Autograph Letter Signed ('Charles Geo. Napier | Major Rl. Arty.') from Major Charles George Napier, Royal Artillery, to C. J. Auret, Secretary, Board of Public Roads, Cape Town, tendering for the repair of the Constantia Road, Wynberg, South Africa.

3pp., foolscap 8vo. 60 lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Bifolium. Addressed, with broken red wax seal, to 'C. J. Auret Esqe. | Secretary | Board of Public Roads | Cape Division | Cape Town'. Napier understands that no tender has been received 'for putting in repair the Cross Road leading from Mr. place, to Mr. Henry Dreyer's Bridge on the Constantia Road & from the Bridge to the foot of the Hill leading to Wynberg'. It is 'very evident' to Napier 'that if some means are not immediately taken, that the heavy rains we may expect this winter will render the same totally impassable'. Since he has 'longed to take the same in hand being so contiguous & having the materials' on his property, he offers to 'undertake the job together with the erection of a substantial Bridge on the <?>'. He asks the Board to deposit in the bank, at his disposal, 'the Sum of Two hundred pounds, for the purchase of Carts Horses, & Tools & for the payment of myself & the labourers I require'. He undertakes to 'transmit to the Board from time to time a faithful acct. of my proceedings'. From his 'knowledge of Roadmaking' he considers that he can 'do the thing quick & well - I think the whole job may be completed for four hundred pounds'. He will have to 'suspend all labour' on his own estate while doing the work, and leaves it 'to the consideration of the Board to inform me what they consider necessary for my Services & loss of time'. Napier would appear to have served with the Royal Artillery in South Africa between 1806 and 1813 (Lt, 1806-1812; Capt, 1812-1813), between 1808 and 1811 as ADC to Governor Caledon. On 31 July 1809, at the family home of Tintinhull, Somerset, he married Maria, daughter of Willem Stephanus van Ryneveld, President of the Court of Justice. Napier was seriously injured at Waterloo, and retired to Walmer in Kent, before returning to the Cape, where he died. From the papers of the Napier family of Tintinhull, Somerset.'s?>