On the 7th of June we spoke a schooner under American colours, the Federal George of Duxbury from Bourdeaux, bound to Boston.  The master informed, us that the channel was full of the enemy’s cruisers, who were looking out for our West-India fleet, then expected home.  Though we felt persuaded that our cruisers would counteract their designs, Mr. Raven determined, from this information, and from the wind having long hung to the eastward, to stand to the northward.  From this time to the 18th our weather was very unfavourable, and our wind mostly contrary.  On the 18th we saw the rock laid down in the charts by the name of Isle Rokal, being then in the latitude of 57 degrees 51 minutes N and longitude 13 degrees 56 minutes W. The rock then bore N 23 degrees distant eight miles and a half.  Our foul wind continued many days; but on the 23rd we found ourselves off Innishone on the north part of Ireland.  Here a man came off, who, to our inquiries respecting the progress of the war, answered, that he knew nothing about war, except that the strongest party always got the better of the weakest, thus uttering a truth in the midst of the profoundest ignorance.  We now determined to steer for Liverpool, at which port, after much anxiety, we arrived in safety on the 27th.

On the 29th the judge-advocate delivered at the Duke of Portland’s office the dispatches with which he was charged.

He now learned, that previous to his arrival in London there had sailed for New South Wales, exclusive of the ships Sylph and Prince of Wales, Ganges and Britannia, the Lady Shore transport, having on board two male and sixty-six female convicts.  On the 6th of last November the Barwell sailed, having on board Mr. Dore, the present judge-advocate of that territory, and two hundred and ninety-eight male convicts.  The Britannia, a ship belonging to the house of Enderby and Co. sailed on the 17th of last February with ninety-six female convicts on board.  This ship went out with orders to try the whale-fishery on the coast of New South Wales for one season.  If this should succeed, the settlement and the public at large will owe much to the spirited exertions of the house of Enderby to promote a beneficial commerce from that country.

The king’s ships on that station being ill calculated for the services expected from them, having on board expensive complements of men and officers, and consequently but little room for cattle; and being beside so defective and impaired by time as to be unsafe to navigate much longer; two others have been provided, newer and more capable of rendering service to the colony.  One of them, the Buffalo, commanded by Mr. William Raven, late master of the Britannia, is on the point of sailing, and is to take cattle to New South Wales from the Cape of Good Hope.  The other is named the Porpoise, and has the same service to perform.  A ship, called the Minerva, is also proceeding to Cork to take in a number of Irish convicts.