Collections : [University of Michigan William L. Clements Library]

This 2-volume account (301 pages) consists of William West Medwin's memoirs about his experiences in the Royal Navy and his later travels, as well as poetry that he composed in the early 19th century.

This 2-volume manuscript (301 pages) consists of William West Medwin's memoirs about his experiences in the Royal Navy and his later travels, as well as poetry that he composed in the early 19th century.

Medwin began composing his account in 1830, and dedicated the manuscript to his surviving son. Later pages contain references to dates as late as 1833. The memoir, written on pages 1-214 and 250a-299, chronicles Medwin's experiences from 1799, when he joined the crew of the Mercury, until around 1833, when he was living in his family in London, England. He began with a brief history of his ancestors and an account of his childhood up to his enlistment in the navy. Medwin was a crewman on multiple ships and traveled to North America, the Caribbean, South America, and Europe. During the American Revolution, he was stationed in Canada and elsewhere, and after the war helped evacuate Loyalists and African-American soldiers from the newly independent United States.

Medwin's memoirs also reflect his later life, including his residence in North America, where he described the tobacco industry and plantation farming, and his years in France, where he frequently attended theatrical performances. He sometimes commented on local customs, such as the practice of "bundling" in North America (p. 63). Pages 214-248 contain poetry by Medwin; some poems are laid and pinned into the volume. Medwin then resumed his memoir with an account of his life after his return to London and the death of his eldest son. The final pages (pp. 266-299) are comprised of Medwin's philosophical and religious musings.

This collection contains the letters and official papers of Lord Shelburne, British politician, Member of Parliament, secretary of state for the Southern Department, and Prime Minister. The papers document British foreign, colonial, and domestic affairs throughout the 18th century with special focus on the periods 1766-1768 and 1782-1783. In addition to this finding aid, the Clements Library has created a detailed Volume Index and a Name Index and Geographical Index.

The William Petty, 1st Marquis of Lansdowne, 2nd Earl of Shelburne papers consist of the letters and official papers of Lord Shelburne, British politician, member of parliament, secretary of state for the Southern Department, and Prime Minister from 1782-1783. These document British foreign, colonial, and domestic affairs, covering the 18th century with special focus on the periods 1766-1768 and 1782-1783. The papers are made up of dispatches, memoranda, trade statistics, reports, essays, questionnaires, and copies of treaties. They cover the conduct of the French and Indian War; the colonies in North America and the West Indies; the 1783 American peace negotiations in Paris; relations with Europe, Africa, and India; the management of the royal household's lands and revenues (1745-1789); and records of the Home Office, Parliament, Customs Revenue, Board of Trade, Army, Navy, War, and Pay offices and Treasury (1760-1797).

Shelburne was an avid collector of books, pamphlets, manuscripts, reports, maps, and prints, and was known as one of the most well-informed politicians of his day. During his political career, Shelburne had access to, and was able to commission, high level reports on domestic and foreign affairs; his papers reveal the British perspective on foreign relations, civil and military, with Europe, America, India, and Africa. Shelburne and his personal librarian Samuel Paterson collected and organized much of the present collection when Shelburne retired from political office.

In addition to the official letters, the collection contains family papers, including letters from Shelburne to his wife Sophia, to his son John, and from his young son William Granville. The Lacatia-Shelburne series, acquired separately from the rest of the collection, is comprised of 207 official letters originally belonging to Shelburne.

The European and Mediterranean Politics series (42 volumes) documents British diplomatic relations and financial interests in Europe and northern Africa. The series contains political and diplomatic letters and copies of letters with officials from the major powers of Europe, including: Austria, France, Portugal, Prussia, Russia, Spain, and Switzerland, as well as Mediterranean powers such as the Ottoman Empire, the Barbary States (Algiers, Morocco, Tunis, and Tripoli), and the Italian states. Also present are copies of treaties and reports on the military and trade capabilities of many of these nations. Though they cover British foreign relations from the beginning of the 18th century, these papers primarily document the 1760s, including the 1763 Peace of Paris, and Shelburne's activities as secretary of state for Southern Department (1766-1768).

