Folios 63-101. Folios 63-64: Copy of letter from Charles Forrest for William Bartley...

Folios 63-101. Folios 63-64: Copy of letter from Charles Forrest for William Bartley [Barclay?] dated at Dublin on 8 September 1775 and addressed to 'Dear my once Beloved Eliza' indicating that he has been in pursuit of two of his boys that ran away, the risks in carrying 'the article' and what is to be done with the latter's bed and things on board now that they are not sailing with the ship. Folios 65-66: Letter from W Barclay to Charles Forrest, dated at Ballyshannon on 10 September 1775 enclosing three letters to forward to the Barclay brothers, providing instructions as to other matters and regretting that they may not sail with the ship. Folios 67-68: Copy of Leckey and Wilson's account with the owner of the ship Hancock and Adams. Folios 69-70: Letter from Charles Forrest to Messrs Samuel Delap and Co, merchants at Bordeaux, dated at Dublin 12 September 1775, regarding financial matters and remittances. Folios 71-72: Letter from Charles Forrest to Messrs Hope and Co, Amsterdam, dated at Dublin on 13 September 1775 enclosing a bill for £200 drawn in his favour by Mr James Lecky payable in London. Folios 73-74: Copy of a letter from Andrew Thompson, dated at Newry on 16 September 1775, expressing sympathy that the recipient's scheme has been frustrated and advising them to leave as soon as possible for fear that the government will seize their ship; a shallop [i.e. a light sailing boat] with 20 men on board is at Newry on the look out for them. Discusses arrangements for anything he has bought but cannot get, and logistics for anything he can take with him, including routes to travel and changing the name of the ship. Folios 75-76: Copy of a letter from Blair McClenachan to Charles Forrest dated at Philadelphia on 3 January 1776 setting out commands for the latter to proceed to Nantz [Nantes?] with his Brig John to deliver the cargo of flour to Mr John Daniel Schweighausor, of whom he has requested powder for the return shipment; in the event that this is not possible, Forrest is to go to Ireland to endeavour to get the powder that is in the hands of Messrs Lecky and Thompson. Folios 77-78: Copy of a letter from JD Schweighauser to Mr Charles Forrest dated at Nantz [Nantes?] on 25 February 1776 regarding arrangements for the delivery and sale of his cargo. Folios 79-81: Copy of a letter from 'Bernard' to Charles Forrest dated at Penestin on 8 March 1776, which relays personal and local news including a skirmish between two English captains at Paimboeuf 'the one belonging to old England and the other to North America' which resulted in the seizure of the American Captain and all his crew, followed by the search of their ship and discovery of several cases of fire arms and casks of powder. [There is suggestion in the spelling and language used in this letter that it may be conveying a coded message, and it closes with apologies for the 'blundering faults' it contains as 'it is many years that I have wrote so mutch English the second side of my letter is turned topsy turvy but you will find it out'.] Folios 82-85: Copy of a letter from 'Bernard' to Charles Forrest dated at Penestin on 21 March 1776, which relays personal and local news including discussion of the situation in America and reports of French ships transferring ammunition to American ships at sea as well as the assistance of the West Indies. [There is again suggestion in the spelling and language used in this letter that it may be conveying a coded message, it closes again with apologies for the 'blundering faults' it contains as 'I am obliged to write at Candle Light not being assured whether the Pilot would go or not to Nants. I must make use of four Eyes I assure you my poor Head aches']. Folios 86-87: Copy of a letter from Henry Watson to Captain Forrest advising that all is well on board and ready for sea, as well as the state of provisions. Dated at [Quaron?] 27 March 1776. Folios 88-89: Copy of a letter from H Johnston and S Canning to Mr James Lecky reporting that Messrs Pye, Rich and Wilkieson's of Amsterdam have drawn on them for account of Mr William Paterson of Philadelphia circa £2000. Folios 90-91: Copy of the Article of Sale of the ship the John to Henry Minyer de Noirmoutier by Mr Charles Forrest [in French]. Indicates that Minyer will rename the ship the Expedition to take it under his command to Ireland, after which he will pay the purchase price or return the ship to him. Dated 3 April 1776 at Nantes. Folios 92-93: Copy of a letter from CF [Charles Forrest?] advising of his distressed voyage from the Capes, during which all his sails were lost or damaged before he reached Bell Isle, whereupon further bad weather led to the ship taking on four feet of water in the hold and he had to throw the flour in the hold overboard before running aground on a mud bank. He was detained then for three weeks for want of a fair wind to go to Nantes. He believes it will be impossible to get the articles they want as there are orders there from the French Government to prevent all such exports. He reports to have recovered most of the flour thrown overboard and his hopes to have the vessel fit for sea in a few days. [It is possible that there is some coded message in this letter as the spelling and language is poor and inconsistent with any other letters from Charles Forrest]. Folios 94-96: Mr Blair McClenachan in Account Current with Charles Forrest (copy). Folios 97-98: The information of Joseph Worthington Gent. Surveyor of the North Wall. Sworn account of Joseph Worthington of events relating to the Expedition's arrival in Dublin Harbour on 5 May and believed to be an American built ship with a French Master (Henry Manuel) and English Irish and Scotch crew. Reports that between six and seven months previously there was in Dublin an American ship call the Handcock and Adams, which was searched for powder and arms with none found; some persons aboard the Expedition had previously been seen on the Handcock and Adams. The Expedition was searched and a small trunk under the captain's bed seized, which was said to belong to a passenger then on shore and to contain papers. Upon his return, the said passenger was identified as having been previously master of the Handcock and Adams and believed to be employed by some persons carrying on a correspondence between some persons in Ireland and the 'Rebels' in America and to be in Dublin Harbour for the purpose of carrying on some unlawful traffic between the two. Sworn before J G Annaly on 5 May 1776. Informant is noted to be bound in the sum of £50 to appear and prosecute in the Court of the King's Bench upon 20 May 1776. Folios 99-101: The information of Joseph Worthington (copy), sworn before JG Annaly on 6 May 1776, adding that the person mentioned in the previous account given by the same as being the Master of the Hancock and Adams is called Charles Forrest and that another referred to as having informed the department that he had prevented powder being put on board that vessels is called Thomas Scott.

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