(CIRCULAR.)

ADMIRALITY 1st February 1846

SIR,

I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you, that although the services of all Officers in different Ranks, and in different Ships, are to a certain extent recorded at the Admiralty; and although reference can be had at once to those Gazettes in which their names are mentioned; yet as a difficulty frequently occurs in tracing the mention of Officer's names in unpublished Despatches, and as it is most desirable that a correct record should exist at the Admiralty of the services of all descriptions performed by each Officer, you are hereby invited to transmit a statement of the particular services performed by you, up to the 31st December, 1845, and to refer to the particular letter of your superior Officer, or other official Person, in which such services are mentioned. You are also invited to transmit copies of any private letters of such superior Officers, or other Persons, wherein your services are specially referred to.

Such statements should be made out, in a clear and legible manner, in the form annexed on the other side, and you are to bear in mind that it is a Summary only of such services that is required, and not a detailed account. My Lords further command me to acquaint you that this statement should be sent by you to the Private Secretary of the First Lord of the Admiralty; but it will be by him transferred to the Public Office, in order that it may remain for ever on Record.

I am,

Sir,

Your very humble Servant,
[Signature]
[?] Secretary

Lieut. Thos. Baker

Ten years service as Boy of 3rd Clafs [sic]. Volunteer Clafs [sic] and Midshipman, which I served won [paper??] in a Guard Ship at Shetland, one year & 3 months in the Mediterranean and blockading Cadis and Liston, four years in the Flag Ship on the Newfoundland Station, one year & 6 months in the Baltic, & West Scheldt and Lower Banks "Particular service" Lake Ontario, Upper Canada with the officers & crew of H.M.S. Antelope.

Received the public thanks of good Commifsion [sic] of the Admirality and of Admiral Galwey Commander of the Fleet in the Row Piet for extraordinary exertion in the 1, 2, 3, & the 7 March 1814 under the heavy fire of [Medea?] in getting the Antelope off the [May 2??] Plant and bringing her to safe anchorage off South [Balkland??]. [There are several sketches on the page as well]