Draft of a letter received by the Navy Board from Banks, 11February 1799 (Series 19.24) - No. 0002

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of giving them air made use of, that the Largest Part of the Cargo will arrive safe at its destination, unless the Passage is unusualy  unfortunate and as there are three professed gardeners on board, it will be easy on all proper occasions of mild weather​ to have the whole of the boxes, which are only 18 in number, brought up on deck on all proper occasions of mild weather, & taken down again on the smallest appearance of a gale.

I beg leave however to remark that the weight of 5 Tons, supposed to be that of the Plant Cabbin & its contents, seems to me to be a conjecture far above what the real weight is, & therefore I request that before the Plant Cabbin is Removed from the place where it now is, one of the 18 boxes may be weighd., and also and such moveable parts of the Plant Cabbin as can be separated from it ​get at​ & an estimate found by the Carpenter, or some other proper officer, of the Real weight, for the information of your board.  for​ If it should prove to weigh not more than ½ what it is estimated at, it is possible that as no part of it is raised above the [indecipherable] work of the sides, & it therefore cannot hold any wind & as the weight of it lies exactly in the center of the vessell deck that the Crankness of the vessel may be owing to other causes & the usual remedy of a doubling be found necessary even after the Plant Cabbin has been taken away.