Folios 193-194: James Colnett, Admiralty Office. Information on the force at Brest....

Folios 193-194: James Colnett, Admiralty Office. Information on the force at Brest. Seen last Monday when he left Brest. In the inner road, seventeen two deck ships, 80 and 74 guns and a three deck. Four frigates a corvette and a lugger. Nineteen ships of the line in the outer road ready to sail. A heavy frigate of a singular built at Nantes. Two brigs, two cutters and a privateer. The basin contained two three decks dismantled, two sixty fours fitting out and a frigate. Says he could only see from a distance but sent his servant into the port yard and onto the Constilation 80 gun ship in the inner road. She had her complement but did not appear to be seamen and the late Captain of the Droit [Le Home ?] and two or three other Americans he encountered said she was going to the Brazils against the Portuguese settlements. He gave Lord Bridport the information the Americans had given Captain Sterling, HMS Jason about the three decks in the basin. He got out of harbour and boarded HMS Jason, HMS Melampus, HMS Indefatigable and HMS Greyhound. When the 80 gun ships and frigates saw them they weighed anchor and showed them off. Saw Lord Bridport’s squadron last time yesterday morning off Ushant.