The Colonial Affairs and the 1783 Treaty of Paris series (48 volumes) contains Shelburne's letters and reports concerning the British colonies in North America and the West Indies. Of particular interest is the material related to the negotiations leading up to the Treaty of Paris, which Shelburne supervised as Prime Minister (1782-1783). Included are letters and memoranda from the peace commissioners and secretaries at Paris, such as Richard Oswald, Henry Strachey, Thomas Townshend, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay, among others. Also present are drafts and copies of preliminary treaties and opinions on the ongoing negotiations. The Assiento papers contain official and private letters and documents of the South Sea Company, a British mercantile venture that, for 30 years after the Treaty of Utrecht, had exclusive rights to sell slaves to Spanish territories in America. The papers comprise confidential agent reports, bills for traded goods and slaves, ship inventories, factory reports, and diplomatic letters between Spain and England on slave trade policies.

• Diplomatic correspondence concerning the end of the Seven Years War (French and Indian War) in 1763
• Copies of letters, intelligence reports, and documents received by Lord Fox and Shelburne from various European courts during the peace negotiations (1782-1783)
• Orders, letters, memorials, and documents to and from the colonial governors of the American colonies, Canada, and the West Indies islands
• Records of West Indian trade, and reports on Jamaica, Barbados, and Tobago (1766-1767)
• Officially commissioned descriptions of the Islands of St. John, Cape Briton, Magdalen, Grenada, St. Vincent, and Dominica (1765-1767)
• Reports on commerce with America including trade statistics
• Letters and papers concerning relations and trade with the Choctaw, Creeks, Mohican, and Six Nation Indians (1703-1767)
• Questionnaires, with answers, sent to colonial governors concerning the "Civil Establishment" and "Accounts of the Fees of Office" (1766-1767)
• Accounts of American civil and military expenses (1765-1767)
• Reports on the Mutiny Act, Indemnity Act, Stamp Act, and other parliamentary laws concerning the American colonies
• Reports on Spanish and Portuguese settlements in South America and the rights of the Spanish in the South Seas
• Minutes on African Affairs (1765-1767)
• Reports and instructions related to Minorca, Gibraltar, and the coast of Africa
• A letter from George Croghan to Shelburne on the discovery of mastodon bones in Big Lick, Ohio Territory (Volume 48, pages 131-134)

The East Indian Affairs series (11 volumes) contains Shelburne's papers related to British financial and political interests in India. Included are official letters and documents (both originals and copies) transmitted to Shelburne to keep him up to date with activities and conflicts. Shelburne was heavily invested in the East India Company and was one of the company's most vocal advocates in Parliament.

• A chronological account of significant events in the establishment and activities of the East India Company (1601-1761)
• Finances and budgets of the East India Company along with copies of original government and business documents (1766-1767)
• Policy proposals for India and the East India Company including notes for speeches in parliament (1760-1790)
• A narrative history of the second war with Hyder Ali Khan (Second Anglo-Mysore War), with maps (1779-1782)
• A narrative history of Indian kingdoms
• Letters with the Secret Committee of the East India Company and other company officials

The British Government series is comprised of 5 subseries.

The Parliament, Customs Revenue, Trade, Imports, and Exports subseries (39 volumes) contains Shelburne's collection of official records, reports, accounts, and letters related to British customs, taxes, expenses, and trade revenue. These document British financial operations throughout most of the 18th century, and show Shelburne's efforts to reform domestic financial policies.

• Reference tables describing the division of power in British government, including the King, House of Lords, and House of Commons
• Abstract reports on the Stamp Tax (1734-1764)
• Customs reports for revenue and departmental expenditures
• Lists of customs officers and employees
• Import and export records for trade with Europe, Africa, and America
• Letters and documents concerning excise taxes, the post office, and the stamp duties
• Financial reports on the royal household, lands, and revenues (1745-1789) and instructions on the management of the royal estate
• City of London papers, including proceedings of councils and letters concerning raising troops, establishing meeting halls, quelling riots, crime, and other topics (1588-1783)
• Reports on England's forests, corn and food, and currency (paper money and coins)

Note: Volume 100, entitled "A Table Reference Concerning the King, Lords, and Commoners," is not the same Volume 100 as noted in the Historic Manuscript Commission Report, which was entitled "East India Correspondence," and is not at the Clements.

