Folios 341-342: Westby Perceval, HMS Milford at the Mother Bank. Begins by saying...

Folios 341-342: Westby Perceval, HMS Milford at the Mother Bank.

Begins by saying he omitted in his previous day's letter to include the sentence of the court martial on seaman William Thorne, so encloses it now, together with a quarterly report of punishments on the Milford from 5 April to 5 July and a quarterly report of the officers serving, with the characters of the petty officers, acccording to their Lordships' order of 29 April. [None of the documents now present.] He goes on to say that Mr Griffith is the young man who conducted himself so gallantly in the cutter of HM Gun Brig Basilisk, Commander Lt Knight, in the Bay of Cadiz on the night of 14 September 1811. Disaster was only prevented by his extraordinary courage and ability in bringing the cutter alongside a British ship of war, which Perceval adds has already been noticed by Rear Admiral Legg, who commanded in Cadiz at the time. Recommends him to their Lordships as 'a very zealous, active and deserving young man' who will bring great credit to his profession as an officer. Also commends two others for promotion: George Noble, for 12 months Acting Lieutenant of the Milford, now superseded by Lt John Hackney, who has come home in the Milford as a passenger, and who was employed with Lt Christie Eston Hutchinson when Perceval had command of two batteries against the Citadel at Trieste and conducted himself 'much to my satisfaction'; and Henry Fitzgerald, late Master's Mate and Acting Lieutenant, who exchanged with Lt William Hamley into HMS Havanah and is now aboard that ship superseded by Vice Admiral Lord Exmouth - 'a most excellent and deserving officer ... highly deserving promotion'. He ends by saying that as Lt Hamley himself, senior lieutenant on the Milford, has been promoted to Master and Commander, and is now likely to be superseded, he hopes their Lordships will appoint an officer with seniority prior to 17 January 1811, so that he can be made senior lieutenant.