| Description | Present at the meeting: James Burrow Esq Vice President in the chair; Dr Bradley; Lord Charles Cavendish; Mr Davall; Mr Fitzgerald; Dr Hadley; Mr Mead; Mr Nourse; Mr Short; Mr Sloane; Dr Watson; Lord Eilloughby; Dr Birch and Dr Morton, Secretaries
Minutes of the last meeting read
Read three letters from Mason and Dixon from Plymouth of 25 and 27th proposing to go to Scanderoon instead of Bencoolen [Bengkulu, Sumatra, Indonesia]. Proposed from chair and resolved unanimously, to write stating that ' the Council are extremely Surprised at their declining to pursue their Voyage to Bencoolen [Bengkulu, Sumatra, Indonesia]], which they have So Solemnly undertaken; and have actually received Several Sums of money upon account of their Expences, and in Earnest of performing their contract.
That their refusal to proceed upon this voyage, after their having so publickly and notoriously engaged in it, will be a reproach to the nation in general, to the Royal Society in particular, and more Especially and fatally to themselves: and that after the Crown has been graciously and generously pleased to Encourage this undertaking, by a grant of money towards carrying it on; and the Lords of theAdmiralty, to fit out a Ship of War, on purpose to carry these Gentlemen to Bencoolen [Bengkulu, Sumatra, Indonesia]; and after the Expectation of this and various other Nations has been raised to attend the event of thier voyage; their declining it at this Critical Juncture, when it is too late to Supply their places, cannot fail to bring an indelilble Scandal upon their Character, and probably and in their uttter Ruin.
That in case they shall persist in their refusal, or voluntarily frustrate the end and disappoint the Intention of their Voyage or take any Steps to thwart it; they may assure themselves of being treated by the Council, with the most inflexible Resentment, and prosecuted with the utmost Severity of the Law.
To prevent all possibility of doubt concerning their undertaking the voyage, or omitting to go, The Council do absolutely and expressly direct and require Mr Mason and Mr Dixon to go on board the Sea Horse, and enter upon the Voyage, be the Event as it may fall out.
P.S. As winds and other circumstances may render it uncertain, whether they can arrive at Bencoolen [Bengkulu, Sumatra, Indonesia] within time; and as those Circumstances cannot at present be Sufficiently foreseen, it must be left to the discretion of the observers when they are upon their voyage, to act in the best Manner, for effectually answering the ends of their Designation, whenever their Circumstances, now uncertain and eventual, Shall happen to be reduced to Certainty: In which Case they are to follow the directions of the Captain, who has Instructions upon this head. ' |