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H
H. M. Ship Porpoise Simon's Bay
Cape of Good Hope
15th May, 1806
Sir
Finding you persist in sending me Orders altho' [although] you are not mustered on board any of His majesty's Ships or this Station and the Ships Books you are first Captain of having you checked on leave, I think it a duty to the Service and myself as an Officer to state my reasons for not attending to them that if His Majesty's Service suffers it may not be my fault, you Sir wanted to assume the Command over me (otherwise than the Course and Ports) on the Voyage, it certainly was never their Lordships intention that you should have it, otherways they would not have addressed all their Orders and private Signals to me and particularly to take Captain Beaufort of the Woolwich under my Command, and sent me a Copy of his Orders, I have only to ask you as an Officer if any accident had happened to that Convoy (otherwise than Course and Ports) who was the Officer that was to answer for it, most certainly myself; for you was not amenable to the Articles of War being on leave, neither Sir are you at this time not being mustered on board any of His Majesty's Ships. I beg to assure that my objections are founded on what I conceive strictly the rules of His Majesty's Naval Service at this, and every other Port, but New South Wales, where you will find no Officer more ready.