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Rec.d at 9 o'Clock in the Evening by W. Oldrey
His Majesty's Ship Porpoise, Sydney Cove
Decr 18th 1806
Sir
I this day received your Order to liberate Mr. Lye the Master of the Ship and to direct him to attend to his Duty until I have an Opportunity to try him by a Court Martial. I beg to observe that according to your Orders I am to be answerable for the internal regulations of this Ship and of course when you are out of the Ship I look upon myself as Captain to all intents and purposes. As such I confined Mr. Lye for disobedience of my Orders for treating me with Contempt for talking in Company with Lt. Tetley in presence of the ship's Company in a language tending to make them disconted [discontented] and to create Mutiny. These Charges are very heavy And if proved against an Officer on a Court Martial may affect his life. But Sir more was done before the Court of Enquiry when it was proved that Mr. Lye damned me and wished the Boat might sink along side. Whenever a Court Martial takes place on him and Mr. Tetley I have no doubt but I can prove more than was ever mentioned before the Court of Inquiry. After this Sir, what must be my feelings in having an Officer who has damned me and spoken in the most disrespectful manner of me before the Officers and Men and who I have put under Arrest for the Crime, permitted to do his Duty I can only look for a repetition of the