The British Army, Navy, and Military Administration subseries (20 volumes) contains material related to the British military and information on foreign forces covering 1694 to 1783.

• Papers on War Office expenses for troops in Britain, Africa, Gibraltar, Scotland, and America (1765-1783)
• Papers concerning the navies and armies of foreign powers, including Spain, France, and Holland
• Naval department commissions, expenses, warrants, bills, and patents (1701-1779)
• Copies Admiralty and Navy Board letters (1695-1779)
• Shipping lists for equipping stations and ports (1770-1780 and 1783)
• Copies of intelligence on French and Spanish navies(1777-1780)
• Contracts for individuals employed by the navy
• Chronological records of the major policy decisions, events, and projects of the British navy

The volumes in the Ireland subseries (4 volumes) were owned by the Lansdowne family as recently as 1982.

The Cabinet and Treasury Minutes subseries (5 volumes) document Shelburne's governmental activities from 1762-1783. The cabinet minutes cover Shelburne's tenure as secretary of state of the Southern Department from 1766 to 1768. Included are instructions, announcements, and letters concerning issues with military officials and ambassadors in Ireland, Sweden, Spain, and Portugal. The treasury minutes cover Shelburne's activities as Prime Minister from July 1782 to March 1783.

• Purchasing land
• Reviewing petitions and paying reparations to British Loyalists who lost property in the war with America
• Issuing warrants to the military
• Paying compensation for ships lost doing official business in the West Indies.

Also present are minutes of motions on various parliamentary subjects, such as the 1780 riots in London, speeches for and against settling peace with America, and speeches concerning French and Spanish treaties (1782-1782).

The Appeals and Minutes of the House of Lords subseries (16 volumes), include 8 volumes that document the "appellant's cases" brought before the House of Lords between 1769 and 1788. These printed volumes contain the case declarations, pleas, breaches, verdicts, final judgments, and reasons. Many entries are manuscript comments about the case. 8 volumes of manuscript minutes of the House of Lords span 1767 to 1788 and include cursory information about bills, petitions, cases, and other business. Several printed copies of the King's speeches to Parliament and the Lords' addresses in reply are included in volumes HL-14, HL-15, and HL-16.

The Personal Correspondence series (167 items) is comprised of two subseries: The Shelburne family letters, the Lansdowne-Bowles letters.

The Shelburne family letters subseries contains seven volumes of material related to Shelburne and his family, including Lady Sophia Carteret, William Granville Petty, John Petty Earl of Wycombe, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, and Lady Louisa Fitzpatrick. Also present are letters from Shelburne to his friend and colleague Thomas Coutts.

• Volume 1 contains 47 letters from Shelburne to his first wife Lady Sophia Carteret from 1766 to 1770. In these, Shelburne noted his daily activities, detailing greetings he shared with passers-by, visitors, dining companions, and meetings with government officials and dignitaries. He updated her on news of their friends and acquaintances in London, and frequently expressed his love for her.
• Volumes 2 and 3 consist of 48 letters to Shelburne from his young son William Granville Petty (1774-1778). Also present are letters from a servant named Thomas Servis who reported on William's health. Volume 3 contains more letters from William, several with mentions of the American Revolution, as well as a short memoir written by William's tutor after the boy's death in 1778, an elegy by his brother Viscount Fitzmaurice, and copies of 4 of William's scholastic essays.
• Volume 4 contains 37 letters from Shelburne to his son John Petty, Earl Wycombe, from 1768 and 1780-1789. Shelburne primarily wrote of personal and family news, providing many details on John's brother Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice and the health of his step mother Lady Louisa. He also discussed John's social obligations, and occasionally, political events. Also present is a letter in which Shelburne asked the unknown recipient to be the godfather of his newborn son (1768).
• Volume 5 consists of 23 letters from Shelburne to his friend and colleague Thomas Coutts (1735-1822), a wealthy and prominent London banker who owned the House of Coutts & Company. These letters span 1793 to 1802 and include discussions of personal business, news of acquaintances, and domestic and international politics of the day, such as the French Revolution, William Pitt and other political leaders, and the political state of Ireland.
• Volume 6 is comprised of three letters and three engraved portraits of Shelburne. The portraits are dated 1780, 1798, and undated, and the letters include a brief note from Shelburne to a Mr. Lawrence (May 10, 1782), a letter from Shelburne to the Earl of Egremont concerning the war in North America and its implications in Europe (July 9, 1762), and a letter from Shelburne to James Currie (September 5, 1800).

