Captain Furneaux to Secretary Stephens.

On account of the extraordinary voyage I was sent on in his Majesty’s sloop Adventure, I am under the necessity of troubling you to intercede in obtaining for me their Lordships’ order for my being allow’d the provisions condemn’d on board her by surveys taken on ye same (after the customary time allow’d for surveys), particularly a quantity of bread which could not be got at in time, it being put into tight butts and stow’d in ye hold in the second teer on the coals for its more particular preservation till the latter part of the voyage; the ground teer being stow’d with water, flesh, and other stores. In consequence of which the bread rec’ed at Plymouth and the Cape of Good Hope, in June, July, and November, 1772, was page 20 immediately expend’d, more especially as the last being rusk would not keep above three months.

On my return to New Zealand, the hold was broke up to get at the bread, which was found much damaged, and in order to preserve as much of it as possible it was pick’d and rebak’d, and what was condemn’d could not possibly be made fit for men to eat.

The bread rece’d on my return at the Cape of Good Hope was made use of for recovery and preservation of the health of my ship’s company, as the English bread there remaining was exceeding bad, and in our passages thro’ a warm climate made it unserviceable, tho’ we used all possible means to preserve it.

The bread rece’d at Portsmouth was for the reasons aforesaid also expended.

And I humbly hope, for the several reasons aforesaid, their Lordships will be pleas’d to indulge me with their orders accordingly, which will greatly oblige,