Folios 291-292: John Colvill, HMS Queen at Sea, lat. 26.30, long. 21.44. As the Severn...

Folios 291-292: John Colvill, HMS Queen at Sea, lat. 26.30, long. 21.44. As the Severn is about to leave his convoy of ships bound for Bermuda, he writes thinking his letter might arrive home sooner than from Barbados. He has already informed their Lordships in his letter of 7 December, by HMS Hyperion, about the dispersal of the ships in his charge during a violent storm, so that only 27 merchants were still in company and none of the men of war. Now advises that Columbine has rejoined off Madeira, on the 14th, with 52 sail, also on the 16th the Severn and Bonne Citoyenne having collected up 43 sail. However since the gale he has had no sighting of the Melpomene. He encloses a list of the convoy for the West Indies, most of them damaged and having had men washed overboard, but all now able to proceed. Gives details of his own ship's damage, mostly in the upper works, but says the Severn and Columbine seem relatively sound. Captain Green of the Bonne Citoyenne has said he had to throw four guns, the bower anchor and some heavy stores overboard to lighten the ship going forward. Masters of some of the rejoined ships report having seen several demasted and others go down, but Colvill does not yet have their names. Captain Nourse has told him that he was rejoined by the Alfred of London, Master Richard Powell, bound to Antigua, in a state of sinking, from which he saved them and scuttled the ship. The Idas, one of the convoy, saved the master and crew of the Renown, of Dundee, Rait Master, bound from London to Baia, as she was full of water after her deck was stove in by the sea. The oldest masters of the convoy have never experienced so bad a storm of such long duration, and he fears there have been many fatalities. Vision was poor in the 'thick' weather and guns could not be heard. But he reports that he wore ship when the wind changed and those who could see his lights followed his example and sustained little damage.