The Lansdowne-Bowles letters subseries (69 items) contain letters from Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquis of Lansdowne, and his wife Louisa to Magdalene and William Bowles. The letters span 1806-1835 and 53 items are undated; most are addressed from London. Henry Lansdowne's letters (24 items) are all to Reverend William Bowles, his friend and a frequent recipient of his patronage. Louisa contributed 45 letters, all to Magdalene Bowles; she discussed administrative aspects of a school that they jointly managed. She often remarked on the hiring of new teachers, and assessed their qualifications and personal merits. Louisa also discussed visits to the Lansdowne estate, Bowood, and made queries about the characters of potential visitors.

The Lacaita-Shelburne letters series (706 items) is a collection of letters compiled by Sir James Lacaita and his son Charles Carmichael Lacaita spanning 1692 to 1885. James Lacaita was Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquis of Lansdowne's private secretary from 1857 to 1863, during which time he organized Shelburne's unbound letters. Many items in this series (270 items) are addressed to Shelburne or were originally among his papers. These represent documents from his career, including political matters and discussions of peace negotiations with America (1760-1801). The 19th century material is addressed chiefly to James Lacaita, Lady Holland, Nassau William, Sr., and Anthony Panizzi, mostly from British and Italian politicians and Dante scholars. In all, the series contains letters from 274 contributors, primarily British and Italian lords, politicians, and military figures. See the Name Index for a list of contributors.

In addition to this finding aid, the Clements Library has created a detailed Volume Index and a Name Index and Geographical Index. For additional information see the Clements Library card catalog.

The Viscounts Melville papers contain the letters of British statesman Henry Dundas, 1st viscount Melville, and of his son Robert Saunders Dundas, 2nd viscount Melville, first lord of the admiralty. The collection contains incoming correspondence and some copies of letters and drafts of memoranda by the Melvilles. The papers are almost entirely political in nature and deal with English, Scottish, American, Indian, and European affairs.

The Viscounts Melville papers (14 linear feet) contain the letters of British statesman Henry Dundas, 1st viscount Melville, and his son Robert Saunders Dundas, 2nd viscount Melville, first lord of the admiralty. The collection contains approximately 1,500 Henry Dundas items and 850 Robert Dundas items, and is primarily comprised of incoming official correspondence, some copies of outgoing letters, and drafts of memoranda by the Melvilles. The papers are almost entirely political in nature and deal with English, Scottish, American, Indian, and European affairs.

The Henry Dundas papers chiefly concern British political affairs and military engagements in France, America, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Austria, Russia, Spain, Cyprus, Gibraltar, Minorca, Portugal, Corfu, Trieste, Malta, Sicily, the West Indies, the East Indies, and South America. The majority of these span 1794 to 1805, and relate to his tenure as secretary at war and first lord of the admiralty.

• Diplomatic correspondence
• Memoranda on British trade
• Letters dealing with Indian and British patronage
• Military intelligence reports, defense plans, and secret naval memoranda concerning the war with France
• Secret reports on internal affairs of France covering 1791 to 1795 from his nephew George Buchan, Financier Walter Boyd, and J. Bedinfield
• Intelligence on English prisoners of war in France, including details on the treatment of prisoners
• Memorials that provide details on individual service member's careers
• Dealings with the Danish East India Company
• Miscellaneous naval material, such as reports on ship construction and repairs and on the fleets of other nations

American affairs consumed much of Melville's attention in the 1780s and 1790s while he served on the Committee of the Private Council for Trade and Foreign Plantations. Topics discussed include compensation claims from American Loyalists for losses during the war, and claims of British merchants against Americans for unpaid debts incurred during the war. Of particular interest are the letters between Melville and Grenville that relate to American debt issues (1785-1805 with a concentration in 1792). Also of note are letters from Thomas Jefferson and members of Congress concerning the 1794 Jay Treaty between England and the United States. Also present are the trial briefs prepared for Dundas' defense during his 1806 impeachment proceedings.

