[New South Wales, Vol. 181. [Enclosure No. 2.]

H. J. Rous and Others to the Colonial Secretary.

In answer to your letter of the 23rd instant, transmitting us the petition of Mr. Robert Duke, master of the ship Sisters, and His Excellency’s desire that we should estimate and report the sums to which Mr. Duke, the owners and crew of the vessel under his command, are equitably entitled to for the capture of the brig Wellington, piratically seized by convicts in her passage from here to Norfolk Island, we are of opinion that the sum of one thousand eight hundred pounds will cover the salvage of the hull and cargo of the said brig Wellington, and remunerate the master, owners, and crew for their loss of time

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and the amount of cargo which during the space of three months they would have procured had they remained on the fishery.