Folios 180-181: Wilson Rathborne, Regulating Officer, North Shields. Responds tot...

Folios 180-181: Wilson Rathborne, Regulating Officer, North Shields. Responds tot he letter of 28 September and sends a report on the case of James Mitchell, currently on board the Lyra tender. He returns the enclosure with the Affidavit of Mitchell as Mate. He was pressed by Lieutenant Lapslie, South Shields, on 11 September and detained as it appeared that John Sayers, the Owner and a seafaring man, had sailed in the vessel in addition to the Master, and thus protected one more man than is allowed Mitchell offered a bribe of 2 dollars to the Midshipman to be freed. James Mitchell is 37 years old, has been at sea for 17 years, and is a stout healthy man well suited for service.

Folios 182-183: enclosure with folios 180-181. Letter dated 23 September 1811 from Richard Emmerson, Sandwich, to The Admiralty. States that a Midshipman of the Impress Service at South Shields boarded his vessel, the Haro, of Sandwich, Master Daniel Deverion, on 11 September. The ship is in the coasting and coal trade and was under sail for a voyage to sea. James Mitchell, the Mate, had a regular Affidavit which he showed to the Officer, who insisted that he went on shore with him. James Mitchell was detained and they were forced to sail without him. Requests his discharge, as the Mate of a Coasting vessel pressed from his ship while it was loaded and on the point of going to sea.

Folio 184: enclosure with folios 180-181. Protection dated 6 March 1811 issued by Samuel Harvey, Mayor of Sandwich, to Daniel Dovowson, Master of the Haro of Sandwich, appointing James Mitchell as Chief Mate.