• January 14, 1735: Report to the Great Britain Board of Trade on the state of American and West Indies commerce and fortifications, covering 1734-1735 (40 pages)
• May 5 and July 14, 1763: Secretary of State Charles Wyndham, 2nd earl of Egremont to the Privy Council, concerning trade in the American colonies after the French and Indian War and a proposal to create a frontier military force
• June 12, 1784: Dr. John Halliburton to Henry Melville, relating his struggles as a Loyalist who fled from Rhode Island to Halifax during the American Revolution
• July 10, 1791: Lady Eglantine Wallace's account of the plan for the French Royal Family's attempted escape
• November 19, 1794: Draft of the Jay Treaty (American Treaty of Commerce, signed by Lord Grenville, along with a copy of a letter from Thomas Jefferson to George Hammond regarding the treaty, 81 pages)
• August 3, 1798: Mary Scott's description of the young King of Prussia
• July 18, 1799: Anonymous letter from a secret service agent in Göttingen concerning "cloak and dagger" operations to send intelligence through Frankfurt
• June 29, 1804: Secret intelligence from Admiral William Cornwallis concerning attacks on Brest and plans to burn the French fleet there
• October 17, 1807: William Sweetland's report on the Barbary Coast enclosed in a Sir Charles Flint letter

The Robert Dundas Melville papers relate primarily to his office as first lord of the admiralty from 1812 to 1830. These include material concerning the War of 1812, and secret admiralty memoranda documenting ship locations and movements, strength of forces, and instructions to and from various British admirals. Notably, Melville received copies of intercepted letters from Albert Gallatin, John Quincy Adams, John Speyer, S. Bourne, and R. G. Beasley to President James Madison from 1813 to 1814. The collection also provides insights into American-British tensions in the Great Lakes region in the years after the war. Between 1815 and 1820, Melville received many reports and letters related to the treatment of scurvy in the navy.

• June 6, 1812: Lord Keith's "Observations upon the Coast of America"
• January 6, 1813: Richard Bickerton concerning proposed attacks on Boulogne and Dieppe
• October 6, 1813: Admiral George Tate to Robert Melville containing a complete list of the Russian fleet
• November 23, 1813: George Campbell's plans for constructing naval vessels in the Great Lakes, with detailed ship diagrams
• February 26, 1814: Britain Navy Commissioner Samuel Bentham's detailed report on the Battle of Lake Erie (25 pages)
• July 15, 1814: Charles and George Baillie's presentation of a petition for abolishing the British slave trade
• March 1815: Many letters concerning the Duke of Orleans's plan to escape England
• September 25, 1815: Manuscript draft to Thomas Moore regarding communications about the "Merchants of Liverpool & Manchester engaged in the trade to Spanish South America."
• November 1815: Dr. William Beaty's letter on the value of providing lemon juice and vinegar to sailors for health at sea
• April 25-August 6, 1820: Anthony Maitland, 10th earl of Lauderdale, to Robert Melville concerning Trieste and Malta with detailed information on affairs
• August 25, 1823: Account of scurvy patients received yearly at naval hospitals at Haslar, Plymouth, Yarmouth, Deal, and Paington for the years 1803-1822
• 1825: Lord Auckland's report on prize ship laws

• The Melville Correspondence, 1780-1830 (146 items), containing official letters to and from the viscounts Melville
• Frederick Duke of York letters to Melville (32 letters), relating to militia and military matters, and including a color portrait of the Duke, and 1804 and 1810 accounts for field work expenses incurred by the Home Office, covering the years 1795 to 1803
• "Precis of Mr. Dundas's Correspondence with the Several Departments of his Majesty's Government," covering the Portland and Perceval ministries (46 pages), March 1807-July 23, 1810
• Four bundles of military letters and documents concerning conflicts in Europe, covering the years 1793, 1794, 1795, and 1804-1813

This 238-page volume contains an unknown writer's opinions on the Revolutionary War and proposed military strategies, composed September-October 1776 and February 1778. Among other topics, the author discussed the relationship between land and naval forces and their relative strengths, explained possible ways in which economic affairs might affect the progress of the war, and promoted a strategy of dissolving the unity of the colonies. This volume belonged to Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, and includes his bookplate.

