The papers consist of logs, 1738 to 1744, an official letterbook, 1711 to 1738, a private letterbook, 1721 to 1740, and two order books, 1711 to 1728 and 1739 to 1741. There are some commissions and an abstract of orders received, 1739 to 1743.

Administrative / biographical background
Graves was promoted to commander in 1709 and captain in 1713. In the summer of 1711 he was in command of the WINCHESTER for a few months. From 1711 to 1714 he commanded the DUNWICH, stationed mainly in home waters, but was sent in 1713 to take news of the conclusion of the Treaty of Utrecht to Bermuda and the American colonies. Graves was unemployed from 1714 to 1728, in which year he took command of the ASSISTANCE, guardship at Plymouth. In 1733 he was appointed to command the SWALLOW and the next year was with Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Norris at the Tagus. In 1738 he was captain of the PRINCESS LOUISA and in November of the same year commissioned the NORFOLK. In 1740 he was sent to the West Indies and took part in the attack on Cartagena. Still in the NORFOLK, he was ordered to the Mediterranean in 1742 where he transferred to the MARLBOROUGH. He had no service after 1743 and became a rear-admiral in 1747.