[Frederick, Duke of York, Commander-in-Chief of the British Army and George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer, First Lord of the Admiralty.] Autograph Letter Signed requesting a Royal Navy post for a 'young man', with autograph draft of Spencer's reply.

See the two men's entries in the Oxford DNB. Each of the two letters is 1p, 4to, with the Prince’s letter on the recto of the first leaf of a bifolium, and the Earl’s signed autograph copy of his reply on the recto of the second leaf of the same bifolium. Both leaves are discoloured and damaged, with wear and loss from infestation, but the two signatures and the area around them are good and clear. The document has been folded twice for postage. Strip of white tape along gutter of blank reverse of second leaf from mount. ONE (Frederick’s ALS): Fifteen lines. Reads: ‘My Dear Lord / I trust that You will excuse my troubling You with this Letter in favor of a young man to whose Father I am under very particular Obligations, He is Son to my fri[end] [...] Adam, and having been as I understand irregularly promoted in the East Indies to the Command of the Carysfort Frigate, has been of course Superceded by the Admiralty and obliged to return home. Were it possible for You my dear Lord to promote Him to the Rank of Master and Commander I should feel myself highly gratified, and am [convinced?] that the Young Man will not disgrace my recommendation as He has always given great Satisfaction to the Officers under whom He has served, and particularly distinguished Himself [a]s a Volunteer in assisting to quell the Mutiny at the Cape / Believe me ever My Dear Lord / Yours most sincerely / Frederick’. TWO (Spencer’s Signed Autograph Copy of his reply): Twelve lines. Addressed to ‘H. A. Hs. The Duke of York.’ and ‘sgd. / Spencer’. Reads: ‘Sir / I am very much concerned that it is not in my power in this Instance to obey your Royal Highness’s Commands by giving a Commission of Master & [Commander] [...] Adam; that Gentleman not being at present by the Rules of the Navy qualified even to receive a Lieutenant’s Commission, previous to which it is an invariable Custom that he should pass an Examination before the Navy Board, which, as I am informed, he has not yet had an opportunity of doing. / When he shall have gone through that necessary Ceremony, I shall be very happy to give him a Commission of Lieutenant on an early opportunity, but before he can with propriety obtain the Rank of Commander he must serve at least for a time in the Capacity of a Lieutenant. / I have the Honour to be / Sir / your Royal Highness’s / most dutiful / & obedient Servant / sgd. / Spencer’.