How to look for records of... Royal Naval correspondence using the ADM 12 indexes and digests

2. Some key terms

The following key terms are used in this guide:

• Admiralty – the body in charge of Royal Navy operations
• Admiralty in-letters – letters received by the Admiralty
• Admiralty out-letters – letters sent by the Admiralty
• cases – related letters and other papers on a particular subject collected together to form a single file (also referred to as case files)
• indexes – a basic alphabetical key to correspondence linking to the correspondence itself or to a digest entry
• digests – summaries of information in documents that can also be used as indexes to those documents

The ADM 12 indexes and digests are sometimes referred to in our catalogue as the Index and the Digest, respectively.

3. ADM 12: the basics

ADM 12 consists, predominantly, of large bound volumes of indexes and digests but they do not all refer to the same record series.

The indexes and digests are used predominantly as a means of accessing documents in:

• ADM 1 (Admiralty correspondence 1660-1976), the principal record series for letters received by the Admiralty. Many of these letters were sent by officers on ships, at naval stations and elsewhere but any letter received and retained by the Admiralty, whoever sent it, is included. The letters cover every aspect of Admiralty business.

The largest section of ADM 12 (ADM 12/56-1518) indexes Admiralty in-letters received between 1793 and 1913, filed in ADM 1.

However, some ADM 12 indexes can be used to access documents in:

• ADM 2 (Admiralty out-letters)
• ADM 3 (Admiralty minutes 1657-1881)
• ADM 7 (Admiralty miscellanea, amongst which are case files indexed in ADM 12)
• ADM 13 (Supplementary Admiralty records 1803-1917)
• ADM 116 (Admiralty Record Office cases 1852-1965)
• ADM 137 (records used to compile the official history of the First World War)

The indexes and digests in ADM 12 should not be confused with those in ADM 106 which refer to in-letters kept by the Navy Board, as opposed to the Admiralty. The Navy Board was responsible for the dock yards and issues of supply, unlike the Admiralty which was responsible for the fleet and naval operations.

4. ADM 1: the basics

The records in ADM 1 are split into a number of groups, each one covering a different range of years. Within these year ranges, letters and reports are grouped together according to various other criteria, including the following:

• the rank of the author
• first letter of the surname of the author (often in letter ranges, for example, A-F)
• part of the world the letter sent from
• naval station letter sent from

These groupings do not remain consistent and vary according to different periods.

Searching ADM 1 using ADM 12 is not always straightforward, because document descriptions in our catalogue vary so much. You may sometimes find it easier to browse through the year ranges.

5. ADM 12 indexes and digests for 1793-1913: content and arrangement

The correspondence in ADM 1 from 1793 to 1913 is indexed and digested in ADM 12/56-1518. There are indexes and digests for each year. The indexes are arranged alphabetically and the digests are arranged by subject.

5.1 What do the indexes contain?

The indexes list the following:

• authors of letters to the Admiralty
• people referred to in the content of letters and reports
• ships (naval and merchant vessels, and foreign ships as well as British – the names of Royal Navy ships are generally shown in red ink and merchant vessels in black ink)

These authors and the people referred to in the letters and reports could be:

• naval officers, warrant officers or ratings
• marine officers
• ‘persons of distinction’
• anyone writing to the Admiralty

5.2 How are the indexes arranged and what do they look like?

Each index volume in ADM 12 covers a range of letters (for example, A to F or O to Z).

