mr. Newman of Dartmouth but his business has failed. Have agreed with Benjamin Tanner in December to finish them in a time from the date he received the frames and timber.