The Virginia Gazette

From the London Evening-Post, July 24.

As the following Letter is already handed about, we hope our inserting it in this Paper will not be taken amiss, seeing it would in the long Run make its Way among the Publick, though we should not meddle with it.

Nayland, June 30, 1744.

SIR,

AS we that live retir'd in the Country often content ourselves with the Information we derive from News-Papers on a Market-Day, I did not so early observe the Advertisement from your Office of the 3d of this Month; That, in Pursuance of His Majesty's Pleasure, the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty had made the following Promotions therein mention'd: In which I could not but observe, there was no mention of my Name amongst the Flag Officers; though by your Letter of the 16th Instant you directed to me as Vice-Admiral of the Red, and (by their Lordship's Orders) desir'd my Opinion on an Affair for his Majesty's Service, which I very honestly gave them, as I judg'd most conducive to their Honour: So that their Lordships could not but be inform'd that I was in the Land of the Living.

Though the Promotions are said to be made by their Lordships Orders, yet we all know the Communication of His Majesty's Pleasure must come from the first Lord in the Commission; from whom principally His Majesty is suppos'd to receive His Informations, on which His Royal Orders are founded.

And as it is a known Maxim of our Law, that the King can do no Wrong, founded, as I apprehend, on the Persuasion, that the Crown never does so but from the Misinformation of those whose respective Provinces are to inform His Majesty of the particular Affairs under their Care, the first Suggestion that naturally occurs to an Officer, that has the fullest Testimonies in his Custody, of having happily serv'd His Majesty in the Command he was intrusted with, to His Royal Approbation, is, that Your first Commissioner must either have inform'd His Majesty that I was dead, or have laid something to my Charge, rendering it unfit to rise in my Rank in the Royal Navy; of which being insensible myself, I desire their Lordships would be pleas'd to inform me in what it consists, having both in Action and Advice, always, to the best of my Judgment, endeavour'd to Serve Our Royal Master with a Zeal and Activity becoming a faithful and loyal Subject, and having hitherto receiv'd the publick Approbation of your Board.

I confess, at my Time of Life, a Retirement from the Hurry of Business to prepare for the general Audit, which every Christian ought to have perpetually in his Mind, is what can't but be desirable, and might rather give me Occasion to rejoice, than any Concern, which, (I thank God) it does very little; yet that I might not be thought to be one that would decline the publick Service, I have thought proper to remind their Lordships I am living, and have (I thank God) the same honest Zeal reigning in my Breast, that has animated me on all Occasions to approve myself a faithful and zealous Subject and Servant to my Royal Master.

And if the first Lord Commissioner has represented me in any other Light to our Royal Master, he has acted with a Degeneracy unbecoming the Descendant from a noble Father, whose Memory I reverence and esteem; though I have no Compliments to make to the Judgment or Conduct of the Son.

June 30, 1744.

To Thomas Corbett, Esq;

Secretary of the Admiralty:

N. B. To this no Answer was return'd.