Each index page is divided into three or four main columns:

• until the end of 1859 there are four main columns, none of which have headings but which list, from left to right: ‘Marines’; ‘Ships’; ‘Naval Officers and Ratings’; and ‘Promiscuous’ (that is, miscellaneous)
• from 1860 three main columns, with the headings now shown as ‘Naval and Marine Officers’; ‘Ships and Persons of Distinction’; and ‘Promiscuous’
• a few years later the third column sometimes shows the heading ‘Paymasters’ or ‘Warrant Officers’ and there are sometimes whole pages with the one heading ‘Promiscuous’

These main columns are each split into three smaller columns. The headings in these three smaller columns were altered periodically but on the whole they are:

• date column, headed ‘Date of the letter from or concerning the party’ (the date of the origin of the correspondence)
• ADM 1 reference column, headed ‘How and where to be found’ (a reference to the search terms needed for a search in ADM 1)
• subject column, headed ‘Subject – but in case the letter is marked for the digest, insert only the figures thereon’ (this will either be a short, often one-word description, or a digest number/s. The key to the digest numbers is the Alphabetical Index to Admiralty Digest Headings – see section 5.4, below. Sometimes, there are several numbers, indicating that a letter appears in the digests under several headings)

From about 1840 the practice grew of building up files of correspondence, which included drafts or copies of out-letters kept with the in-letters.

From 1860, an extra column was included in the pages of the ADM 12 index volumes to show the date of execution of correspondence generated by in-coming letters and reports. This column also gives the code-letter of the Admiralty branch taking such action, and these references can be a help in indicating that there could be copies of out-letters surviving in ADM 13 or ADM 1.

5.3 What do the digests contain?

A digest entry consists of a summary of the contents of a letter or report.

Because a considerable amount of the original correspondence in ADM 1 has been destroyed, these summaries can often be the only surviving record.

5.4 How are the digests arranged and what do they look like?

The digest volumes are arranged by subject. Each subject has been assigned a number code. The key to these codes is the Alphabetical Index to Admiralty Digest Headings, a set of tables available in the reading rooms at The National Archives at Kew.

The codes were revised several times over the years and there are separate tables for 1800, 1843, 1909, 1935 and 1963.

The number codes are shown cut into the right hand edge of the pages of each digest volume and thus each such numerical section is known as a ‘cut’. The subject heads are given at the top of each page.

6. How to use the ADM 12 indexes for 1793-1913 to find an ADM 1 document

To use the index you will need to know the name of a ship or the name of a crew member on a ship, usually one of the senior officers.

Watch this video which shows how to search for letters sent from HMS Dee in 1835.

Example: A search for letters sent from HMS Dee in 1835

Step 1: Browse through ADM 12/56-1518 in our catalogue to the appropriate index for the year/s and person or ship in question.

Example: Appropriate index for letters sent from HMS Dee in 1835 is Index D-G, 1835, reference ADM 12/303

Step 2: Order and view the original ADM 12 document at The National Archives at Kew.

Example: Order and view ADM 12/303

Step 3: Find the entry or entries in the index for the person or ship in question.

Example: Find entry for HMS Dee in the index

Step 4: Note the abbreviation/s (sometimes just a single letter), usually followed by a number, in the ‘How and where to be found’ column.

Example: Under HMS Dee, the codes in the ‘How and where to be found’ column include ‘Cap R6’

Step 5: Use the Table of Abbreviations in this guide to interpret the abbreviation. This will be your keyword or phrase for Step 6.

Example: The Table of Abbreviations tells us that Cap R6 is the 6th captain’s letter from 1835 and that the captain’s surname begins with R

Step 6: Use the search box contained within ADM 1, searching by the keyword or phrase established in Step 5 (often including the first letter of the surname of the author) and restricting your search to the relevant years. You may need to experiment with your keywords, often by shortening them to a single word (for example, search for “Commander-in-Chief Jamaica” by using “Jamaica”).

Example: Search within ADM 1 using the terms “captain” and “R”, restricting search to 1835; this returns the reference ADM 1/2435

Step 7: Order and consult the original ADM 1 document if it survives.

Example: Order and consult ADM 1/2435

7. How to use the ADM 12 indexes for 1793-1913 to find an entry in the digests

The ADM 12 index volumes contain cross-references to the digest volumes, where you can usually find a summary of the correspondence in question. There is often enough information in the digest volumes to make a consultation of the actual correspondence in ADM 1 unnecessary.

