Folios 228-230: John Dilkes, HMS Madras, off Portland. Has not had the opportunity...

Folios 228-230: John Dilkes, HMS Madras, off Portland. Has not had the opportunity of giving a report from any English ship since the letter forwarded from the Cape of Good Hope via the Charlton. He had a tedious passage due to variable winds. Drawing near the islands of St Paul and Amsterdam he asked the Captains of the Indiamen for their advice about the voyage and they unanimously recommended proceeding via the Straits of Malacca, especially because of the possibility of obtaining supplies. They arrived at Pulo Penang on 30 October, where he found HMS Diomede under orders from Vice Admiral Rainier, waiting to take four ships, expected from Bombay, to China. He sailed again on 9 November having been detained 3 days longer then intended for no good reason by the Indiamen. As he made for the Straits of Macassar he came upon HMS Arrogant, but had no communication with her except for her boat, due to light winds and calm seas. He did not encounter favourable wind until east of the Pellew Islands. He anchored at Macao Roads on 12 January. He found HMS Trident with HMS Providence in Linting Roads; HMS Imperium had sailed a few days earlier with a convoy. He gathered from Vice Admiral Rainier's orders that HMS Trident was intended to take the convoy now arrived to England, not knowing that HMS Madras was with it. He expected it would be ready to depart at around the time it arrived, as the season was advancing there would not be time for HMS Trident to go round the Cape if detained. Captain Wilkes sent her away to join the Vice Admiral as quickly as possible as he did not think he was authorised to order her directly to England. He wrote to the Supercargoes to inform them he would be sailing on 20 March, but they requested a delay until 30 March to allow time for the True Briton and the Alfred to join. These ships had passed the Straits of Malacca 3 weeks before Captain Dilkes and arrived at Macao on 7 February. Captain Dilkes refused as he was informed that the passage down the China Sea becomes very dangerous after March. They repeated their request and he again refused. On 19 March the Supercargoes declared they would not dispatch any of the ships until all were ready. On 15 February [?March] HMS Arrogant and HMS Orpheus arrived to join HMS Diomede and strengthen the convoy. On 19 March the Royal Charlotte, Cuffnells, and Walmer Castle arrived from Bombay and the Glatton from Bencoolen on 20 March. The Secret Committee [of the East India Company] wrote to him on 21 March asking him to leave HMS Arrogant to convey the latter ships, not knowing that they had already arrived and would probably be ready to sail by mid-June. He refused, and refused a second request. On 28 March he received their letter of the previous day, informing him that they had dispatched the seven ships, but he did not see them until the morning of 30 March. He immediately gave them instructions and was able to leave, but the Alfred had not arrived, and none of them knew why. The Alfred joined near the Strait of Banca, On 26 March he ordered HMS Providence to join Vice Admiral Rainier, carrying letters to inform him of the situation with the Company's ships, and what Captain Dilkes intended to do. That morning a Spanish brig anchored in Macao Harbour. The Captain, in Spanish uniform, landed. When a Lieutenant of HMS Madras waited on the Governor, the Spanish Officer was with him. He said a brig had arrived from Manila asking for protection. The First Lieutenant of HMS Arrogant requested that the brig should not be allowed to leave until Captain Dileks was informed, but the Governor refused. The Lieutenant asked that it be detained for 24 hours, as it was likely to be a spy. The Governor said Spain and Portugal were in peace and friendship and he would protect her; she could stay and depart as she pleased. She left at daybreak the next day and when about 1 mile away hoisted a Portuguese flag and sailed away. Captain Dilkes attempted to see the Governor the day before he sailed, but he was not available. He proposed stopping at New Island (the SE point of the Strait of Sundra) for water supplies but was obliged to anchor off Angeree. He stopped there on 3/4/5 May and found a plentiful supply of buffaloes and other stock. A Dutch Sergeant gave assistance. He dispatched HMS Arrogant and HMS Orpheus to follow Vice Admiral Rainier's orders. He passed False Bay and the Cape on 30 June but did not see any Navy ships there. He anchored at St Helena on 15 July, and ordered a complete survey following the Carpenter's report of damage [see folio 233]. They made temporary repairs and sailed on 21 July, with the ships as listed added to the convoy [no list enclosed]. He spoke to the Margaret brig from London on 5 August. She had parted from her convoy (HMS Active) off Palma 3 days before. He spoke to the Adventure from Gibraltar, bound for St Thomas, on 24 August, and the Convert brig from Newfoundland, bound for Demerara, on 2 September. He has put a Petty Office and men on board the Eliza to sail her into Portsmouth, so that she can be restored to her owners, having been taken by the French and sold at Boston. He has sent all the papers for examination as they appear to be fraudulent. yesterday morning he spoke with La Loire off the Hart, and last night to L'Oiseau.

Folio 231: blank

Folio 232: blank