[From State Papers SP 48/2 page 378]

Letter of Governor Smith to Lord North - Oct 1783

Charles Street October 23d 1783

My Lord

I am honored with your Lordships letter, and in obedience to His Majestys Commands I propose setting out in a few days for my Government in the Isle of Man.

I have ever regretted that tho' the Sovereignty of this Island has been for several years annexed to the British Crown it has never been honored with any pictures of our Gracious Sovereign. May I entreat Your Lordship to lay my humble request before His Majesty in order to obtain His Royal Commands for my being favored (as Governors in general are) with His Majestys picture, to carry with me to the Island. As I am fully sensible that this mark of Distinction will be received by His Majestys faithfull subjects there, with infinite Gratitude and universal Harmony.

I should be wanting in the Respect I own to all Religious forms, if I any longer omitted to mention the total want of furniture for the Chapel in Castle Rushen, which under His Majestys usual allowance for this purpose particularly necessary, that the Divine Worship may be performed there with the greater Decency.

Being truly anxious to obtain these two marks of our Royal Masters favor towards the Isle of Man, allows me to disclaim the least idea of, or desire to trouble your Lordship on the subject of Plate very usually given to Governors upon their first appointment; [therefore] feeling myself perfectly uninfluenced by any private consideration I flatter my self I shall be honored with your Lordships countinance and assistance for what will so truly defuse by thru' out the Island, and cannot fail to add Dignity and Respect to the Celebration of Divine Service.

I have the honor &c Edward Smith

Notes

Dawson was already starting to show signs of illness that some seven years later would see his resignation - he had requested and been granted a period of absence; under the arrangement by which he and Smith were appointed, one of them had to be resident on Island. North had thus told Smith that he should relieve Dawson.

The Chapel in Castle Rushen would be intended for the use of the troops barracked within the Castle - the Royal portrait requested was probably that by Alan Ramsay of 1762 showing the young king in his Coronation robes - according to Roberts some 179 copies were made.

This is the final document in file SP 48/2

References

Andrew Roberts George III The life and Reign of Britain's Most Misunderstood Monarch Allen Lane 2021 ISBN 978-0241-41333-3