Follow Steps 1-3 in section 6, above.

Step 4: Note the number or numbers found in the subject column.

Step 5: Browse through ADM 12/56-1738 in our catalogue to find the digest volumes for the relevant year. The volumes are arranged in ranges of numbers. Find the range that includes the number established in Step 4.

Step 6: Order and view the original ADM 12 digest volume at The National Archives at Kew.

Step 7: Find the entry (sometimes referred to as a ‘cut’) in the volume which corresponds with the number established in Step 4.

Step 8: There can be a number of digest entries within each cut. You can identify the precise digest entry by matching the dates and the ADM 1 reference that you will have found at Step 3.

8. How to use the ADM 12 digests for 1793-1913 to find an ADM 1 document

You can use the digest volumes as a subject index to ADM 1, allowing you to bypass the indexes altogether. There is no guarantee, however, that the ADM 1 document to which the digest refers actually survives.

Sometimes the summary of the ADM 1 document found in the digest may provide enough information to make consulting ADM 1 unnecessary.

Step 1: Look up a subject in the Alphabetical Index to Admiralty Digest Headings (see section 5.4, ensuring you use the codes revised closest to the year in question) and make a note of the number code.

Step 2: Browse ADM 12 in our catalogue to find the appropriate digest volumes for the number code established in Step 1 and the years you are interested in.

Step 3: Order and view the original ADM 12 digest volume at The National Archives at Kew.

Step 4: Find the entry (sometimes referred to as a ‘cut’) in the volume which corresponds with the number established in Step 1.

Step 5: There can be a number of digest entries within each cut. You can identify the precise digest entry by matching the dates and the ADM 1 reference that you will have found at Step 3.

9. How to use the ADM 12 indexes and digests to find First World War letters and papers

9.1 How are the records for this period arranged?

The index and digest volumes for the years 1914-1919 are found within the reference range ADM 12/1519-1624B. From 1915 onwards there are two sets of every index and digest, with catalogue references ending in A and B. These begin at ADM 12/1531A. You will need to consult each of these to be sure of gaining maximum information on a particular name or subject.

For this period, many ADM 12 references refer to documents in record series ADM 137. ADM 137 consists of records originally compiled by the Admiralty Historical Section, a branch of the Admiralty charged with writing the official history of the First World War. The volumes now in ADM 137 were accorded HS (Historical Section) numbers by the Admiralty record office.

9.2 How to find letters and papers

Before consulting ADM 12, search for ADM 1 and ADM 137 documents from this period by keyword in our catalogue. An increasing proportion of ADM 137 can be searched in considerabe detail by keyword thanks to an ongoing project.

If you cannot find the person or subject you are looking for with a keyword search, you will have to consult ADM 12. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Browse through ADM 12/1519-1624B in our catalogue to the appropriate index or digest for the year/s and person or ship in question. You will need to consult the Alphabetical Index to Admiralty Digest Headings (see section 5.4) to decide on the appropriate digest code.

Step 2: Order and view the original ADM 12 document at The National Archives at Kew.

Step 3: Find the entry or entries in the index for the person or ship in question.

Step 4: Note the appropriate reference. References found in ADM 12 during this period take one of three forms:

• references to ‘Admiralty titled papers’, usually a letter and number code, for example Sa 208
• case numbers, many of which will be found in ADM 116
• Admiralty date references where the date is given in full, for example ‘Admiralty 4 July 1916’

Step 5: What to do at this stage depends on the type of reference you have found:

• for ‘Admiralty titled papers’ references, go to Step 6
• for case numbers, go to section 11.3
• for Admiralty date references, go to ADM 1

Step 6: Look for your ADM 12 reference (our example is Sa 208 in 1917) in the ADM 137 Key to find the equivalent HS volume number. The ADM 137 Key is found with the printed version of the catalogue in the reading rooms at The National Archives at Kew (it is headed ‘Titled papers bound in H.S. volumes’). The key is divided by year, with the ADM 12 references for each year in alphanumeric sequence (our example, Sa 208 in 1917, provides us with HS volume number 1426).