This 238-page volume contains an unknown writer's opinions on the Revolutionary War and proposed military strategies, composed September-October 1776 and February 1778. Among other topics, the author discussed the relationship between land and naval forces and their relative strengths, explained possible ways in which economic affairs might affect the progress of the war, and promoted a strategy of dissolving the unity of the colonies.

The volume is divided into two primary sections, with the author offering his thoughts on the war in late 1776 (pp. 1-146) and in early 1778 (pp. 147-238). Introductory remarks at the beginning of the first section suggest that the author intended his treatise for members of the British government. He focused on financial and economic affairs, such as the colonies' different currencies, the effects of privateering, and the difficulty of funding a war. In addition, he presented detailed proposals for British action, often revolving around a strategy of dissolving the colonies' confederacy. Some suggestions focused on specific cities or colonies.

The second section of the volume contains similar thoughts and strategies, with a focus on the differences between land and sea power. Though the author believed a British victory unlikely, he encouraged the government to focus on naval actions rather than land forces. Despite his skepticism, he concluded by affirming that the rebellion could be defeated by disrupting colonial unity and conquering Georgia by military force.

This volume belonged to Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, and includes his bookplate.

This collection includes two journals kept by Midshipman Thomas Style while on separate patrols with the HMS Révolutionnaire, under Captain Henry Hotham.

This collection includes two journals kept by Midshipman Thomas Style while on separate patrols with the HMS Révolutionnaire, under Captain Henry Hotham (1777-1833).

The first journal (64 pages) covers tours of the HMS Révolutionnaire from April 16, 1804, through November 11, 1804. Style provided daily logs of the crew's activities and ship movements as they made multiple patrols. He recorded work performed at Portsmouth, Spithead, St. Helen's, and Cork, to maintain the ship and assemble crews for their voyage. The HMS Révolutionnaire departed on June 26, 1804, and patrolled along the Portuguese coast, returning to Spithead on August 15, 1804, carrying with them Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (1773-1843). Departing again on September 5, the crew continued to patrol the coast of Spain and Funchal, Madeira. They then made a transatlantic voyage, mooring at Hampton Roads, Virginia, in November 1804. Throughout the journal Style noted punishments doled out to sailors for various offences, weather, navigational and sailing details, and sightings of other British navy and mercantile ships. He logged ships they encountered and boarded and noted their ports of departure and arrival, including Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, England, the Caribbean, and the United States.

The second journal (76 pages) covers the HMS Révolutionnaire's patrols from July 1, 1805 to March 18, 1806, commencing as the ship passed near Lizard Point, England. Much like the first journal, Style recorded weather and navigational bearings, ship maintenance, discipline meted out to sailors, and ships encountered and boarded. The Révolutionnaire sailed along the French coast before returning to Plymouth on August 21. They set sail again on September 4 to patrol the French and Spanish coasts. Style mentioned privateers and the capture of prizes. He also described the Battle of Cape Ortegal between the English squadron and four French ships on November 4 and 5, 1805, with the Révolutionnaire and the Phoenix taking possession of the French ship Scipion. They took the prizes and prisoners back to Plymouth on November 10 before heading out nine days later to reconnoiter the enemy's position at Ferrol, Spain, the and patrol the coasts of France, Spain, and Portugal. They returned to Plymouth on March 9, 1806. Style disciplined several men for "concealing mutinous Practices & Designs" and two others for writing a disrespectful letter to the Commissioners of the Admiralty concerning Captain Henry Hotham.

The Thomas Smith papers primarily contain the incoming correspondence of Admiral Thomas Smith, concerning naval patronage, foreign engagements, and Smith's service with the Royal Navy.

The Thomas Smith papers contain 159 letters and 1 financial document relating to Admiral Thomas Smith. The materials span 1730-1762, with the bulk covering the period between 1748 and 1755. Smith wrote three of the letters in the collection to various recipients; the remainder is his incoming correspondence.

