Catalogue description John Wilson Croker. Report on the victualling of supernumeraries in the Princess...

John Wilson Croker. Report on the victualling of supernumeraries in the Princess Receiving Ship at Liverpool, which need investigation. From the Victualling Book of Lancelot Cooper, the Purser, 70 men appear discharged in different parts of the muster and victualling books to the Intelligent Gun Brig in July 1812, for a passage to Plymouth, although their victualling is claimed by Mr Cooper. Other ships involved are the Princess Frederick in Hamouze and the Salvador del Mundo. Men appear to have been discharged to the Eliza Jane Tender for a passage to Plymouth and alterations have been made. We wrote last March to Captain Galloway, now commanding the Dispatch, but as no response has been received, ask for your assistance in obtaining information from him. The same nefarious practices have continued on the Princess since Captain Galloway left that ship. The victualling book of the Bittern Sloop shows 138 men secured from the Princess in January and 20 in February and there are discrepancies in the entries in the books. The circumstances involve the present Captain McLeod, in a charge of false musters. Recommend an enquiry is held and point out that a former Purser of the Princess, Denny Walker, was dismissed from the service, by a Court Martial, for fraud of a similar nature.