Folios 253-254: George Prevost, HMS Saracen, Spithead. Reports his arrival carrying...

Folios 253-254: George Prevost, HMS Saracen, Spithead. Reports his arrival carrying intelligence and despatches from Vice Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren. The intelligence came from Captain John Shortland of HMS Squirrel, whom he met off Bermuda and who then made sail for Halifax to pass the same information to the Commander in Chief there. Off Cape Finisterre he passed the intelligence to HMS Loire, Captain Frederick Lewis Maitland, who then undertook to warn the squadron off Belle Isle, and two days later met Rear Admiral Eliab Harvey, who sent the enclosed note. Off the Scilly Isles he met HMS Acasta, which gave him further intelligence to pass to the Admiralty, which he also encloses with a copy of his orders and [not present] the state and condition of his ship and a list of defects.

Folio 255: enclosed with folios 253-254. Summary of intelligence dated 14 July 1806 from Vice Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren, HMS Foudroyant, off St Bartholomew, reporting that Rear Admiral Alexander Cochrane lost touch at Tortola with the French squadron led by Rear Admiral Jean-Baptise-Phillibert Willaumez and Commodore Jerome Buonaparte, who had been joined off St Martin by Commodore Jean-Marthe-Adrien l'Hermite and his three ships from the coast of Africa. Admiral Warren believes that after passing between Tortola and St Thomas the combined French squadron went north in pursuit of a British convoy.

Folios 256-257: enclosed with folios 253-254. Orders dated 14 July 1806 from Vice Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren, HMS Foudroyant, at sea, to Commander George Prevost, HMS Saracen. He is ordered to go at once to Tortola, collect any letters from the Governor and then to carry the intelligence of the French squadron to Cape Finisterre to warn the British squadron off the coast of Spain and Portugal, to pass the same information to Admiral the Earl St Vincent off Ushant and then to rejoin Admiral Warren in Plymouth Sound. He should take any opportunity to send a copy of the intelligence to Lord Collingwood off Cadiz or to the commanding officer at Newfoundland.

Folio 258: enclosed with folios 253-254. Unsigned note dated 21 August 1806 summarising intelligence received from HMS Acasta off the Scilly Isles of a line of battle ship, supposed to be French, sighted in Latitude 39d 50' North, Longitude 13d 41' West.

Folio 259: enclosed with folios 253-254. Copy of a note dated 13 August 1806 from Rear Admiral Eliab Harvey, off Cape Finisterre, saying he has sent HMS Thetis to carry the information brought by Commander George Prevost to Admiral the Earl St Vincent.