The letters document many aspects of Smith's service in the Royal Navy between 1734 and his 1758 retirement. Much of the correspondence concerns the patronage and assistance that Smith extended to promising young officers, including Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood; John Amherst; brothers Michael and John Becher; and Benjamin Moodie. Hood wrote 21 letters in the collection, beginning in 1748, when he was just 23 years old. His correspondence relates to the development of his naval career, his personality, and his relationship with Smith. On May 8, 1753, Hood described spending a week attending to the wreck of the HMS Assurance off the Isle of Wight, during which time he was denied a government-funded servant, about which he wrote, "choler still up." In other letters, Hood mentioned gifts of prawns and wine that he had secured for Smith. Hood wrote his final two letters in the collection from North America. On August 5, 1754, he wrote about his enjoyment of Charleston, South Carolina, and his desire to command the HMS Jamaica. On May 5, 1755, while in Hampton Roads, Virginia, he anticipated General Edward Braddock's expedition against the French and their Indian allies, and worried that the French would "quit all the Forts…before any of them can be knock'd in the head." Smith's other protégés wrote to express their gratitude at his continuing assistance and to provide news on their families and careers.

Several of the letters in the collection relate to naval engagements and foreign affairs. On April 1, 1741, William Frederick Huxley wrote details about the taking of Boca Chica during the Battle of Cartagena de Indios in present-day Colombia, including travel through "Fire & Smoke" and the death of 20 sailors. On September 8, 1745, George Anson, 1st Baron Anson, requested that Smith "hasten" several ships in order to prevent communications between France and Scotland, stating that the safety of England "depends in a great measure upon our Cruizers." In a retained copy of a letter to Tyringham Stephens, dated September 14, 1755, Smith ordered that captured French ships be sent to a convenient English port and guarded to prevent theft. A letter from an informant who called himself "Tel Truth," warned Smith about the trade encroachments of foreign ships piloted by the English and the Irish, and gave a list of names of the traitors (June 10, 1756).

Although nothing in the collection relates to John Byng's trial, it does contain an affectionate earlier letter from Byng to Smith, thanking him for his good wishes on his promotion and looking forward to sailing together on the Royal Sovereign (August 25, 1746).

This volume (209 pages) contains instructions, diagrams, and tables related to many aspects of sailing and British naval ships.

This volume (209 pages) contains instructions, diagrams, and tables related to many aspects of sailing and British naval ships. Multiple unidentified writers contributed to this book.

The first section is comprised of a manuscript excerpt from S. John Peschell's Observations upon the Fitting of Guns on Board His Majesty's Ships. Peschell, who was stationed on the HMS San Domingo in Bermuda, provided instructions for mounting, firing, and otherwise working with guns onboard a ship. He also discussed some differences between the Royal Navy and United States Navy, and wrote about the battle between the Shannon and the Chesapeake. The text is accompanied by charts showing elevations and depressions of the San Domingo's guns and a copied letter from several ship captains to Admiral Richard Bickerton.

The remainder of the volume consists primarily of notes about naval vessels, intended for commanders. They concern ship construction, sailing methods, gunnery and first aid. Some instructions are accompanied by diagrams. Other information includes recipes, a list of items to be placed next to a ship's guns, and notes about ammunition. The end of the volume contains accounts of quill tubes, powder, shot, and wads on an unidentified ship from 1824-1825, and a list of addresses.

The Robert Baird papers consist of 8 letters Baird wrote to his aunt and uncle, Kit and Bill Munro of Harvey, Illinois, while he served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He discussed his life in Massachusetts while awaiting the completion of construction on his assigned ship, and later wrote of his activities while on leave in London.

The Robert Baird papers consist of 8 letters Baird wrote to his aunt and uncle, Kit and Bill Munro of Harvey, Illinois, while he served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Baird composed the first five letters in Hingham and South Boston, Massachusetts, while awaiting the completion of construction on the HMS Bentinck. He described his experiences on shore, which included complex signal training and maintaining correspondence with several other relatives. After the Bentinck's commission in May 1943, Baird wrote from London, England, and discussed his leave and leisure activities, which included visits to family and friends. Though Baird served with the Royal Navy, he wrote several of the letters on United States Navy stationary.

