Folios 215-216. Closely written letter dated at West Cowes [Isle of Wight] from J...

Folios 215-216. Closely written letter dated at West Cowes [Isle of Wight] from J Davies to Lord Rochford. Regards an account of the councils held near Brest by numerous French generals and officers of Marine for the purpose of determining the best model of a small vessel for a look-out. After square-rigged ships of war were rejected, it was atrranged to send he (Davies), with Mr Ozanne, master drawer to the Academy at Brest, and Mr Godfrey master builder, during the Easter holidays,'with guns and dogs, as though on a hunting party' to Roscoff, a little seaport in Lower Brittany,... now greatly resorted to by our smugglers, particularly the outlawed Irish wherries. Giving an account of the visit; while a cutter was eventully selected, an English carpeneter was sent via Dunkirk as there was no understanding of clinch work there. The completed vessel is to inspect 'our fleet' at Spithead [Portsmouth], to surrvey the Sussex and Kent coasts, and to take on board the new coined guineas (which way 20% more than the Louis d'or), and have been accumalated by their agents in London. On inspecting Plymouth Harbour a watch for her on the coast is called for.