Folios 500-501: Philip Hue, HMS Actaeon, Liverpool. Responding to Admiralty query...

Folios 500-501: Philip Hue, HMS Actaeon, Liverpool. Responding to Admiralty query of 1 October regarding Bartholomew Ward, he says he is stongly of the opinion that the young man's indentures of apprenticeship have been drawn up subsequent to his having been impressed. Ward is perfectly capable of signing his name, and writes pretty well, having attended school for three years, so Hue thinks it very unlikely he would have merely put a cross as signature to the indenture (which is the case). He proposes to keep Ward until their Lordships give a decision.

Folios 502-503: enclosure with folios 500-501. Letter dated 11 October 1800 by R. Kirkpatrick, Liverpool, sending the depositions of George Newton and James Kerr on Bartholomew Ward, now aboard the Actaeon. Also his certificate of discharge from the 81st Regiment of Foot, and his indentures of apprenticeship to Newton [not now present] - hopes the young man may be discharged.

Folio 504 and folios 505-506: enclosure with folios 502-503. Folio 504 is a discharge paper for Ward from the 81st Regiment, describing him as aged 15 on 14 May 1800, 5ft 1 3/4ins tall, brown hair, and having 'marks of a sore leg'; Folios 505-506 are a statement from George Newton, Master of the Good Intent, and James Kerr, schoolmaster, to the effect that Newton had offered Ward the apprenticeship the previous June but the person who drew up the papers had accidentally dated them 5 September instead of 1 July and that is why they had altered the date subsequently.

Folios 507-508: enclosure with folios 500-501. Earlier letter from R. Kirkpatrick, dated 27 September, explaining that Bartholomew Ward, appentice to George Newton, had deserted his master some three weeks previously, and had been taken up by the police, wandering 'at an improper hour' but declined to give any account of himself and begged to be sent aboard the Actaeon, which was then done. His master then discovered his whereabouts and wishes him discharged. Ward is only 16 and has never been at sea.