had arisen from the settlement of the cargo, or some unavoidable accident during the course of the voyage.

Resolved, unanimously, That the cominanders of the Company's ships be directed by the said Committee not to open, #nor permit the hatches of their ships to be opened, on their larrival in the river Thames, till the officer or officers abovementioned shall come on board, for the purpose of such exaatmination.›

It frequently happening that practices of smuggling by this Company's officers are discovered by his Majesty's officers of 3 the Custoin, and suits are brought thereon, which do not come to the knowledge of this Court, aud compositions are often made of such suits, very much to the prejudice of this Com*pany:

Resolved, unanimously, That this Company's solicitor do 1 forthwith apply to his Majesty's Commissioners of the Customs, and request that they will be pleased to order their solicitor to give this Company's solicitor an account of all suits now depending, and also from time to time, of all suits that shall hereafter be brought against any of the commanders and officers of this Company's ships, for practices of smuggling of • Eust-India 'goods, and of all the proceedings thereon, which account the Company's solicitor shall forthwith communicate to the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, and to the respective >Committees of Private-Trade and Shipping, in order that they may pursue such measures as shall appear proper.

REGULATIONS,

Respecting the Qualifications of Surgeons, and Surgeon's Mates.

ORDERED, That no person be permitted to proceed as surgeon of any of the Company's regular ships, who shall not 1 have performed one voyage in the Company's service, as, surgeon's mate, or acted twelve months in that situation in his Majesty's service in a hot climate, until the persons before mentioned shall have obtained births, with an exception only in favour of such persons who, during the suspension of the standing order before mentioned, have been permitted to proceed as surgeons, without having performed a voyage as surgeon's mate.

That a surgeon of an extra ship, who shall have been previously examined and found qualified; and after having per formed a voyage to and from India, shall be considered eligible to proceed as surgeon in the regular service, if, upon the usual

examinations respecting his abilities, he shall then appear qualified for the same.

That the surgeon and surgeon's mate do produce a certihCate from the examiners of the Royal College of Surgeons, and also from the Physician appointed by the Company, of their being qualified for such stations."

Dr. Wm. Dick, Physician to the Company, 8, Hertfordstreet, May Fair, for examining surgeons and surgeon's mates; and the surgeons are to deliver their medical journals to him on their return home, for examination.

N. B. The surgeons of regular ships are allowed for private trade as follows-To and from China six tons; but in ships for India are allowed six tons outward; and four tons, thirty-two feet, homeward. They are also allowed fifteen shillings per man on the voyage for medicines and attendance upon the military and invalids.

EAST INDIA HOUSE, AUG. 8, 1904

A Letter from Captain Nathaniel Dance Commander of the East India Company's Ship. Earl Camden, was received here this Morning, of which the following is a Copy:

SIR,

FOR the information of the Hon. Court, I beg leave to acquaint you, that the Earl Camden was dispatched from Canton by the Select Committee, the 31st of January last, and the ships noted in the margin*, were put under my orders, as senior commander; also, the Rolla, Botany Bay ship, and the country ships as per margin, were put under my charge to convoy as far as our courses lay in the same direction. I was also ordered to take under my protection, a Portuguese Europe ship, that was laying at Maçao Roads, whose super-cargo had solicited it from the Select Committee.

Our passage down the river was tedions, and the fleet much dispersed; the ships being under the directions of their several Chinese pilots, I could not keep them collected as I wished.

The Ganges, a fast sailing brig, was put under my orders by the Select Committee, to employ in any manner that might tend to the safety or convenience of the fleet, till we had passed the Streights of Malacca: I was then to dispatch her to Bengal.

*Warley, Alfred, Royal George, Coutts, Wexford, Ganges, Exeter, Earl of Abergavenny, Henry Addington, Bombay Castle,

We passed Macao/Roads in the might of the 5th February, and I conceive the Rolla had anchored so near Macao, as not to see the fleet get under weigh and pass through, although at the time I had no idea that could be possible, especially as I saw the Ocean in shore of us getting under weigh, burning blue lights and firing a gun. The Portuguese ship, I suppose, must have been in the same situation as the Rolla.

During the night of the 5th February, 1 carried an easy sail, and on the following day hove to for above two hours, hoping to see those ships, but there was no appearance of them, nor did they ever join the fleet.

On the 14th February, at day-break, we saw Pulo Auro bearing W. S. W. and at eight a m. the Royal George made the signal for seeing four strange sail in the S. W. I made the signal for the four ships noted in the margin*, to go down and examine them, and Lieutenant Fowler, of, the Royal Navy, late commander of the Porpoise, and passenger with me, having handsomely offered to go in the Ganges brig and inspect them nearly, I afterwards sent her down likewise, and from their signals I perceived it was an enemy's squadron, consisting of a line of battle ship, frigates, and a brig. At one p. m. I ecalled the look-out ships by signal, and formed the line of battle in close order.

