[Thomas Waters, R.M., to his wife, Elizabeth]
Addressed to Mrs.Capt Waters R.M., King Street, Woolwich, Kent
H.M.S.Revenge Marmorice [Marmaris]
17 January 1841
My Dear Wife
I am on board H.M.S.Revenge, Capt.the Hon.e W.Waldegrave in the place of Capt.Calamy during his absence in Malta Hospital- We sailed from Spithead thursday 19th Nov., after having been detained there a fortnight by contrary winds, arrived at Malta thursday 17th Dec. sailed Thursday 31st Dec. and arrived at Marmorice thursday 7th Jan.y, on the 11th Jan.y I joined H.M.S.Revenge to which you can direct, Mediterranean. I think your Letters will be much more likely to reach me now in good time than they would when I was in the Howe almost daily expecting to be removed, I knew no whether, when it would have been putting you to an expense of Postage without affording you the satisfaction of knowing where to direct to me properly, it is true I am not a fixture here, but I think you will now have a better guide. I find I have the pillowcases and sheets you mention, but I am short in shirts, and the collars of some of my shirts are rather too tight- I cannot tell how long I shall be in this ship, or what they will do with me and the other eight Capts who came out the same that I did, for there appears to be nothing for us to do, now that there is peace between the Turks and the Egyptians. Capt.Brown who married Miss Butler is one of the Capts. he, I believe, applied to come on this station. Capt.Spry in the Powerful will be invalided for blindness his vacancy will take one Capt., and one is on board the Implacable situated as I am- War seems to be pretty nearly at a close in China also, so we may expect soon to be at peace with all the world again. I should like to make out a couple or three tours, now that I am from home, before my return but it does not appear very probable that I shall succeed, however the Almighty knows what is best for us come what will and to His Will be due submission paid-
With affectionate love to our dear children
I remain my dear Wife
Your Affectionate Husband
Thos. Waters