These volumes present letters and other documents of St Vincent’s period as First Lord of the Admiralty, the most controversial and politically-heated of any during the time of the sailing navy. They are taken from his out-letter books, and do not include the replies.

Unusually for Society volumes, the editor selected only a part of each letter for publication, but such severe editing does not entirely muffle the Earl’s spiky and forceful turn of phrase.

This volume covers the first year of St Vincent’s time at the Admiralty, 1801.