Royal Navy. A partially printed commission document with manuscript insertions, on vellum, appointing Lieutenant Frederick David Schaw on board HMS Hydra, dated 15th February 1801, signed by the later Admiral of the Fleet James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier, GCB (13th October 1756 – 19th April 1833) and three others, with embossed Admiralty seal to the top left and tax stamp.

Notes: Frederick David Schaw was born in March 1781 at Albury. Surrey. He entered service in November 1793 on board HMS Excellent under Captain Richard Rodney Bligh, whom he followed as a Midshipman onto HMS Alexander in 1794. This ship was attacked and captured by the French fleet when returning for escort duty, with a loss of 40 men killed and wounded. During the height of the conflict, a piece of the foremast was carried away and passed so close to Schaw that he fell senseless on the gangway. After several months of being held captive, he was later exchanged and entered service on the HMS Dryad and served in the North Sea and the coast of Ireland. Various other posts followed, and Schaw saw service in France, even though he suffered from an extreme post-measel chest disorder, which would stay with him the rest of his life. His appointment to the Hydra was under Captain Charles Paget, and it was with this ship that he attended the royal family off Weymouth and cruised with activity on the Lisbon station. When watering, about Jan. 1802, at Tetuan, preparatory to proceeding up the Mediterranean, an attack of typhus fever obliged him to an invalid home on board the Ajax. He became a retired commander on the junior list on 26th November 1830 and on the senior 26th July 1844. He is also noted for donating much of his pay to charitable causes.