534 
home a dispatch to Holland, and 
will receive assistance from the 
British commanders in forwarding 
the same. 
OS a ee rae a So aaa ee eee nee 
Admiralty-Ofice, April 15. Let- 
ter from Sir F. T. Duckworth, to 
IV. Marsden, esq. dated Superb, 
Port Royal, Feb. 16. 
Sir, 
Captain Henry, of the French 
Ship Diomede, which ran on shore, 
and J afterwards ordered to be 
burnt, being, with his officers, 
among the prisoners rescued, the af- 
ternoon of the 9th, before that 
event took place, he approached to 
offer captain Keats his sword, 
which he, from the report which had 
been made to me by sir Edward 
Berry, and, except in the act, of 
hailing, confirmed by capt. Dun, 
that the ship had struck before 
she run on shore, disdainfully 
refused. This of course made ex- 
planation necessary on my side; 
and | acquainted eapt. Henry, that 
1 had marked his dishonourable 
conduct in my public letter ; when 
feeling, as he appeared to do, like a 
man of honour, and referring to his 
officers and ship’s company, they 
gave the strongest testimony that the 
pendant was always flymg, though 
the ensign was shot away; and 
this, from strict investigation since 
my arrival here, appears to be the 
case; and as sir BK. Berry is not 
present to refer to, and the commo- 
dore in the Braave allows he hailed 
the Agamemnon, and what has 
_ been recited passed between them, I 
have no doubt that the Diomede has 
been mistaken for the Braave, by 
her ensign beingdown. I therefore, 
sir, feeling that character is much 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1806. 
more valuable than life, am to beg 
the heavy charge on capt. Henry 
may be done away in such a man. 
ner as in their lordships’ judgment 
may appear most proper. 
Iam, &c. 
J.T. Duckwortu. 
Letters from Adam Dacres, Com- 
mander in Chief ut Jamaica, intro- 
duce the following. , 
Franchise, at anchor, off 
‘Caumpeachy, January 7+ 
Sir, 
Having received information from 
a neutral, that several Spanish ves- 
‘sels had very lately arrived in the 
Bay of Campeachy, and conceiving 
it practicable, from thelocal know- 
ledge | had of that place, that they 
might be cut out without running 
much risk ; [have presumed,in con- 
sequence, to extend the limits of 
the orders with which you honour- 
ed me, and proceeded to this an- 
chorage ; and, although | am well 
aware of the great responsibility, 
yet, as it was undertaken solely 
with a view of forwarding the 
king’s service, by distressing his 
enemies, so I have the vanity to 
hope it will be sanctioned with 
your high approbation. | have, 
therefore, the honour to report, 
that I last evening anchored the 
Franchise in’ quarter-less-four fa- 
thoms, a-breast the town of Cam- 
peachy ; and as it was impossible, 
from the shallowness of the water, 
to approach nearer to the shore 
than five leagues, | dispatched the 
senior officer, lieut. John Fleming, 
accompanied by lieut. P. G. Dong- 
las, the third, licut. Mends of the 
marines, and Messrs. Daly, Lamb, 
Chalmers, and Hamilton, midship- 
men, 
