COMPTON SPENCER: (1673-1743) 1st Earl of Wilmington. British Prime Minister 1742-43. A rare L.S., Wilmington P, as Lord President of the Council, one page, folio, Council Chamber at Kensington, 15th June 1739, to Lord George, Earl of Cholmondeley. The manuscript letter states, in part, ´Whereas His Majesty´s Service doth at this time require a speedy supply of Able Seamen and seafaring men for compleating the number of those who are wanting to man his Majesty´s Fleet which is now fitting out, We do therefore by his Majesty´s Command hereby pray and require your Lordship and your Deputy Lieutenants to Cause Diligent search and Enquiry to be made within your Lieutenancy for all stragling Seamen and to secure all such as may be found fit for His Majesty´s Service that so the Justices of the Peace may cause them to be conveyed to the several Ports according to Directions sent to them for that Purpose and you are to transmitt to the Office of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty lists of the names of such seafaring men as shall from time to time be taken up, expressing therein the time when, Place where, to whose care delivered, and to what Place they were to be conducted.....´. Countersigned at the conclusion by other members of the Privy Council comprising John Potter (c.1674-1747) Archbishop of Canterbury 1737-47, signed (´Jo. Cant´) as Archbishop; James Hamilton, 7th Earl of Abercorn (1686-1744) Scottish and Irish nobleman and peer, an amateur scientist and musician who published a book on magnetism in 1729 and a treatise on musical harmony in 1730; Benjamin Mildmay, 1st Earl FitzWalter (1672-1756) British politician who was one of the original backers of the Royal Academy of Music, establishing a London opera company which commissioned numerous works from Handel and others; Pattee Byng, 2nd Viscount Torrington (1699-1747) British Army Captain, politician and courtier; Arthur Onslow (1691-1768) English politician who served as Speaker of the House of Commons 1728-61; and Charles Wager (1666-1743) English Admiral of the White and politician who served as First Lord of the Admiralty 1733-42. With integral address leaf and affixed paper seal. Some light staining and age wear and with a few small, minor splits to the edges of the folds, G

George Cholmondeley, 3rd Earl of Cholmondeley (1703-1770) British Whig politician and nobleman.

King George II would have been looking to bolster his fleet with seafaring men in 1739 as reinforcements to serve in the War of Jenkins´ Ear, fought between Great Britain and Spain from 1739-48. Most of the fighting took place in New Granada and the Caribbean Sea, with major operations over by 1742.

One of the scarcer signatures of British Prime Ministers, enhanced by the additional signatures of the Privy Council members.