In-letters and orders received by the Navy Board

Enclosure: Affidavits sworn by officers of the ROYAL WILLIAM before William Head, Mayor of Rochester, concerning the grounding of the ROYAL KATHERINE:

John Power, Lieutenant, deposed that he was on the quarter deck of the ROYAL WILLIAM when the incident took place and heard her Boatswain call for someone to assist him make fast a hawser. A Quartermaster, John Hawkes, was sent to assist him. Lieutenant Power did not hear anyone from the ROYAL KATHERINE hail his ship, nor did he hear anyone refusing to make fast a hawser.

John Coatham, Master, deposes that he was on the poop and heard nobody hailing the ROYAL WILLIAM, nor did he hear anyone refusing to make fast a hawser. He stated his belief that the ROYAL KATHERINE was already aground and that there was insufficient rise of tide at the time to enable the ROYAL KATHERINE to be floated past the ROYAL WILLIAM's stern.

Thomas Adams, Gunner, deposed that he was in the gunroom and made fast the ROYAL KATHERINE's first hawser to the gunroom port. He did not hear anyone refuse to take another hawser.

John Tompkin, Masters Mate, deposed that he was in his cabin when he heard the Boatswain call for assistance with the ROYAL KATHERINE's hawser and immediately went down to the gun deck where he found John Hawkes, Quartermaster, and James Barker, Midshipman, trying to take a turn with the hawser around the fore-mast but, not having sufficient slack, they hitched it to the bridles. Before they had time to seize the end, they were hailed from the ROYAL KATHERINE and told to cast it off, which they did.

John Hawkes, Quarter Master, deposed that he went below with the Boatswain to take hold of a hawser carried across from the ROYAL KATHERINE by a launch but, not having sufficient slack to take a turn around the fore-mast, they hitched it to the bridles. As soon as this was done they were told to cast it off. He stated that the ROYAL KATHERINE was already aground before her hawser was passed.