Autograph Letter Signed ('Geo. Paulet') to Smith, former Gunnery Officer on H.M.S. Carysfort.

12mo, 4 pp, 40 lines. On slightly grubby and creased paper, with a couple of tiny closed tears. Paulet writes that he has been 'saying much in [Smith's] favor' to 'Sir W. Gage' [Admiral Sir William Hall Gage (1777-1864), a member of the Board of Admiralty]. Gage considers the certificate Paulet has given Smith 'of no use to you without your received from the Adm[ira]l. the appointment of Gunnery Officer and that you had better lose no time in applying to me for a certificate for the time that you were actually doing the duty of gunnery officer'. Paulet reckons this 'from the time of Mr. May's leaving the Ship which was on the day of our quitting Spithead to the best of my recollection' to 'the day of our being paid off particularly as Sir T. Hastings [Admiral Sir Thomas Hastings (1790-1870)] told me he would not appoint another gunnery male in consequence of my having a gunnery Lieut[enan]t. on board'. Docketed in pencil at foot of last page 'Lord George Paulet Captn. R.N - late of HMS Carysfort'.