Step 7: Using the advanced search in our catalogue, search by HS number in the ‘Any of these references’ field (in the format “HS 1426”). This should return the correct ADM 137 piece number, usually the same as the HS volume number (for example, HS volume 1426 returns piece number ADM 137/1426).

Step 8: Order the ADM 137 piece to consult the original document.

10. How to find Admiralty correspondence and other papers after 1919

The ADM 12 index and digest volumes continue until 1974. However, from 1922, when the system of providing references to Admiralty papers in ADM 12 was changed, the indexes becomes less useful as finding aids.

From 1922:

• use the ADM 12 indexes, from reference ADM 12/1657 onwards, to find case numbers for case files kept in ADM 116 (see section 11.3 for more guidance on case files)

Until around 1938:

• search ADM 1 by keyword in our catalogue (towards the end of this period the series is rather muddled and includes some late nineteenth and early twentieth century documents as well)

For the Second World War period:

Consult documents in ADM 199 by:

• finding War History (WH) case numbers in the ADM 12 indexes and digests for this period and using the key in the printed version of ADM 199 (available only in the reading rooms at The National Archives at Kew) to locate the appropriate ADM 199 piece number (there are other references to ADM 199 in ADM 12 but as the original references have not been translated into National Archives references, locating the appropriate ADM 199 piece number is almost impossible)
• consulting the subject indexes in the printed version of ADM 199 (available only in the reading rooms at The National Archives at Kew) to locate an ADM 199 piece number

Consult documents in ADM 1 by:

• searching by keyword in our catalogue
• using the subject indexes found with the printed version of ADM 1 (available only in the reading rooms at The National Archives at Kew)
• finding Admiralty code numbers in ADM 12 for the years 1938-1945 and searching within ADM 1 in our catalogue, using the code number as your keyword
• finding piece numbers by using the keys in the printed version of ADM 1 for these years (this will not always work)

After 1938, and until 1952, ADM 1 documents are arranged into Series I and Series II. Series 1 uses the 1963 Alphabetical Index to Admiralty Digest Headings and Series II the 1935 version (see section 5.4). Copies of these indexes are with the printed version of ADM 1.

ADM 116 for this period is also arranged by the same system of Codes using the 1935 and 1963 Digest Tables.

From 1952:

• ADM 1 is arranged chronologically in yearly batches in accordance with the Admiralty Branch registry designations. A key to the Admiralty Branches, and the registry codes used, is given at the front of the appropriate volume of the printed version of ADM 1.

11. How to find other records referenced in the ADM 12 indexes and digests

11.1 Minutes

For entries in the ADM 12 index volumes with the reference ‘Minutes’, search ADM 3 within the appropriate dates.

11.2 Out-Letters

Consult ADM 2 and ADM 13/1-69 for out-letters, which were often in response to the in-letters in ADM 1.

From 1869 the out-letters (often the originals returned to the Admiralty Record Office) are included with the ADM 1 files.

11.3 Cases

In about 1847 the practice began of collecting together and binding up all the papers (in-letters, out-letters, minutes and so on) on a particular subject, thereby creating what was known as a ‘case’. Each case was given a number.

Case numbers are usually shown in the ADM 12 index volumes (for example, “Case 491”), though this was rarely done for the 1840s and 1850s.

A case often contains documents that extend over a considerable number of years but there may be only one year in index entries that provides the case number.

There is often no digest entry for papers made up into cases.

Most case files are kept in the following record series:

• ADM 116 (Admiralty cases 1852-1965)

To find a case file, you will need to find the case number in the “Key to Admiralty cases”, found with the printed version of ADM 116, only available in the reading rooms in The National Archives at Kew, which will provide you with the appropriate piece number.

