Folios 247-248: Ross Donnelly, HMS Ardent, at Sea. As requested in letters from the...

Folios 247-248: Ross Donnelly, HMS Ardent, at Sea. As requested in letters from the Admiralty dated 21 September 1806 addressed to Captain Eyre he writes about three men William Hudson, Charles Whiter and Hugh Jones. The first is aged 28 and entered voluntarily and received a bounty. The second is aged 17 but has an indenture about which there is much confusion not least because it purports to be signed by him but he claims he cannot write and only ever makes his mark. The third is 25 years old and came with a draft of men from The Zealand, but at present Captain Donnelly has no further information about him but he claims to have been impressed from the Britannia. He has no protection. The Admiralty also asks about a Michael Moore. He confirms there is no such man on board.

Folios 249-250: enclosure to folios 247-248: The humble petition of James Whiter. The petition concerns his son Charles Whiter who is bound to him as an apprentice. He encloses the indenture but says the boy ran away. He asks for his release and return.

Folios 251-252: enclosure to folios 247-248. A letter from Thomas Godson. It refers to William Hudson, whom he forgot to name in an earlier letter. The letter sayes Hudson is a tinsman aged 28 who suffers from asthma and who has a wife and two children the eldest not yet three years old. He has never been to sea.

Folios 253-254: enclosure to folios 247-248. A letter from Thomas Godson dated 4 September 1806. He says he has been told by William Mellish that he must make application to the Admiralty for the release of a man presently on board HMS Ardent. The bearer of the note is the man's father. The man concerned was later identified as William Hudson see Folios 251-252.