Biggar, Alexander

43 Penny Street /
Portsmouth 21\st/ Nov\r/ 1819 /

My Lord, /
I do myself the honor of addres+sing your /
Lordship on behalf of the poor labouring families going /
out with me to settle in the Cape of Good Hope. and /
who have as+sembled here by my directions as I was given /
to understand at the Colonial Office I ought not to be /
later than the 10th inst at this place _ /
Having disposed of their effects and given /
up the employments which enabled them to support their /
families, they are incurring an expense for lodgings 7+ /
diet far beyond their means, and consequently reduced /
to considerable distres+s, this I have endeavour’d to /
alleviate as much as my circumstances will afford /
But as there appears no immediate prospect /
of embarking, may I hope that your Lordship will take /
their /
Earl Bathurst /
>
case into consideration and allow them to receive rations until the ves+sel appointed is ready to receive them.
I have the honour to be My Lord
Your Lordship’s obedient humble servant
Alex. BIGGAR