If you cannot find a case number reference from ADM 12 in ADM 116, the papers might have been placed in one of the following series or part series:

• ADM 7/597-629 (Admiralty miscellanea)
• ADM 7/765-766 (Admiralty miscellanea)
• ADM 137 (Admiralty Historical Section records 1860-1937)

A “Key to Admiralty cases” is also kept with the printed version of ADM 7, only available in the reading rooms in The National Archives at Kew.

For ADM 137 the key is kept in a separate folder. Alternatively, you can search by subject using the subject indexes filed with the printed version of the series.

However, an increasing proportion of ADM 137 can be searched in considerable detail by keyword in our catalogue thanks to an ongoing project.

Note: from 1911 all Courts Martial records are held in record series ADM 156, Naval Courts Martial records. These records are closed for 75 years.

12. Further reading

The following publication, available in The National Archives library, includes example searches using ADM 12:

Bruno Pappalardo, Tracing Your Naval Ancestors (2003, Public Record Office) – this title is also available from our shop

13. Appendix 1: Table of abbreviations

Numbers

Numbers were used to indicate where in a sequence of letters a particular letter belongs. Sequences were reset at the end of each year. For example, B32 in an index for 1835 indicates letter number 32 in the correspondence with the Commander-in-Chief for Plymouth sent in 1835.

