
          Recd [Received] July 17

New York July 9 DC8.35 [1835]

Dear Sir. The U.S. ship North Carolina 74 is 
going up the Mediterranean, and I should 
wish to go in her. I have sent on a line from 
Major Douglass and B.F. [Benjamin Franklin] Butler the Attorney 
General of the U.S. to the Secretary of 
the Navy; and my friends advise me to 
send other names. I would therefore
request you to say something like the 
following

The bearer Mr Oliver Smith understanding 
that the U.S. ship North Carolina 
74 is about to be sent to sea wishes to go
in her as a professor of mathematics; and 
me think him a [crossed out: very] very suitable person 
for that station. He is a good mathematician
and naturalist [added: and understands several of the modern languages of Europe] and would doubtless
make additions to science by observations
and collections. He has made one 
voyage in the same capacity some years 
since under the command of Captain 
Stewart, and met his approbation, and
me think the young officers on board that ship 
might profit by his instructions not only in mathematics 

        