Folios 125-126: Thomas Flinn, on behalf of Wilson Rathborne, Regulating Service,...

Folios 125-126: Thomas Flinn, on behalf of Wilson Rathborne, Regulating Service, North Shields. Responds to the letter of 9 September and sends a report on the case of George Jeffells, on board the Lyra tender, and returns the enclosures including Jeffell's affidavit as Mate. George Jeffells, Able Seaman, was pressed by Lieutenant Flinn from the ship John, of Newcastle, on 4 September. It appeared that the Owner, Thomas Wilson, a seafaring man, was sailing in the vessel. He acknowledged that he had been in her to Quebec, and no doubt acted as Master, thus protecting one man more than is allowed. George Jeffells is 23 years old, has been at sea for 11 years, and is a healthy active young man, well suited for service in the Navy.

Folios 127-128: enclosure with folios 125-126. Letter dated 6 September 1811 from Jonathon Cockerill, North Shields, to The Admiralty. Asks permission to pay a stipulated sum of money for the discharge of George Jeffles, recently pressed from the merchant ship John, of which he was Mate. The circumstances are outlined in the enclosed Affidavit of Thomas Wilson. He trusts these will be sufficient grounds for his release.

Folio 129: enclosure with folios 127-128. Affidavit dated 6 September 1811 by Thomas Wilson, Newcastle on Tyne, sworn before Jonathon Cockerill, Master Extraordinary in Chancery, North Shields. Thomas Wilson is part Owner of the ship John, of Newcastle. Last May he chartered his ship to bring timber from Quebec to Portsmouth for the Government. With some friends he contracted to build a ship in Quebec, and went out there to oversee the work. He went out in the John, and returned to the Tyne for water about 3 days ago. The Master was Robert MacPherson, and George Jeffles was appointed by him as Chief Mate. The usual compliment of men and boys for the ship is 10, and for this voyage there were eleven, not counting Thomas Wilson, and that number would have been employed even if Thomas Wilson had not been on the ship. He was not acting in any capacity on the voyage. George Jeffles, was not an apprentice, nor under any Indentures at the start of the voyage. The ship is due to sail for Portsmouth.

Folio 130: enclosure with folios 125-126. Certificate dated 26 April 1811, of Robert McPherson as Master of the ship John, of Newcastle, and appointing George Jeffells as Chief Mate. Sworn at South Shields.