Battle of the Glorious First of June. 1795 (Jan 7/19) Entire letters from Lt. Stephen Mitchell, Royal Marines at Plymouth Dock, both to Charles Cox at the Marine Office in London, handstamped "PLYMOUTH / DOCK" and a London arrival c.d.s, charged 6d. Both letters concern payment of his claim for money for his part in the Battle on 1st June in which he was wounded; an army officer slightly wounded in the action got four times as much money as Mitchell. The second letter includes a copy of his wound certificate from the Physician to the Fleet - "Lieutenant Stephen Mitchell of the Marines was wounded on board His Majesty Ship Royal Sovereign in the action with the French Fleet by a Swivel Ball which entered in a slanting direction and divided the whole muscles of the left arm from the shoulder to the elbow by which means the bone was laid bare, and parts around the joints lacerated, such that the lameness of the arm is likely to be permanent". (2).

1798 (Aug 11) Entire letter from Lieutenant John Hoskins to Charles Cox in London, headed from "Hell Ship Lion, Naples Bay", with London Foreign Branch c.d.s, charged 1/8. Hoskins writes "You will I dare say have heard previous to the receipt of this of the Lion having captured, while on her way to join Adm. Nelson, the Spanish frigate the Santa Dorotea of 42 Guns - she sails hence tomorrow for the fleet off Cadiz - you will therefore take the steps necessary in order to obtain my part of her value".

Sir William Hoste. 1808 (Jan 18) Entire letter written and signed by Hoste, written off Cowes with a further note the following day "still at anchor in Yarmouth Roads and no prospect of a fair wind", to his father in Norfolk, with Lymington mileage mark. Hoste writes "I left Spithead this morning and am now running to Yarmouth roads ..... we have a large convoy of near sixty sail and two sloops of war and Amphion". Captain Hoste sailed to the Adriatic in "Amphion" in 1808, where he captured over 200 French or Venetian vessels.

Malta. 1800 (Feb 27) Entire letter from John Kerr headed "H.M.S La B. Citoyenne off Malta", "I am exceedingly happy to tell you of our late success on the 18 Feby in capturing La Genereux French 74 which our little squadron consisting of Foudroyant (Ad. Nelson), Northumberland, Alexander & this ship had the good fortune to fall in with on the Sicilian shore. She is quite full of troops, stores &c for the relief of the French Garrison in Valetta, two corvettes & a store ship attempted but were unable by the vigilance of our squadron, the store ship was taken but I am sorry to observe the corvettes escaped. I have wrote Mr Cook to receive my share when due which I believe will be pretty considerable as she is to be valuable", addressed to England with partial oval Portsmouth Ship Lre and a London c.d.s. An interesting letter from the British naval blockade of Malta (see lot 511), 2cm tear at upper edge and horizontal file fold, otherwise fine. "La Bonne Citoyen" was captured in 1796 and served as H.M.S "Bonne Citoyen" during the blockade of Malta and in Egypt in 1801, sharing prize money for the capture of at least seven ships (including å£24,000 from the "Genereux") and the final surrender of Malta.