Folios 268-269: Terence O'Neill, Poole. Sending on a letter just received from the...

Folios 268-269: Terence O'Neill, Poole. Sending on a letter just received from the merchants of the town, together with his answer. He goes on to make the point that the port of Poole is 'almost the direct property of the merchants' since the whole trade of the town is in their hands, that 'most of the merchants have been magistrates and all current magistrates are merchants'. This situation 'greatly retards' the raising of men for HM Service. All men taken have been thoroughly instructed to declare themselves under or over age, landsmen with 2 years' servitude, or 'never to have used the sea', are rated mate or master, and so on.He has therefore used his own judgement and retained all without written proof of their claims.

Folio 270: enclosed with folios 268-269. Letter dated 23 March 1803 to O'Neill from Benjamin Lister Garland, George Kemp, and George Neave, merchants of Poole. They point out the vital importance of their vessels that are fitting out and loading provisions to go to the fishery off Newfoundland, and ask whether the men working on this task, either on land or on board the ships, are liable to impress. Also whether seamen, fishermen and landmen who have signed to go on vessels to Newfoundland and for whom protections have been granted, may be impressed while coming to or going from the ship, or lodging aboard a ship. Also if men belonging to ships in other trades are subject to the same rules.

Folios 271-272: enclosed with folios 268-269. Duplicate of the letter from the merchants on folio 270.

Folio 273: enclosed with folios 268-269: Terence O'Neill's response to the merchants' letter, saying that as regards their statements of the importance of their work in fitting ships for the Newfoundland trade he can only submit that to the government as his own duty is to obey his orders. As to the second part, querying the impress code, he says that as most of them have served as magistrates they will be well acquainted with these matters concerning who may work aboard ship and who is liable to impress. Thirdly, he points out that no protection is of any use to anyone not on board their ship. And finally, he says with the exception of Greenlandmen, the same situation applies to ships in other trades.