all appearances, Weber speculates, the supper party did not stop at political talks. Tandy described the initial prison conditions as appalling. However, English-speaking studies into the circumstances of their detention fail to take account of the prisoners' papers in the Hamburger Staatsarchiv, thus giving unrestricted credit to the showmanship of Corbet and Tandy on whose descriptions most studies are based. Blackwell's own letters from Hamburg paint much more comfortable accommodations, thanking Hamburg authorities for wine and money sent to him in his cell. Blackwell spent most of his time in the dungeons of the police station near the Gänsemarkt. There, he wrote a number of letters to various French authorities in Germany and France, all designed to draw attention to the situation of the Irish prisoners. In a pretentious and often French-coloured style of writing Blackwell never failed to express his loyalty to the Revolution, let alone the great services he claimed to have rendered in France. He presented himself always in favourable light. Weber writes: "The distinguishing feature of his letters is the intrepid persistence with which he maintained his political convictions, and yet, one simply cannot avoid being filled with wonder in the face of Blackwell's eccentric patriotism." The Senate began to improve conditions for Blackwell towards the end of 1798. At their meeting on 24 November, the removal of the captives' chains was ordered, and for Blackwell, a teacher of German was procured. Nevertheless, the deprivations of his confinement started to wear him down, and by the summer of 1799 he seemed to be at the end of his tether. Extradition to Ireland During the early hours of the morning on Tuesday, 1 October 1799, the prisoners were delivered to His Majesty's Government, via the sloop Xenophen. Adverse winds, however, prevented their departure from the German coast until 12 October. Whitehall notified Dublin, on 18 October, that the extradited prisoners were daily expected in England, and, "as soon as the necessary examinations are taken," would be sent to Ireland. William Ross, the king's messenger, and a number of Bow Street officers, in two post coaches-and-four, escorted the prisoners to Sheerness. Napper Tandy and Morres travelled in one coach with Ross, while Blackwell and Corbet were in charge of Thomas Dowsett in the other. Having been lodged in Newgate Prison, on a charge of high treason until 9 November, they were again delivered unto Ross and his assistants