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So great a consideration as this wherein I judged the distresses of the enemy would be enormous and that the benefit arising to Great Britain so incalculable I did take upon myself although she had no commission or pass to permit her to proceed on the policy of the measure, that however much I might suffer from not making a capture of her, yet as a servant of the crown I conceived it my duty not to make any exposition of this secret nature before any Court of Admiralty. I have but to request you will be pleased to make a communication to His Majesty's ministers of this subject, that I might know whether my transactions are such as they will approve of, I also enclose you the General's letters requesting assistance.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obedient humble
servant

John Wight

John Poo Beresford Esq.
Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels.

V. Captain Beresford to the Secretary.^[1]

Cambrian, Bermuda,
5th March 1806.

Sir

I think it my duty to forward the enclosed statement from Captain Wight of His Majesty's Ship Cleopatra, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.

The Leander has evaded the cruizers of this squadron, ever since the war began, and has continually taken gun powder and warlike stores to the enemy,^[2] and returned to New York with colonial produce, and it appears to me in this instance they have outwitted Captain Wight for Mr Vansittart has been long out of office,^[3] and at that time Mr Pitt was not the Minister. I have looked over all the late Admiral's papers. I cannot find any communication from Mr Merry^[4] to the Admiral on the subject.

I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obebient humble servant

J. P. Beresford.

W Marsden Esq.
Admiralty, London.

1. Admirals' Despatches, North America, Vol. 17. William Marsden, the Orientalist, editor of Marco Polo, was first secretary to the admiralty from 1804 to 1807.
2. See this confirmed in The Trial of William S. Smith and Samuel G. Ogden, New York. 1807, p. 253.
3. Vansittart had left the treasury in April, 1804.
4. British Minister at Washington.