Send the Navy- Hull to the Rescue

This is a bit of interesting correspondence from the British Newspaper Archive which was published as a small news column on December 15th 1800. 

It was received by the Mayor of Kingston Upon Hull via express delivery from the Bailiffs of Scarborough, John Coulson and John Travis who were concerned about something that they had observed a couple of days prior that required some external assistance. 

Sir,

About an hour ago two large ships (evidently from the Baltic) were observed from the Castle, distance eight or nine miles at the same time that a lugger rigged Privateer attacked and captured one of them and as the other ship is not more than one mile to the Southward of the Privateer it is apprehended and may be captured also. 

There are also many other ships in sight, coming from the Northward and the signal for an enemy is now flying and the alarm guns fired from the Castle to warn them of the danger which is all that can be done here for their preservation. 

We trust you will have the goodness to despatch any Men of War if there are any in the Humber and if you would have the goodness to forward a copy of this letter to Yarmouth to the Admiral commanding there.

It might be the means of recapturing the ship or ships.

The wind is now from the North-East, a slight breeze and fine weather but rather foggy towards the sea,

We are, etc

Copy to the Worshipful Mayor Hull

I have not been able to find any further historical references to the specific incident apart from the sending of naval vessels by Admiral Dickson and that the Vine, Kirkus and other ships, part of the Baltic Fleet for this port were captured off Scarborough. The enemy of that period will have been from the Alliance made up of Denmark-Norway, Prussia, Russia and Sweden. The Castle still stands intact and that seems to indicate that the worst fears of the good officials of Scarborough did not, after all, materialise.