(3) That prisoners had been put upon half allowance in the cachot or Black Hole for staying in the wards on account of not having sufficient clothing to leave them.
Reply: They were not put in the cachot, but upon half allowance for remaining in the wards during the day contrary to the Regulations. There was no need for them to lack ‘cloaths’.
(4) That they were put upon half allowance for appearing at a sudden muster without clothes.
Reply: This muster was ordered by the agent, Cooke, because he suspected the prisoners of embezzling clothes and of gambling them away.
(5) That the prisoners had been threatened with being deprived of their turn of Exchange for signing this Petition to the Board of Admiralty.
Reply: There was no foundation for this statement.
(6) That Cooke had refused to pay them for more than eighteen days’ work in carrying coals, although they were twenty-eight days.
Reply: In reality they had only worked for parts of these days, and had been paid for the work actually done.
(7) That Cooke showed no zeal for the welfare of the prisoners.
Reply: That there is no foundation for this statement.