Folios 161-162: Captain Maurice Delgarno, HMS Leander, Lisbon. Reports arrival 8...

Folios 161-162: Captain Maurice Delgarno, HMS Leander, Lisbon. Reports arrival 8 October with the convoy after reaching Oporto 6 October, all Trade ships arriving safely. Sends copy of his log of 2nd October and correspondence from the Envoy and Consuls at Oporto.

Folios 163-164: enclosed in folios 161-162. Mr Whitehead, Porto, 7 October 1795. Received his 5 October letter Mr Foster of the Ann delivered. The factory say they’ve loaded and are ready to join the convoy by 7 November. Has about twenty ships in harbour and more outside the Barr. Asked that the merchants will go to every expense to get their ships over the Barr, which is precarious, on time. Depends on the wind and weather. Received intelligence of an armed enemy schooner capturing a British vessel laden with salt from Viana to Newfoundland last month, which they took into Vigo. Says it appears small row boats can go out and annoy the Trade as happened in the last war. The Pilot he’s ordered will arrive after this this letter’s received.

Folios 165-166: enclosed in folios 161-162. John Theodore Koster, Deputy Consul General, Lisbon, 7 October 1795. Reports a French squadron, three frigates, a corvette, a brig and a cutter are cruising on the coast capturing many prizes. An English brig arrived yesterday carrying eighty prisoners that were permitted to leave shore off Cape St Vincent. Says the Commodore is an old 74 gun ship cut down, with seven hundred men on board, but is very leaky. A Portuguese squadron two 74 gun ships, three frigates and a brig sailed today supposedly in search of the enemy. Memorandum: Portuguese squadron returned the next day.

Folios 167-167A: enclosed in folios 161-162. Captain Delgarno, HMS Leander’s log, 2nd October. Detailed remarks on weather.

Folios 168-169: enclosed in folios 161-162. John Craig, Master, Gothenburg packet (of London), sloop, Lisbon to Captain Delgano, 9 October 1795. Sailed for London from Cadiz, 26 September. 5 October a Frigate bore down on them hailed him with an English ensign which ordered him to lay too. Their boat immediately ordered him on board saying he was a prize to La Bonne Citoyenne, 20 guns. Crew told to bring all their cloths quickly and come onboard the Frigate saying they intended to sink the sloop after they’d removed her cargo, bales of cotton and 4 bales of Cochineal. They wishes they had more of the eleven bales of Granilla they found in his cabin. His men were ordered to assist. Then the Captain who had prisoners on board said they could go, taking them to the nearest port. The Frigate’s Captain wrote a certificate which he signed, sealed and gave to Edward Steward, Master of the Queen of Greenock that they’d sunk a few days earlier. Took thirteen prisoners and left with the appearance of a wreck, much of what was on deck being thrown overboard.

Folios 170-171: enclosed in folios 161-162. John Theodore Koster, Deputy Consul General, Lisbon, 12 October 1795. He’s received a letter signed by the principal British Merchants requesting Captain Delgarno defer his departure until 25 October because of the prevalence of long continuing rainy weather which prevents them loading fruit and other valuable merchandise on board.

Folios 172-173: enclosed in folios 161-162. Robert Walpole, British Ambassador, Lisbon to Captain Delgano, 16 October 1795. Received intelligence that morning of six French ships of the line and three frigates that have overtaken the convoy that left Cadiz last month capturing twenty British merchant ships. French fleet returned to Cadiz to water and buy provisions and setting sail immediately, probably to interrupt the Newfoundland convoy.

Folios 174-175: enclosed in folios 161-162. John Theodore Koster, Deputy Consul General, Lisbon to Captain Delgano, 12 October 1795. One of the Police officers delivers this letter. They are instructed to bring any of the British seamen capable of the King’s service who are staying at the public houses and recently made the enemy’s prisoners off the coast who Lieutenant Garnshaw didn’t apprehend onto HMS Leander, and discharge the others home to avoid further Government expense.

Folios 176-177: enclosed in folios 161-162. John Theodore Koster, Deputy Consul General, Lisbon to Captain Delgano, 9 October 1795. Is informed the Gothenburg Packet sloop arrived this morning. She was captured by the same French squadron and has on board the crew of the Queen brig, Edward Stewart, Master that was also captured and sunk. Asks should he have the prisoners sent on board HMS Leander to avoid the expense of having them put on shore? Memorandum. Sent for the sloop immediately but found the men had all gone on shore.