Folios 169-170: Wilson Rathborne, North Shields. Responding to Mr Barrow's query...

Folios 169-170: Wilson Rathborne, North Shields. Responding to Mr Barrow's query re Thomas Megson, now aboard the Namur. Returning enclosures of certificate and letter. Megson was impressed by Lieutenant Liddle, Sunderland, on 31 August 1811 and detained as it appeared he was not a legal apprentice - the indenture had erasures in both the month and year, also the year of the Reign, which made it invalid. Rathborne calls it a 'bare-faced fraud'. Megson is about 19 and a fit young man.

Folios 171-172: enclosure with folios 169-170. Letter dated 1 February 1812 by Thomas Greenwell, Sunderland, giving his affidavit that Megson had been bound to him on 13 April 1809 for 5 years, to serve in his brig Ann of Sunderland, and that he had been in the Ann at Portsmouth in August 1810 but absented himself for 9 months. During that period the Ann was captured by a French privateer in the channel and the boys' protections were taken to France. Greenwell also claims that Megson returned after the 9 months and was again bound to him by indenture but no protection was procured for him. Further swears that Megson never was or ever served at sea before the 13th April 1809.

Folios 173-174: enclosure with folios 169-170. Official discharge for Thomas Megson from the Admiralty, currently aboard the Goshawk.

Folio 175: enclosure with folios 173-174. Statement dated 6 May 1811 by Captain Lilburne, HMS Gishawk, Spithead, saying that Megson had served aboard HMS Goshawk from 16 August to 31 December as an ordinary seaman and is therefore entitled to a share of prize money for all prizes taken during that period.