Folios 201-202: Charles Henry Lane, HMS Prudent. He is sorry that escapes are more...

Folios 201-202: Charles Henry Lane, HMS Prudent. He is sorry that escapes are more frequent there than at other depots and he will do all he can to prevent them. he thinks the reason for the frequency is due to the prisons there being less secure that those of Portsmouth which is the only depot comparable in terms of numbers. He sometimes thinks the sentinels are negligent, as he told Lieutenant General Grenville, Commander in Chief there for the time being. Describes steps he and the Commissioners of Transports have taken . When he heard of the escape of 6 [December 1798] from HMS Commerce de Marseilles mentioned in Mr Cleverton's letter of 8 [December 1798] to the Commissioners of transports he sent an order for the sentinels to be confined and for Lieutenant Serle [Searle] to report to him in writing. He sent the report to the Agents for the information of the Commissioners. Describes steps taken. He was astonished to see a mention in Mr Cleverton's letter of another escape which had not been noticed in the regular daily report. He hopes the enclosed letters from Lieutenant Searle and the Mustering Clerk will be sufficient answer. Yesterday he gave a general order for the prisons to be examined by a Warrant Officer as well as a Serjeant of Marines before being locked up in the evening in the same way they have always been examined in the morning. At the request of the Lieutenants he is forwarding a letter he has just received from them. Most of the escapes mentioned were carried out before the blank ports were secured by outside bars.

Folio 203:enclosure with folios 201-202. Letter dated 21 December 1798 from Lieutenants E Collingwood, HMS Bienfaisant, J Gardiner, HMS Europe, K Browne, HMS Caton, Robert Williams, HMS San Ysidro, [..] Searle, HMS Commerce de Marseille, E Cleather, HMS Prudent, William Bevian, HMS Sampson and William Styles, HMS San Nicolas, from on board HMS Bienfaisant, to Charles Henry Lane. Respond to the letter he read to them from the Admiralty concerning the frequency of escapes from the ships under their command. They no of no such frequent desertions. They have been unremitting in their care and attention and the arrangements he has put in place to prevent desertion and for the good regulations of the prisoners are carried out, as he can see on his daily visits. Considering the general disposition of prisoners to escape and the desperate attempts which are hourly made by so many thousands, he hopes he and their Lordships will think, as they do, that the escapes are few in proportions to the numberless attempts, the total being only 90 of which 66 were retaken.

Folio 204: enclosure with folios 201-202. Letter dated 21 December 1798 from Lieutenant [..]Searle, HMS Le Commerce de Marseilles, to Charles Henry Lane. No escape of French prisoners has occurred on board HMS Commerce de Marseilles since his letter of 6 [December 1798] as mentioned in Mr Cleverton's letter to the Commissioners of Transports on 8 [December 1798].

Folio 205: enclosure with folios 201-202. Letter dated 21 December 1798 from J S Peters, Steward, HMS Commerce de Marseilles, Hamoaze. Responds to the order to report in writing on the escapes that happened from the ship at the beginning of the month. On 6 December [1798] 7 men escaped, 4 of whom were retaken and 3 have not been heard of since. Maddocks, one of the cooks and another man belonging to the Committee were taken getting over the side that day. There has not been a single escape since, as proved by the whole number being on board at that day's muster, apart form the 3 mentioned.