[The Navy Office, London.] Manuscript document, addressed to ‘Mr: Turnpenny’ from the Navy Office, in the matter of ‘the Hire of the Pulteney Advice Boat’, regarding a request to delay payment of a bill, signed by six Commissioners of the Navy.

The War of Jenkin’s Ear had ended a few months before, and Daniel A. Baugh, ‘British Naval Administration in the Age of Walpole’ (Princeton, 1965) describes the sorry state into which the Navy Board had fallen at this point. 1p, foolscap 8vo. On recto of the first leaf of a bifolium, the verso of the second leaf being addressed ‘To / Mr Turnpenny / Navy Office’ and docketted ‘Com[missione]rs of Navy to Mr Turnpenny’. In poor condition and urgent need of archival repair. The laid and watermarked paper is flaking away, and part of text, including a couple of the signatures, is lacking. The date and place of the letter - ‘Navy Office 30: Decem[ber 1748]’ - has been completed by being pieced together with some flakes. The text reads: ‘We have received your Letter of this date, desiring the Bill made out for the Hire of the Pulteney Advice Boat, may remain in this Office, till some Dispute between the Owners are [sic] settled; And acquaint you, the Bill was yesterday delivered to Mr: Tolcher. / We are / Your affectionate Friends’. Seven signatures of Commissioners of the Navy follow, including ‘Will Corbett’, ‘R Osborn’, ‘Edwd Falkingham’, ‘Ja[co]b Acworth’ and the Tintinesque ‘Rd Haddock’.