From Mr. Patrick, from Hastings, to Mr. Collier, at Bath.
"24th January, 1748. The Dutch Ship I have mentioned to you still sits whole, and the plunderers speed but very Indifferently, neither do the Owners save any quantity of goods, for the Ship is to much Swerved in the Sand, that it is Impossible to get at the Cargoe, the Ship being always full of water. Mr. Whitfield is down, and so is the Chief Manager at this Wreck. The Ship is on Shore in the Liberty of Hasting, and the Soldiers have shot a man Indiscretely at this Wreck, and Mr. Tilden, as Coroner for the Rape of Hasting, has been apply'd to upon the affair, to Summons a Jury to view the body and to enquire into the death of this p'son, but as Mr. Tilden is laid up with a fit of the Gout, he desired me to act as his Deputy, upon which I went over to Battell to him, and consulted him thereupon, as likewise Mr. Worge, who both Joyn'd in opinion with me that the death of this p'son was not to be Enquired into by the Coroner and Jury, by reason he was Kild at Sea, ten or fifteen roads below high water mark."
The same. 31st January, 1748. "I reced your last without date, and will take care to sieze the best Anchor & Cable belonging to the Dutch Ship stranded near Bulverhith. The Ship is really a Melancholy Sight to behold, for she lyes on Shore, upon a boggy Sand, that she is Swerved almost as high as her Upper Deck, and, notwithstanding all the Contrivances Imaginable, the main hatches can't be open'd, so that it's feared most part of the Cargoe in the main hold will perish in the Sand. They have Endeavoured to burn the Decks, and have made a bone fire thereupon, which had no Effect, notwithstanding they burnt, at one time, two hundred (? batt) faggots. They have also Endeavoured to blow up the decks with Gun powder, but as the Ship is so much Swerved, she always continues under water, that they can't fix barrells of powder at a proper place for that purpose. Upon the Ships coming on shore, I waited on Mr. Coppard, and the Captain, in relation to makeing a protest. It seems the Super Cargoe had drawn a Protest before they came on Shore, which was Signed by the Captain & all the Officers which was shewn to Mr. Mayor, who thinks the same sufficient, as the Capt., etc., has Sworn the Contents thereof before him to be true, so that I have not in the least been Concern'd in the Unhappy Affair, only that I have been twice to see the Ship in this Unfortunate Scituation. As Mr. Cramp is an Assistant at this Wreck, and is always present when there is anything to be done, and as he has a Deputation from the Duke of Newcastle, I have desired him to secure the Best Anchor & Cable for His Grace."
"There was a Chest of Silver broke open the Night the Ship came on Shore, by some of our Town Gentm., containing a Great Quantity of Wedges of Silver, weighing about 5 pound each Wedge, the whole Value amounting to about £1,200 Sterling. On Mr. Whitfield's arrival, he had it Cry'd round the town, if any p'son or p'sons who had taken any of these Wedges of Silver and would -
