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This category contains individual documents containing lists of ships, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Among the items is a list of ships of 1652 to be prepared for the summer guard for the coasts of England, Ireland and Scotland, with the names of commanders, numbers of men and guns. The list was presented to Parliament and approved. Another, of 1804, is an 'abstract of the country craft of various descriptions that have been armed for the defence of the coast from Shoreham in Sussex to Mistley in Essex'.

This category consists of official personal documents of officers and men of the Royal Navy, seventeenth to twentieth centuries. The first group of five documents relates to pay and allotments of ordinary seamen. An example is a certificate entitling Jane Smith, widow of Charles Smith, to his pay and effects, 1855. A further five documents relate to health at sea; among these is an unsigned essay on scurvy, c 1770; an order signed by Admiral Hawke concerning portable broth, 1757; and a memorial of 1822 to the Admiralty concerning a wound received in action. Two documents concern naval uniform: one is an illustrated list of French naval rank badges, 1844; the other is notes made in 1891 on changes in naval uniform by Admiral F G D Bedford. There is a further group on medals, awards and ceremonials. Of the two documents in this group one is on vellum conferring the Freedom of the Borough of Thetford on Lord Nelson, 1798. The largest group (125 documents) in this category consists of individual officers' commissions and warrants. Examples include the appointment of the captain to the bark THOMAS, signed by Sir Francis Drake ([1540]-1596); one signed by Sir Walter Raleigh, 1616; the appointment of Sir William Penn as Admiral od the Fleet, 1653; some pursers' bonds, 1651 to 1660; Nelson's commissions as Captain of the AGAMEMNON, 1793, Rear-Admiral of the Blue, 1797, of the Red, 1799, Vice-Admiral of the White, 1804, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean, 1803. There are also a small numberof foreign and army commissions. The next group consists of service documents of petty officers and ratings; examples include a warrant appointing Jacob Capell as a master cook to a frigate building, 1646; three service certificates of James Gilham, leading signalman, 1890 to 1919. There are also seven Service and Discharge Certificates of Royal Marines, dating between 1784 and 1833. There are seventeen documents issued by Greenwich Hospital, including examples of Smart Tickets and out-pensioners' certificates, 1804 to 1827; and an account of John Clarke, the receiver of Sixpences, 1716. Also included in this section is a warrant to the High Constables of Alstowe in Rutland for collectiong money for maimed seamen, 1648. Finally, in a group of eight wills and legal documents is a certificate of annuity due to Sir Cloudesley Shovell, signed by Elizabeth Shovell, 1714; and a document of 1778 signed by Vice-Admiral John Byron (1723-1786) making over power of attorney to his wife.

This class consists of six notebooks containing information on various subjects, made by naval officers or ratings. An example is a large book, alphabetically indexed, kept by Lord Charles Beresford (1848-1930) on subjects of administrative and political interest, 1900 to 1901; some of the entries are in his own hand.

This class contains copy order books of orders received and issued. For order books relating to ship administration see entry no.134. The volumes date from the late-eighteenth to the mid-nineteenth century. They include orders issued by Captain (later Admiral Sir) John Sutton (1758-1825), senior officer in the TAGUS, 1797 to 1801, and memoranda and orders issued by the senior officer at Bermuda, 1808 to 1815.

This category contains documents relating to prize money, seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. It includes a letter of 1652 from the Council of State, signed by the President, William Purefoy (1580-1659), to the Commissioners of the Navy, concerning the capture of Dutch prizes by Robert Blake (1599-1657); a vellum document appointing Richard Neale of Portsea prize agent for the PORCUPINE, 1718, signed and sealed by all members of the crew; a copy of a prize money case between Admiral Sir John Duckworth (q.v.) and Admiral Sir Robert Calder (1745-1818), with a legal opinion, 1805; certificates and receipts for payment, 1805, 1806 and 1842.

The volumes in this class consist of fifty-one watch, station and quarter bills, late-eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and order books relating to the administration of ships of the Royal Navy. The earliest is an order book of Prince William Henry (1745-1837) in the PEGASUS and ANDROMEDA, 1786 to 1788. The majority of the watch, station and quarter bills date from 1830 to 1860. Some are working pocket books while others are decorative fair copies. An example of the latter is the watch and fire bill of the ISIS, CORNWALLIS and PRESIDENT, 1836; included are ships; plans, instructions for gun exercises, boat signals and copies of orders. The most recent volume is the night order book of the SHROPSHIRE, 1931 to 1934.

Pendant and vane lists are included in this category; amongst these is a sheet of distinguishing signals issued by Lord Howe, 1794; a number of sheets of signals which were issued in addition to the printed signals, which include two recognition signals issued by the Admiralty for naval vessels and East Indiamen, 1778 and 1780.