As soon as the enemy could fetch in our wake, they put about; we kept on our course under an easy sail. At near sun set they were close up with our rear, and I was in momentary expectation of an attack there, and prepared to support them; but at the close of day we perceived them haul to windward. I sent Lieutenant Fowler in the Ganges brig to station the country ships+ on our lee bow, by which means we were between them and the enemy; and having done so, he returned with some volunteers from the country ships.

We lay in line of battle all night, our men at their quarters; at day-break of the 15th we saw the enemy about three miles to windward laying to. We hoisted our colours, offering him battle if he chose to come down. The enemy's four ships hoisted French colours, the line of battle ship carrying a rearadmiral's flag: the brig was under Batavian colours. At nine am. finding they would not come down, we formed the order of sailing, and steered our course under an easy sail; the

1

*Alfred, Royal George, Bombay Castle, Hope.

† Lord Castlereagh, Carron, David Scott, Minerva, Ardeseer, Charlotte, Friendship, Shaw, Kissataw, Tahaungeer, Gilwell,

enemy then filled their sails, and edged towards us. At one p.m. finding they proposed to attack and endeavour to cut off our rear, I made the signal to tack and bear down on him, and engage in succession, the Royal George being the leading ship, the Ganges next, and then the Earl Camden; this manœuvre was correctly performed, and we stood towards him under a press of sail; the enemy then formed in a very close line, and opened their fire on the headmost ships, which was not returned by us till we approached him nearer. The Royal George bore the brunt of the action, and got as near the enemy as he would permit him. The Ganges and Earl Camden opened their fire, as soon as their guns could have effect; but before any other ship could get into action, the enemy hauled their wind and stood away to the eastward under all the sail they could set. At two p.m. I made the signal for s general chace, and we pursued them till four p.m. when, fearing a longer pursuit would carry us too far from the mouth of the Streights, and considering the immense property at stake, I made the signal to tack, and at eight p. m. we anchored in a situation to proceed for the entrance of the Streights in the morning.-As long as we could distinguish the enemy, we perceived him steering eastward, under a press of sail. The Royal George had one man killed and another wounded, many shot on her hull, and more in her sails, but few shots touched either the Camden or Ganges, and the fire of the enemy seemed to be ill directed, his shot either falling short or passing over us. Captain Timins carried the Royal George into action in the must gallant manner. In justice to my brother commanders, I must state, that every ship was clear and prepared for action; and as I had communication with almost all of them during the two days we were in presence of the enemy, I found them unaninous in the determined resolutions to defend the valuable property entrusted to their charge, to the last extremity, with a full conviction of the successful event of their exertions; and this spirit was fully seconded by the gallant ardour of all our officers and ships' companies.

From Malacca, I dispatched Lieutenant Fowler, in the Ganges brig, to Pulo Penang, with a Packet from the Select Committee, to the captain of any of his Majesty's ships, soliciting their convoy to this very valuable fleet. On arrival at Malacca, we were informed that the squadron we had engaged was that of Admiral Linois, consisting of the Marengo, of 84 guns; the Belle Poule and Similante, heavy frigates; a corvette of 28, and the Batavian brig William, of 18 guns. The 28th February, in the Streights of Malacca, latitude 4. 30 N. we fell in with his majesty's ships Albion and Sceptre. I was then in

a very poor state of health, and Mr. Lance went on board the Albion, and, by his very able representation to Captain Ferrier, of the great National consequence of the Honorable Company's ships, he was induced to take charge of the fleet. On the 3d of March, I dispatched the Ganges brig, with a letter to the Right Hon. Governor General, giving an account of our action, to be conveyed to the Hon. Court. We arrived at St. Helena the 9th June, under convoy of his Majesty's ships Albion and Sceptre, and sailed the 18th under convoy of his Majesty's ship Plantagenet, with the addition of the Carmarthen, Captain Dobree, and five whalers. Accompanying this, I sent a chart of the entrance of the Streights of Malacca, with the situations of the fleet on the 14th and 15th February, which will, I trust, convey a more distinct idea of the action than any written description. I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

Earl Camden, Aug. 6, 1804.

NATHANIEL DANCE.

NAMES OF THE WHALERS: William Fenning, Brook Wat Son, Thomas, or Young Tom, Betsy, Eliza, and the Blackhouse, from the Coast of Guinea, joined us at sea.

AUGUST 14, 1804.

at u Committee af the Patriotic Fund, Held at Lloyd's Cofee House, on this day,

It was resolved, unanimously,

That the circumstance of an enemy's fleet of war, commanded by an admiral in an 84 gun ship, being defeated snd chaced by a fleet of merchantmen, protecting an immense property, is highly honorable to the British naval character, and affords a brilliant example to the present and future ages.

Resolved,

That a sword of 100l. value, and a vase of silver of 1001. value, be presented to Commodore Dance, with an ap-, propriate inscription.

Also a sword of 501. value, with a suitable inscription, to Captain Timins, and the rest of the commanders of the fleet.