Folios 288-290: Henry Heathcote, 23 Surrey Street, Strand. Responds to a letter dated...

Folios 288-290: Henry Heathcote, 23 Surrey Street, Strand. Responds to a letter dated 29 July 1815 and advises that the capture of the Zaida was authorised by an Order in Council of 26 April 1809 which placed Marseilles under blockade. Exceptions to these orders were alluded to by Hadje Mahomet Hardan as having been promulgated by Consul Green, but these were inconsistent with the order. Advises that the Moroccan property disposal was submitted to the Vice Admiralty Court at Malta. He decided to detain the Zaida after receiving an opinion from William Slade, Navy Agent at Malta, about the case of the [Neiboate?], a vessel under Moorish colours from Marseilles bound for Algiers, which he had detained. Taking all into consideration he directed the Prize Master to proceed to Port Mahon. Advises that the Moors were only prevented communication with the shore until the depositions had been made before the Consul General of the Balearic Islands. Advises that Vice Admiral Francis Pickmore then in port was fully informed of the detention by the Prize Master and he also wrote to him via Mr. Flaquer, the Agent, requesting his advice as necessary. Advises he does not believe there was any abuse of the Moor's provisions and that the Prize Master was directed to treat the crew with all possible kindness and that no complaint was received by him on his arrival at Port Mahon. He instructed that the crew should be accommodated as much as the rules of the Service permitted by substituting one species of provision for another. The gold with all the money was held on suspicion of it constituting part of the mercantile transaction and was all accounted for at the time of trial. For all that occurred after the Zaida's arrival at Malta, he refers to the enclosed report from Mr. Slade. Advises that the Zaida was employed as a transport in the service of Bonaparte and she has a certificate of origin of her cargo from the French Consul at Tangier. If his explanation is not considered a full response, he offers to send the Admiralty a copy of his letter giving guidance to his Agent, Mr Slade, at the time of dispatching the Zaida under convoy from Mahon to Malta.

Folios 291-292: enclosed with folios 288-290. Letter dated 11 September 1815 by William Slade to Captain Heathcote. Responds to a letter from Captain Heathcote containing extracts from Sid Hadje Mahomet Hardan letter to Government complaining of his treatment at Malta. Confirms his statement is correct that the Zaida was condemned for a breach of blockade under the Order in Council of 26 April 1809 and that as ordered by the Marshall of the Vice Admiral's Court the ship was sold. He was obliged to give up possession in favour of the purchaser, but 520 dollars found in his possession was restored to him along with 100 dollars to the Captain and 230 dollars to the Pilot. Advises that the Captors were not bound by law or custom to pay for his and his crew's passage to Tangier. They were not considered to be prisoners of war even though the pilot and clandestinely the Captain, belonging to the Port of Marseille, were Frenchmen, so were not entitled to claim passage in a cartel. Advises he did endeavour to procure a passage for them in a Man of War to Gibraltar, but this proved not to be possible because of the state of the island. Advises that Mr. Olohall, the Prize Master had discovered a quantity of specie in various trunks on board and he directed the Prize Master to take it into possession while under quarantine providing each party with a receipt. This formed a total of 2,000 dollars, 1600 of which was restored to the parties as directed by the Vice Admiral's Court. Advises that some fraud might have occurred.