Letter received by Banks from Philip Gidley King, 6 October 1799 (Series 39.055) - No. 0001

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33 Surry St. Strand  Octr. 6th 1799

Dear Sir - 

I received yours of the 21st Ulto which I should have answered some days ago, but that I could not give you any satisfactory information respecting our future operations - I came to town the 22nd Ulto  when It was fixed that I was to go out in a whaler which had just been taken up to carryout 50 Female Convicts, some stores - I soon after received a letter from the Admty requiring my Opinion of the Porpoises Quality! - which I gave at full & in which I did not extenuate or set down aught in malice This account Mr [indecipherable] tells me was so highly satisfactory to their Lordships that they ordered the Porpoise to be disposed of - I had seen a Spanish Prize at Portsmouth, Prize to the Argo - of the same tonnage & Dimensions as the Porpoise lately launched at Bilboa, Cofferd & Cpperd Instead having thus Compleat & ready to go to sea in a short time. This I communicated to the Admiralty - & by last Fridays Post she was ordered to be surveyed & will be purchased - taking in the Cargo & Passengers of the Porpoise &c; Cayley to his great joy goes with me - he is making a pedestrian Journey to London round by Salisbury - this will Stretch his

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