[William Marsden, orientalist and numismatist, First Secretary to the Admiralty who broke the news of the victory at Trafalgar.] Autograph Signature ‘Wm Marsden’ to printed Admiralty circular, sent to HMS Staunch.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB, which states that ‘it fell to him in October 1805 to wake Lord Barham, as first lord of the Admiralty, with the news of victory at Trafalgar and the death of Nelson’. 1p, folio. Discoloration and wear along gutter, with two leaves half detached from head; otherwise in good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice into a packet. On recto of first leaf of bifolium, the second leaf being blank, apart from one word of docketing in manuscript ‘Staunch’. (The recipient of the notice was the captain of HMS Staunch was a 1797 12-gun Courser-class gun-brig.) The document is a printed circular, the only manuscript being Marsden’s signature and the number of the day of the month. It reads: ‘Admiralty Office, [7] July, 1800. / Sir, / I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to send you herewith a Printed Copy of His Majesty’s Order in Council dated the 28th of May last, in respect to the Books hereafter to be made out whenever any of His Majesty’s Ships shall come in course of Pay, or be directed to be paid off, and in like manner when Men are discharged by Pay Lists; and to signify their Lordships direction to you to cause the Regulations therein pointed out to be adopted and carried into execution in future. / I am, / Sir, / Your very humble Servant, / [Wm Marsden]’.