Autograph Letter Signed ('Melville') from Robert Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville to Lady Popham, widow of Admiral Sir Home Riggs Popham, described by her as a 'cold hearted answer'.

Author: 
Robert Dundas (1771-1851), 2nd Viscount Melville, First Lord of the Admiralty, 1812-1827 [Admiral Sir Home Riggs Popham (1762-1820)]
Autograph Letter Signed ('Melville') from Robert Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville
Publication details: 
Melville Castle; 23 September 1820.
£175.00
SKU: 10773

4to, 2 pp. On bifolium. Twenty-two lines. Text clear and complete. In good condition, on aged paper. Lady Popham has written her opinion of the letter on the reverse of second leaf: 'Lord Melvilles cold hearted answer -'. To modern eyes the letter would appear to be a model of tact. Melville begins by expressing 'deep regret' at 'the late most afflicting addition to the loss you had already sustained' (the Admiral had died three weeks before). 'The recent calamity will also be felt as a severe loss to His Majesty's Service.' The rest of the letter discusses the 'difficulty at the present period of peace' of obtaining for Captain Pakenham, 'or for any other officer of his rank and seniority the object he has in view', more especially as Pakenham has already been 'afloat on the peace Establishment'. He does not 'see how the object can be attained without producing a multitude of strong claims from other officers, many of whom are considerably senior to Captain Pakenham'. Admiral Popham was the instigator of the signal flag code used by the Royal Navy from 1803, most famously by Nelson in his famous message before the Battle of Trafalgar.