Folios 281-282: William ~Taylor, HMS La Prompte, in Leith roads. Enclosing his monthly...

Folios 281-282: William ~Taylor, HMS La Prompte, in Leith roads. Enclosing his monthly journal and state and condition of ship [not now present], also a copy of the information passed on to him by the Commissioner of Customs at Leith. As the wind is strongly eastward at the moment, he is unable to set out, but will do so as soon as the weather permits.

Folio 283: enclosure with folios 281-282. Copy of part of a letter from Alexander Wallace & Son, of North Bergen, dated 6 October 1794. A French brig arrived 26 September, and from her they learned details of ships currently in the North Sea, heading for Bergen: The Brutus, of 50 guns, the Seine and the Galatea both 44 guns, and two brigs. On 1st and 2nd October, four frigates arrived: Tartar of 44 guns, Bellona 36, Vengeance 30, and Montagne 24. They brought with them the Cato of South Shields, laden with 1700 barrels of tar, the Cave of Hull, with 1170 barrels of tar, the Susan of Hull, with tar, pitch and iron; and on the 3rd Oct, the Hero of North Shields, with timber and deals, all from Archangel. he thinks the Brutus and one of the brigs are busy fitting out the prizes and are to convoy them home - there are about 15 prizes there, he doesn't know if they will take them all, and depends on the weather. Footnote says this information all transmitted to Captain Taylor by the Commissioner of Customs at Leith.