Folios 449-450: Humphrey Fleming Senhouse, HMS Recruit, Bermuda. Responds to an Admiralty...

Folios 449-450: Humphrey Fleming Senhouse, HMS Recruit, Bermuda. Responds to an Admiralty letter dated 27 February 1812, which enclosed a copy of a letter dated 26 February 1812 from John Williams, late Acting Boatswain of HMS Recruit, regarding his removal from the ship to HMS Avenger. Explains in detail the circumstances and actions taken leading to Williams' removal which was due to his carelessness sin ensuring that the ship's stores and furniture were complete and which resulted in HMS Recruit putting to sea in an inefficient state. Encloses documents which explain the proceedings.

Folios 451-452: enclosure with folios 449-450. Copies made by Humphrey Fleming Senhouse of three letters written in 1811 regarding the condition of HMS Recruit.

Letter 1: Humphrey Senhouse Fleming, HMS Recruit, Plymouth Sound, 24 March 1811 to Commissioner Robert Fanshawe, Plymouth. Requests the Commissioner orders a survey of HMS Recruit.

Letter 2: Humphrey Senhouse Fleming, HMS Recruit, St John's, Newfoundland, 5 May 1811 to John Cookesley, Captain, HMS Hazard, St John's, Newfoundland. requests a survey is carried out on HMS Recruit as has reason to believe there is deficiency in the furniture and sea store making her inefficient for service. Includes a copy of Cookesley's order of 6 May 1811 to the Master and Boatswain on HMS Hazard directing them to make a strict and careful survey on the furniture and stores of HMS Recruit. Notes a survey was held as ordered and that the reports were sent to John Cookesley, the Navy Board and John Williams.

Letter 3: Humphrey Senhouse Fleming, HMS Recruit, St John's, Newfoundland, 9 May 1811 to John Cookesley, Captain, HMS Hazard, St John's, Newfoundland. Encloses the completed survey on the furniture and sea store of HMS Recruit, in the charge of the acting Boatswain, both of which are found to be deficient or unaccounted for and render the ship ineffective for active service. States that John Williams is an improper person to be in charge of the stores as he cannot read or write and the Master has to undertake the dock yard duty and complete his weekly expenses. Adds that Williams is also unfit for the situation being negligent and contemptuous and requests that Cookesley, as the Senior Officer on the Station, supersedes Williams' acting Warrant by appointing a more suitable person and orders Williams to serve on board another ship to prevent disruption and"grating to the feelings of the reduced officer" until the decision of Admiral Sir John Duckworth, Governor of Newfoundland, is known.

Folios 453-454: Enclosure with folios 449-450: Copies made by Humphrey Senhouse Fleming of correspondence regarding the survey of HMS Recruit and the replacement of John Williams, Acting Boatswain.

Letter 4: Humphrey Senhouse Fleming, HMS Recruit, St John's, Newfoundland, 19 May 1811 to the Navy Board. Encloses a copy of the survey report which found HMS Recruit to be deficient and asks for the deficiency to be charged against the wages of John Williams, Acting Boatswain.

John Cookesley, Captain, HMS Hazard, St John's, Newfoundland 13 May 1811 to Humphrey Senhouse Fleming, HMS Recruit. Acknowledges receipt of Senhouse's letter of 9 May 1811 and states he is aware of the inability and conduct of John Williams, Acting Boatswain, from the time he commanded HMS Recruit and directs Senhouse to discharge him to HMS Avenger as Boatswain's Mate until further directions are received from Admiral Sir John Duckworth, Governor of Newfoundland, and to appoint someone qualified to take charge of the stores in the interim.

Humphrey Senhouse Fleming, HMS Recruit, St John's, Newfoundland, 11 May 1811 to Samuel Connor, Quartermaster, HMS Recruit. On orders of John Cookesley, directs Samuel Connor to take on the duties of acting Boatswain.

Humphrey Senhouse Fleming, HMS Recruit, St John's, Newfoundland, 13 May 1811 to John Cookesley, Captain, HMS Hazard, St John's, Newfoundland. Confirms appointment of Samuel Connor as Acting Boatswain and requests an order to be issued for the necessary survey.

John Cookesley, Captain, HMS Hazard, St John's, Newfoundland, 13 May 1811 to Master and Boatswain of HMS Hazard and Master of HMS Recruit. Orders a survey of the furniture and stores of HMS Recruit to be carried out as a consequence of the Acting Boatswain being superseded.

F J Hartwell, Henry Peake and [R G?] Middleton, Navy Office, 8 July 1811 to Humphrey Senhouse Fleming, HMS Recruit, Plymouth. Requests that £164 18/6d, being the total amount of the deficiency found in the survey of HMS Recruit is charged against the wages of John Williams.

Folios 455-456: enclosure with folios 453- 454. Copy of survey report on stores and furniture of HMS Recruit in St John's Harbour, Newfoundland, 14 May 1811. Signed by William Ferguson, Boatswain and Thomas Elliot, Master, both of HMS Hazard and William Bowie, Master of HMS Recruit. Samuel Connor, Acting Boatswain and John Cookesley, Commander, HMS Hazard also mentioned.

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