Letters

Abbreviation	Short for
A	Commander-in-Chief Portsmouth
Academy	Royal Naval Academy, Portsmouth (to 1840)
Acct, Acct Genl	Accountant General
Admty	Admiralty
A G	Accountant General
App	Appointments
Arch	Architect (to 1882)
Army Off	Army Officers
AU	Admirals Unemployed
B	Commander-in-Chief Plymouth
Bd of Revis	Board of Revision (1803-1809)
Ber Yd	Bermuda Dockyard
B of T	Board of Trade
Brit Cons	British Consuls
Brit Mus	British Museum
C	Commander-in-Chief Nore or Sheerness
Ca	Commander-in-Chief Chatham (1812-1814)
Cap (followed by a letter)	Captains’ Letters (first letter of the surname of captain who wrote the letter)
Cases	Cases (from 1847) [See ADM 116]
Cha Commr	Commissioner of Chatham Dockyard
Cha Commt	Commandant of Marines, Chatham
Cha Div	Chatham Division, Royal Marines
Cha Yd	Chatham Dockyard
CN	Controller of the Navy (1904-1912)
C of V	Comptroller of Victualling (1832-1870)
Co Gd	Coast Guard Office
Coll of Surg	Royal College of Surgeons
Col Off	Colonial Office
Commr	Commissioners of Home Dockyards
Commr Ab	Commissioners of Dockyards Overseas
Compr st	Comptroller of Steam Machinery (1837-1849)
Comp Vit	Comptroller of Victualling (1832-1870)
Cont	Controller of the Navy (1860-1870)
C O P	Commissioners of Out Ports
Coun Off	Privy Council Office
CP	Contract & Purchase Branch (1877-1921)
C S C	Civil Service Commission (from 1855)
Ct Gd	Coast Guard Office
Ct Mar	Courts Martial
Custom Ho	Board of Customs
D	Commander-in-Chief North Sea (to 1815)
D	FO Particular Service Squadron (to 1878)
D	Naval Manoeuvres (1887-1890)
D	FO Reserve Squadron (1892-1894, 1896-1902)
D	FO Flying Squadron (1895)
D	Commander-in-Chief Home Fleet (1903-1904)
D	Commander-in-Chief Channel Fleet (1905-1909)
D	Dockyard Branch (1870-1903, 1914-1915)
Deal Yd	Deal Dockyard
Dept Commr	Commissioner of Deptford Dockyard (to 1869)
Dept Yd	Deptford Dockyard (to 1869)
Devon Yd	Devonport Dockyard
D G M	Medical Director-General (from 1843)
D G N O	Director-General of Naval Ordnance (1866-1868)
D N O	Director of Naval Ordnance (from 1868)
Doc Com	Doctors’ Commons
D of W	Director of Works (from 1883)
Dover	Dover Packet Station (1837-60)
Drs Comm	Doctors’ Commons
DS	Director of Stores (from 1877)
DT	Director of Transports (from 1832)
DV	Director of Victualling (from 1870)
DW	Director of Works (from 1883)
D Yd Comm	Commissioners of Home Dockyards
DYDS	Director of Dockyards (from 1886)
E	FO Downs (to 1815)
EI Ho	East India Company (to 1858)
Elec Tel	Telegrams
F	Second-in-Command, North Sea (to 1815)
Falmo	Falmouth Packet Station (1837-1860)
Field Off	Marine Field Officers
FO	Foreign Office
For Cons	Foreign Consuls
For Off	Foreign Office
For Yds	Overseas Dockyards
G	FO Yarmouth (to 1814)
G	Gunnery Branch (1881-1916)
G Coll	Royal Naval College, Greenwich (from 1873)
Gib Yd	Gibraltar Dockyard
Gov of Pl	Governors of Plantations
Gr Hosp	Greenwich Hospital
H	FO Leith (To 1824)
Ha	Commander-in-Chief Baltic (To 1814)
	Commander-in-Chief Particular Service Squadron (Baltic) (1854-1856)
Haul Yd	Haulbowline Dockyard
Hobbs Pt	Hobbs Point Packet Station (1837-1860)
H of Com	House of Commons
Holyhd	Holyhead Packet Station (1837-1860)
Home Off	Home Office
Horse Gds	Commander-in-Chief Army
Hosp	Naval Hospitals
HPS	Home Packet Service (1837-1860)
HSA	Historical Section ‘A’ (1914-1920) [See ADM 137]
HSB	Historical Section ‘B’ (1914-1920) [See ADM 137]
Hydrog	Hydrographer
I	Commander-in-Chief Channel (to 1815)
India Bd	Board of Control (to 1858)
India Ho	East India Company (to 1858)
Insp Genl	Inspector-General of Naval Works
Insp Sht	Inspection Sheets
K	FO Guernsey (to 1815)
Keyham Yd	Keyham Steam Factory, Plymouth
L	FO Cork (to 1902)
L	Commander-in-Chief Particular Service Squadron (1844-1847)
L	Commander-in-Chief Ireland (1902-1922)
L ABC etc	Lieutenants’ Letters
Law Off	Law Officers’ Opinions
Lloyds	Lloyds
LOO	Law Officers’ Opinions
L’pool	Liverpool Packet Station (1837-1860)
M	FO Dublin (to 1815)
Ma	FO Lisbon (to 1839)
Ma	Commander-in-Chief Particular Service Squadron (1848-1849)
Ma	Commander-in-Chief Western Squadron (1854-4)
Ma	F.0. Fast Service Squadron (1896)
Malta Yd	Malta Dockyard
Mar Cap	Marine Captains’ Letters
Mar Ct Mar	Marine Courts Martial
Mar Fd Off	Marine Field Officers
Mar Lt	Marine Lieutenants’ Letters
Mar Off	Marine Office (from 1859)
Mar Paymt	Paymaster of Marines
Mar P Off	Marine Pay Office
Mar Pro	Marine Promiscuous
