In-letters and orders received by the Navy Board
[Enclosed in ADMA/181/277]. Statements made in the presence of William Bridgeman, by Richard Bull, Anthony Palmer, James Lewis, and John Goodwin, employed in the Portsmouth Ropeyard, claiming that defective rope was being produced as a result of the Master Ropemaker, Robert Barnett, neglecting his duty. They state that:
(i) Insufficient threads were being incorporated into each strand. For example: 2½-inch rope, which should have 14 threads per strand, might only contain 10, 11, 12 or 13 threads; and 3-inch rope, which should contain 20 threads per strand, might only have 17, 18 or 19 threads;
(ii) Considerable quantities of the resulting defective rope were being burnt in the furnace;
(iii) Boys named Thomas Bottom (Servant to Mr Monsier) and John Robins (Servant to Benjamin Watson) are entrusted with work beyond their capabilities and are producing defective rope which is subsequently burnt;
(iii) The Master Ropemaker failed to adequately supervise the work of the ropeyard, typically spending less than two hours a day there;
(iv) That when they raised their concerns with the Master Ropemaker, they were threatened with dismissal.
(i) Insufficient threads were being incorporated into each strand. For example: 2½-inch rope, which should have 14 threads per strand, might only contain 10, 11, 12 or 13 threads; and 3-inch rope, which should contain 20 threads per strand, might only have 17, 18 or 19 threads;
(ii) Considerable quantities of the resulting defective rope were being burnt in the furnace;
(iii) Boys named Thomas Bottom (Servant to Mr Monsier) and John Robins (Servant to Benjamin Watson) are entrusted with work beyond their capabilities and are producing defective rope which is subsequently burnt;
(iii) The Master Ropemaker failed to adequately supervise the work of the ropeyard, typically spending less than two hours a day there;
(iv) That when they raised their concerns with the Master Ropemaker, they were threatened with dismissal.