NAVY. Jean-Baptiste GRIVEL, Vice Admiral, Senator (Brive, Co - Lot 600

NAVY. Jean-Baptiste GRIVEL, Vice Admiral, Senator (Brive, Corrèze, 1778 – Brest, 1869) – Signed autograph letter from BREST (Finistère) February 19, 1839, 2 pages in-4°, to his Dear Director. He complains about the shortage of officers currently available at the Port of BREST. There is a shortage of 13 lieutenants and 20 ensigns, and the situation is no better for surgeons; he explains his solution: “Assign the cargo corvettes to veteran lieutenants with no future prospects… return to the corvette captains all the proper warships, except for the colonial schooners and those used for fishing off Granville… assign only two surgeons per frigate and three per ship when the vessels are on duty in the Mediterranean… farewell and see you soon. + A lithographed portrait is enclosed.”