Mar Town Comm.	Commandant of Marines in Town (1804-1831)
M Arty	Marine Artillery
MDG	Medical Director-General (from 1843)
Min	Board Minute [See ADM 3]
Misc Off	Miscellaneous (Government) Offices
N	Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean
Nav Hosp	Naval Hospitals
N Bd	Navy Board (to 1832)
N Off	Navy Board or Naval Officers (ie Navy Board Officials) (to 1832)
NP Off	Navy Pay Office (to 1836)
NS	Naval Stores Branch (from 1870)
O	Commander-in-Chief North America (to 1815)
O	Commander-in-Chief Halifax (1816-1830
Ord in Cl	Orders in Council
Ord Off	Ordnance Board (to 1855)
P	Commander-in-Chief Jamaica (To 1872, 1874-1886, 1891-1902)
P	Commander-in-Chief North America & West Indies (1873, 1887-1890, 1903-1912)
Palace	Palace
Passage Ret	Passage Returns
Paymastr	Paymaster of the Navy
Paym Genl	Paymaster-General
Pem Yd	Pembroke Dockyard
Petitions	Petitions
Phy	Physician
Pkt St	Packet Service (1837-1860)
Ply Commd	Commandant of Marines, Plymouth
Ply Commr	Commissioner of Devonport
Ports Commr	Commissioner of Portsmouth Dockyard
Ply Div	Plymouth Division, Royal Marines
Ply Yd	Devonport Dockyard
PN	Purchase Naval Branch (1870-1877)
Police Off	Admiralty Police Office
Portpk	Portpatrick Packet Station (1837-1860)
Ports Commd	Commandant of Marines, Portsmouth
Ports Commr	Commissioner of Portsmouth Dockyard
Ports Div	Portsmouth Division, Royal Marine
Ports Yd	Portsmouth Dockyard
Post Off	General Post Office
Precepts	Precepts
Pro ABC etc	Promiscuous Correspondents
PS	Packet Service (1837-1860)
Pt Serv	Packet Service (1837-1860)
PV	Purchase Victualling Branch (1870-1877)
Q	Commander-in-Chief Leeward Islands (to 1821)
Qa	Commander-in-Chief Brazils (& Pacific to 1844) (to 1902)
Qa	Commander-in-Chief South Atlantic (1903-1904)
Qa	F.0. 2nd Cruiser Squadron (1905-1908)
Qa	Commander-in-Chief North America, West Indies (from 1915)
R	Commander-in-Chief Cape of Good Hope
Reg Off	Regulating, or Rendezvous Office
Register Off	Register Office of Shipping and Seamen (1837-1851)
Rt Cl Vic Yd	Royal Clarence Victualling Yard, Gosport
RMO	Marine Office (from 1859)
RN Coll	Royal Naval College, Portsmouth (to 1873)
RN Coll	Royal Naval College, Greenwich (from 1873)
R of C	Registrar of Contracts (1864-1869)
R Off T	Regulating or Rendezvous Office
Roy Vic Yd	Royal Victoria Victualling Yard, Deptford
Russ Sq	FO Russian Squadron (1795-1800)
R Wm Yd	Royal William Victualling Yard, Plymouth
RWV Yd	Royal William Victualling Yard, Plymouth
S	Commander-in-Chief East Indies (to 1860)
S	Commander-in-Chief China (from 1860)
S	Ships Branch (1870-1903, 1912-1915)
SA	Air Finance Branch (1914-1915)
Sa	Commander-in-Chief East Indies (from 1860)
Sec St	Secretary of State
Sc H Bd	Sick and Hurt Board (to 1806)
Sheer Yd	Sheerness Dockyard
Solor, Solr	Solicitor
Southampton	Southampton Packet Station (1837-1860)
SS	Secretary of State
Stat Off	HM Stationery Office
Storek Genl	Storekeeper-General 91832-1869)
Surg Hall	Royal College of Surgeons
Surv	Surveyor (1832-1860)
Sc Wd Bd	Sick and Hurt Board (to 1806)
T	Commander-in-Chief Newfoundland (to 1824)
T	Transport Department (from 1862)
T Bd	Transport Board (1794-1817)
Tel	Telegrams
Town Com	Commandant of Marines in Town (1804-1831)
Trans Off	Transport Board (1794-1817)
Treasy	Treasury
Trinity Ho	Trinity House
Trs Bd	Transport Board (1794-1817)
V	F.0. Detached Squadron (to 1856, 1868-1870, 1872-1873, 1876)
V	F.0. Particular Service Squadron (1857)
V	Commander-in-Chief Channel Squadron (1858-1863, 1865-1867, 1871, 1874-1875, 1877-1900)
V	Commander-in-Chief Atlantic Fleet (1864)
V	Commander-in-Chief Channel Fleet (1905-1909)
V	Victualling Branch (from 1870)
Va	FO Flying Squadron (1869-73, 1876-7)
Va	FO Detached Squadron (1874-1875, 1880-1882, 1886-1900)
Va	FO Cruiser Squadron (1904)
Va	FO 1st Cruiser Squadron (1905-1911)
V Bd	Victualling Board (to 1830)
VD	Victualling Branch (from 1870)
Vg Bd	Victualling Board (to 1830)
W	Commander-in-Chief Woolwich or Thames
War Off	War Office
Waymo; Weymt	Weymouth Packet Station (1837-1860)
Wool Commd	Commandant of Marines, Woolwich
Wool Commr	Commissioner of Woolwich Dockyard (To 1869)
Wool Div	Woolwich Division, Royal Marines
Wool Yd	Woolwich Dockyard (To 1869)
X	Commander-in-Chief West Africa (from 1830)
X	Commander-in-Chief Home Fleet (1907-1913)
X	Commander-in-Chief Grand Fleet (1914-1919)
Y	Commander-in-Chief Pacific (1845-1905)
Z	Commander-in-Chief Australia (1859-1913)

