Folios 195-196: Wilson Rathbone, Regulating Captain, North Shields. Reports on the...

Folios 195-196: Wilson Rathbone, Regulating Captain, North Shields. Reports on the cases of Thomas Cook, sent to the Nore on 31 October and of John Smith, aboard the tender HMS Eliza. Cook was impressed by Lieutenant Andrew Lapslie at South Shields on 19 November as he could not prove he had not been to sea before his indentures. Captain Rathbone held him for several days to give his Master time to produce proof he had not been at sea, but none appeared and he was sen to the Nore. Smith was impressed by Lieutenant Nathaniel France at Newcastle on 14 November on information that he had served four years at sea. Believes the enclosed affidavit and suggests Smith should be discharged if he can provide a substitute.

Folios 197-198: enclosed with folios 195-196. Letter from William Crawford, South Shields, to the Admiralty, 17 November 1810. Writes on behalf of Robert Story and encloses the indenture of Thomas Cook [not present] and affidavits from Mr Story and from Robert Cook, shoemaker. Thomas Cook was bound as a shoemaker's apprentice at Lincoln but was recently impressed at Shields and sent to the Nore. Asks for his discharge.

Folio 199: enclosed with folios 197-198. Affidavit sworn by Robert Cook of North Shields, shoemaker, before Justice of the Peace Richard Wallis, South Shields, 5 November 1810. Thomas Cook was bound to him as an apprentice at Lincoln, but recently expressed a wish to serve at sea, and in May was apprenticed to Robert Story of Whitburn, Co Durham, ship owner.

Folio 200: enclosed with folios 197-198. Affidavit sworn by Robert Story of Whitburn, ship owner, before Justice of the Peace Richard Wallis, South Shields, 5 November 1810. Thomas Cook was bound him as an apprentice on 18 May for a term of four years.

Folio 201: enclosed with folios 195-196. Affidavit sworn by John Smith aboard the tender HMS Eliza in the River Tyne, Newcastle, before Richard Parker, Master Extraordinary in Chancery, 17 November 1810. Swears that he formerly lived in Dents Hole, Northumberland and that in 1803 he bound himself to William Row of Newcastle to serve six years at sea but that in 1804 he was captured and sent to a French prison. After several unsuccessful attempts, he managed to escape about three months ago, returned to England, and bound himself as an apprentice to shipbuilder William Smith of Newcastle. He was impressed at Newcastle on 14 November and is held aboard the tender HMS Eliza.

Folio 202: enclosed with folios 195-196. Letter from Richard Parker, North Shields, to the Admiralty, 17 November 1810. Encloses an affidavit, feels that any man who has served six years in a French prison and then managed to escape in an open boat passage to England deserves some sympathy.