Three Autograph Letters Signed (all 'George Baden-Powell') from Sir George Smyth Baden-Powell, brother of the founder of the Scout movement Robert Baden-Powell, to the publisher P. S. King, regarding the publication by the firm of his pamphlets.

The three items in fair condition, despite slight damp damage. The three letters are each 2pp., 12mo, on a bifolium. The first two letters concern his pamphlet 'England Crushed', which was published by the firm in 1882 under the pseudonym of 'Vindex', and has been attributed to William Garson. It is interesting to see that the pamphlets are printed up and ready for sale within eleven days of Baden-Powell's proposing them to the firm. Letter One: 18 April 1882. Headed 'Private'. He enquires '1) What would it cost and 2) How long would it take - to print and publish' a pamphlet 'to assist a definite natural purpose - partly served by the scheme of which enclosed prospectus [not present] tells something'. He enquires about possible prices for the 'Brochure', whose title he gives as 'England Crushed'. The letter concludes: 'There is need for Despatch!' Letter Two: 27 April 1882. He is sending 'a possible list of what might appear this next seven days' in the nature of advertisements (not present), as well as 'specimens of short advertisements'. He states that he will himself deal with an advertisement in the Pall Mall Gazette, and that he is 'taking steps to get the Pamphlet noticed in various papers'. He assumes that copies will be for sale on the coming Saturday (29 April), 'for people going into the country'. Letter Three: 7 December 1885. Having just returned to Tite Street he is surprised to find three pamphlets in King's 'monthly list of November': 'I am glad to hear these articles have so appeared but I should be much obliged for information as to how they came to assume pamphlet form'. None of the three pamphlets ('English Money in South Africa'; 'Result of Protection in Young Communities'; 'A Last Word on Sugar Bounties') appears to have been published by King.