This is a miscellaneous collection of letters to and from members of the Howe family, including British army officer William Howe, British naval officer Richard Howe, and their families.

The Richard and William Howe collection contains 48 miscellaneous single letters and documents, spanning 1758 to 1812. The correspondents were various members of the Howe family, including William Howe, Richard Howe, Mary Hartopp Howe, Mary Juliana Howe, and Louisa Catherine Howe. Brought together over several decades, the group of materials includes miscellaneous items related to military operations, as well as a number of family letters. A handful of items concern the Seven Years War and American Revolution, and over half of the collection postdates 1783. See "Detailed Box and Folder Listing" for a full inventory of the items, including abstracts of each letter.

The Pulteney Malcolm papers contain correspondence and logbooks related to the Royal Navy service of Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm. The correspondence is composed primarily of letters Malcolm wrote home to his wife and sisters, while he was stationed in America during the War of 1812. The logbooks contain records of his service in America, in the Napoleonic wars, and at St. Helena, where he was in charge of the blockade of the island during Napoleon’s exile.

The Pulteney Malcolm papers contain 46 items relating to the service of British admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm, including 43 letters, 3 logbooks bound together in one volume, Malcolm’s service statement, and a miscellaneous document with descriptions of the British attempt to take New Orleans. Most of the items date from 1814-1817.

The correspondence series primarily consists of letters Malcolm wrote to his wife Clementina (and a few to his sisters) from 1814 to 1815. At the beginning of this period, Malcolm was stationed with his fleet at Bordeaux, during the immediate aftermath of Napoleon’s initial abdication and exile. In his letters, he discussed the end of the war with the French, his opinions of the city, major events, and important people. He wrote about his attempts to pacify his captains, who were angry about discovering their assignment to America by reading about it in the newspapers and by hearing about it from other officers (Letters #4 and #5 [May 1814]). By June 1814, Malcolm and his flagship, the Royal Oak, had set out for America, where they would provide naval support for the British forces. His letters from this period document major events from the last part of the war, including the capture and burning of Washington, the Battles of Baltimore and New Orleans, and the peace negotiations. His letters also document his opinions of fellow officers, including Admiral Alexander Cochrane; his desire for peace and to return home; and his views on America. While sailing from Bermuda to the United States, Malcolm wrote: “the Americans will be inclined to Peace, but there is a set of turbulent men amongst them, that will not listen to reason. I believe that a Republick to be great must like the Romans be always at War in order to find employ for the disquiet spirits” (Letter #19, 3 August [1814]). The last letter from this period is from 1815, written onboard the Royal Oak as Malcolm sailed home from America. During the voyage Malcolm learned that Napoleon had just returned from exile on Elba and was once again in France.

The three logbooks in the collection are bound together into one volume. The first logbook, kept from June 1, 1814-May 28, 1816 on the H.M.S. Royal Oak, includes accounts of the bombardment of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore, and provides a daily record of naval support for the British army during the Battle of New Orleans. The second logbook, kept from June 13-July 25, 1815 on the H.M.S. Tartarus, documents the period Malcolm spent commanding a squadron in the North Sea, while giving naval support to the Duke of Wellington before Napoleon’s final defeat. The final logbook, from the H.M.S. Newcastle, March 28, 1815-August 16, 1817, deals primarily with the blockade of St. Helena, during Napoleon’s exile to that island. The volume also contains two watercolor drawings, two pen and ink drawings, a pencil sketch, five charts, two plans and four maps. Maps within the collection include several maps of the Chesapeake Bay region, as well as two maps of St. Helena. A map of the island of St. Michael, and a second of the American coastline are housed separately within the Map Division.

Other documents include an 1812 supply order from Rear Admiral George Cockburn to Captain Ross of the H.M.S. Marlborough; an incomplete document entitled “Chapter 21” that concerns the British attempt to capture New Orleans; an 1830 letter from Malcolm to Secretary to the Admiralty John W. Croker, in which Malcolm addressed the situation, pay, and unemployment of secretaries to admirals; and a service statement for Malcolm, which details his entire career in the Royal Navy from 1778 to 1837, including ranks, dates, ships, and notes on actions.