I flatter myself with the hope that, the subject of this letter [it] will not be considered by you as unreasonable importunity—My son my only son has been a <mids> Midshipman <th> in the navy <for> upwards of a year. Before that period <he was a year as> he [performed] along voyage to india. <The His expenence he has [. . .], and> his <know> skill as a navigator, <to add [. . .] to his experience> his activity as a seaman, added to his experience appear in the opinion of Capt Nicholson, and the sailing Master of the ship to have qualified <as> him as alieutenant. He has an <[. . .]> Ambition to be promoted. he feels himself so degraded by circumstances of situation as a midshipman, that he continues with extreme <impation> impatience in that office and I am very apprehensive that he will unless <hebe [. . .]> [obtains] the object of his wish abandon the pursuit altogether—This circumstance would <to us> be inexpressibly mortifying to me—It is far from my desire to injure or interfere with any other persons rights. If he could be appointed a Lieutenant in the navy at large, and permitted to act as an extra Lieutenant onboard of the constitutin <or> the Boston or any other ship <immediat> bound immediately tosea, it would be considered as a great favor <Conferred on me>

I have the honor to be / with perfect attachment My / dear Sir Your Sincere and / devoted humble Sert