14. Appendix 2: Further indexes and other means of reference to ADM 1

14.1 Miscellaneous indexes and registers of the Admiralty and Secretariat Papers

Many of these indexes, found in ADM 12/1-55, refer to documents dating earlier than 1793 when the Admiralty and Secretariat Index and Digest begins.

Some of these indexes were experimental, compiled in the search to develop the best possible Index and Digest. The references they provide cannot, therefore, now be related directly to the arrangement of the documents in ADM 1.

14.2 Name index to the writers of captains’ letters 1693-1792

This index volume in ADM 10/8 has at the front a key to the location of the captains’ letters found in ADM 1/1435-2733.

14.3 Indexes to captains’ letters 1793-1815

The index to captains’ letters is continued for the period 1793-1815 in four volumes, only available in the reading rooms at The National Archives at Kew. However, the index extends only to the letter P and, for that letter, only to 1812. It provides full references to the original documents in ADM 1.

14.4 Miss E H B Fairbrother’s Indexes and Lists

These unpublished lists and indexes compiled by E H B Fairbrother in 1928, which include some officers’ names, are only available at The National Archives library at Kew. They are a little haphazard but consist of indexes to:

• admirals’ despatches from the Leeward Islands (1779-1787) in ADM 1/312
• letters from unemployed admirals (1693-1804) in ADM 1/577-580
• letters from officers of marines (1804-1839) in ADM 1/3246-3357
• letters from the Custom House (1694-1839) in ADM 1/3863-3877
• letters from the Transport Department (1704-1839) in ADM 1/3729-3774
• letters Relating to Ireland (1691-1806) in ADM 1/3988-3991
• letters from the Register Office of Merchant Seamen (1696-1715) in ADM 1/3997
• letters from Secretaries of State (1689-1694) in ADM 1/4080
• letters from the College of Surgeons (1718-1816) in ADM 1/4280-4281
• letters from the Treasury (1698-1744) in ADM 1/4283-4285
• miscellaneous letters and reports (1686-1839) in ADM 1/5114-5124
• petitions (1793-1839) in ADM 1/5125-5137
• Orders in Council (1673-1805) in ADM 1/5138-5168, ADM 1/5170-5181, ADM 1/5189-5190, ADM 1/5198 and ADM 1/5201
• copies of Orders in Council (1660-1805) in ADM 1/5246-5252

14.5 Various indexes in the printed version of The National Archives’ catalogue

These indexes, found in the printed version of the National Archives’s catalogue at Kew, include:

• letters from the College of Surgeons (1718-1816), indexing names of officers and warrant officers appearing in the correspondence