Folios 2-7. A letter from [Treasury Secretary] John Robinson to Sir Stanier Porten...

Folios 2-7. A letter from [Treasury Secretary] John Robinson to Sir Stanier Porten [Keeper of the state papers at Whitehall, and formerly Secretary of the Southern Department] concerning goods being shipped under contract from Ireland, and seemingly destined for the French [navy] service [at Brest]. Enclosing: Folio 3-4. Copy of Commissary Robert Gordon to the Lords of the Treasury, dated at Cork[e], [Ireland] on 20 January 1780, advises that the part of the cargo, in iron-bound barrels, is presently being shipped by Henry O'Shea from [?]King's Cellars. This was detected when King came to the Customs House 'to enter them with a parcel of ox horns'. O'Shea and King say the destination is Campfeer [Veere, Netherlands], and the customer is Irwinns, a merchant at Middleburg. An agent, Andrew White, has sworn the destination of the beef is Madeira and the West Indies. Folio 5. Robinson to Porten, dated on 28 January 1780. Enclosing: Folio 6. Copy of Gordon [to Robinson], dated at Corke, on 18 January 1780. Advises that the 'Dutch contract for France is now shipping via the 'Wryhead' of Rotterday [Rotterdam?], Peter Packus, master. Mentions: 'Madenbrook' of Amsterdam, Bernard Deboos, master; 'Uvrouw [Juffrouw] Maria', of Amsterdam, Lemos master; 'Uvrouw [Juffrouw] Henrietta' of Amsterdam, Keys Thittle master; 'New Scoukerough' of Amsterdam, Adrian Braker, master; Andrew White; James French, James Nicholas and Elizabeth by ?Marshin French; 'Wryde and Wrendscape' of Rotterdam, Peter Scoff, master, from Campfeer by John Morgan; 'Jonge Jacobus' of Rotterdam, Jacob Underswan, master from Campheer; and the island of St Eustatia [Sint Eustace, Lesser Antillies in the Caribbean Netherlands]. [Veere, Netherlands].