Folios 345-346: Charles Pelly, HMS Mercury, Spithead. Receipt of enquiry as to the...

Folios 345-346: Charles Pelly, HMS Mercury, Spithead. Receipt of enquiry as to the circumstances in which the William store ship parted company, and whether he believes it to have been intentional. He stated the circumstances in his letter of 29 [May 1807]. States that on 24 March [1807] in Yarmouth Roads with 20 sail of convoy under his charge including the William he made the signal for them to unmoor. He saw the William had parted her cable and she shortly after came close under HMS Mercury's stern and asked permission to keep under weigh which he granted, telling the Master when he intended to weigh. He passed through the Needles with the rest of the convoy but did not find her and then went to Torbay but did not risk achoring there due to the weather. He found nothing and proceeded off Falmouth and was joined there by HMS Speedy. On their way they saw nothing of the William. As he was convinced of her importance he waited there till the next day but finding the convoy scattered to the leeward of the LIzard he was obliged to join them. [The William] had every opportunity to rejoin the conoy, which leads him to believe that he parted company intentionally.