Folios 223-224: Robert Dudley Oliver, HMS Melpomene, Long Reach. Responding to Admiralty...

Folios 223-224: Robert Dudley Oliver, HMS Melpomene, Long Reach. Responding to Admiralty query received this day he says that the ship's powder was not received until this evening at 7pm, despite his many advices and requests previously sent. They only received part of the guns on the evening of the 27th. He hopes nothing will prevent them from getting to the Nore the next day and assures them of his anxiety to fulfil his orders as quickly as he can - in response to their observation that the East India ship, the Glory, had sailed from Deptford when he did not, he says the pilot would not take them out then because the Melpomene draws 3 feet more water than the Glory.