The papers consist of official letterbooks, 1804 to 1810 and 1812 to 1817; a log, 1810 to 1813, which contains entries for the Donegal, the Royal Oak and Malcolm's log as Captain of the Fleet; a book of memoranda relating to actions in America, 1806, 1814 to 1815; a 'journal of events', May 1814 to May 1815, and a signal book. There are further papers relating to Malcolm in the National Library of Scotland.

Administrative / biographical background
Pulteney Malcolm, elder brother of Charles Malcolm (q.v.) entered the Navy in 1778, became a lieutenant in 1783, a commander in 1794 and a captain later in the same year. From 1795 to 1803 he was in the East Indies. In 1804 he went out to the Mediterranean in the Royal Sovereign and, after brief commands in the Kent and Renown, was appointed to the Donegal in 1805. In this ship he sailed with Nelson (q.v.) during the pursuit of the French Fleet to the West Indies and then joined the blockade of Cadiz. The Donegal was at Gibraltar when the battle of Trafalgar was fought and Malcolm hastened to the scene, arriving in time to capture the Spanish ship Rayo and assist with the prizes. He then went to the West Indies with Sir John Duckworth (q.v.) and took part in the battle of San Domingo, 1806. The Donegal was subsequently attached to the Channel Fleet and in 1808 convoyed troops to Portugal. In 1811 Malcolm was appointed to the Royal Oak, off Cherbourg. From 1812 to 1814 he was Captain of the Fleet Lord Keith (q.v.), his uncle by marriage, being promoted to rear-admiral in 1813. In 1814 he took a squadron to America and served under Sir Alexander Cochrane (1758-1832) during the operations in the Chesapeake and New Orleans. During the 'Hundred Days' in 1815 he commanded a squadron in the North Sea and was then Commander-in-Chief at St. Helena from 1816 to 1817. He became a vice-admiral in 1821 and later held commands in the Mediterranean and the North Sea. He was promoted to admiral in 1838.