NAVAL

A valuable eyewitness account of an historic event. H.M.S. Revenge was the flagship of Admiral Freemantle, and it was to its quarterdeck that Admiral Ludwig von Reuter would be brought in 1919, after issuing the order to scuttle the entire German fleet at Scapa Flow. The text of both items is clear and complete. Both good, on lightly-aged and spotted paper. Letter One (1918): Foolscap (32 x 20.5 cm), 4 pp. In manuscript at head of first page: 'Use this where you like, Dad! Tho' be careful of showing who wrote it.

Manuscript, 8 pages, 4to, chipped (with minor textual loss) and slightly stained, text clear. Convoy and anti-submarine activity. Usually one line description per day but there is a long description of action involved while on convoy duty, encounters with submarines, reinforcements, damaged ships, etc. Their first move was to leave Base on 27th June "in search of Submarine D.6. (overdue) and then carried on to Lamlash". [D.6.

Both letters lightly creased and spotted, but good overall. Letter One (8vo, 8 pp): In stamped, addressed envelope. Begins by asking whether Haydon would consider acting as co-executor to his estate with his wife Flora. Outlines his financial situation and discusses the executor's duties. Turns to 'the naval situation', Haydon's letter on the subject being 'so guarded that it might be nailed up in Trafalgar Square without helping the enemy'.

12mo: 1 p. Five lines. Good, on lightly aged paper, with one minor water stain affecting a couple of letters of one word. Reads 'The Adm[ira]lt[ie]s order for you son's reception as Vol[untee]r 1st. Class in the Victory is arrived, & he may join as soon as convenient'. Docketed by Tonyn on reverse '3d. June 1828 |Sir Robt. Stopford Commr. in Chief Porstmo. respecting my son George'. After Trafalgar the Victory was moored in Portsmouth Harbour off Gosport and used as a depot ship.

On a leaf of pink paper (roughly 16 x 20 cm) removed from an autograph album. Firm signature, 6 cm long, with the initial 'R' blotted by Keyes. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The page bearing the signature is headed, in another hand, 'Famous Men Military and Naval'.

On a piece of paper roughly 7 x 10 cm. Laid down on a piece of card. Fair, rucked and grubby, with traces of previous mount adhering to the reverse. Presmuably in response to a request for an autograph. Reads: 'I wish thee well | [signed] W Gordon-Stables | MD - RN'.

4to, 2 pp. Bifolium. Good, on aged paper. Addressed, with postmark, on reverse of second leaf. Since Wren's letter of the previous May, 'nothing material has occurred to occasion my troubling you'.

On a rectangular slip of paper, roughly 12 x 4.5 cm, neatly torn from a legal document. Good, on lightly aged paper. A firm signature, with parts of other signatures close by on either side. The document, in another hand, reads '<...>re Shillings & foure <...> | <...> the Moneye arisein <...> | <...>f Parliament for <...> | <...> Order thereunto <...> | <...>ise according to the <...> | <...> id Act Dated at th<...> |

4to: 120 + [19] pp. The last 19 unpaginated pages comprise the appendix, divided into 18 parts. Text clear and complete. On aged and foxed paper. Original boards rebacked in leather, with title on spine and new free endpapers. Title-leaf carries no date or printing details. In manuscript scored through on reverse: 'Adjutants Office by order | [signed?] T. G. Gascoigne | Adjutant', with crude drawings. The first section (pp.3-39) is headed 'BY the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, &c.

12mo, 3 pp. Good, on lightly-aged paper with small light stain to one edge. He has 'been laid up since the party with what appeared to be much the same brand of whopping cough as that indulged in by my children by the present moment!' He is 'shaking it off now' and is 'delighted to hear that your district has achieved the amount aimed at', and is pleased to have 'helped in a small degree towards it'. Written a few months after North's return home in disgrace, after allowing a French squadron pass the Strait of Gibraltar without harrassment in September 1940.

8vo bifolium (leaf dimensions 30 x 18 cm): 4 pp. Fair, on aged paper with slight wear to extremities, and minor damage to the area around the breaking of the black wax seal, which adheres, with a clear impression of a crest, to the reverse of the second leaf. Damage to a couple of words: otherwise text clear and complete. Circular 'F' postmark in red ink. Docketed. An impassioned, anguished letter, long and unguarded, and unusual in the valuable light it casts on the state of West Indian colonial affairs. The first three-quarters of the letter from 12 February and the rest from 13 February.

16mo (11 x 9 cm) bifolium, 3 pp, 16 lines of text. Mourning border. Good, with slight discoloration to the external pages. He is sending a manuscript 'At the suggestion of the Author, an officer residing in Paris'. If 'on examination' the recipient considers it 'unsuitable for the pages' of the Gazette, he asks for it to be returned to him at 13 Upper Berkeley Street 'when your messenger happens to pass that way'. The author 'is a man of high character and well acquainted with Paris & the Parisians'.

Scottish naval architect (1860-1936) and shipbuilder, President of the Institute of Marine Engineers. Seventeen items, various formats. In good condition though dusty and creased. Several items docketed and bearing the R.S.A. stamp. Correspondence indicates Denny's involvement in the R.S.A. matters (lecturing, serving on council, etc). LETTER ONE (30 January 1917): Asks for a dozen copies of the R.S.A. Journal. 'We have in our Works here Committees of Workmen collecting money for war charities and I am anxious to let them read Mr.

12mo, 2 pp. Ten lines of text. Good. Asks 'upon what terms' he may 'publish some of the songs I have set from the charming volume you sent me'. He is 'acquainted with the Gentleman' to whom Bennett has dedicated his book: 'it was in his shop I was introduced to Longfellow'. Possibly referring to Bennett's 'A Sea Song' and 'The Sea-Boy's Dream', set to music by Hatton and both published in 1861.

Printed on one side of a piece of laid paper roughly 31 x 19.5 cm. 21 lines. Clear and complete on lightly-aged laid paper with Britannia watermark. Headed 'By the Commissioners for Executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, &c.' and addressed 'To The respective Admirals, Captains, Commanders, and Commanding Officers of His Majesty's Ships and Vessels.' Signed by 'J. Troubridge', 'Jas. Adams', 'W Garthshore' and ('By Command of their Lordships') by 'Wm Marsden'.

One page, on the recto of the first leaf of a bifolium (leaf dimensions 32 x 20 cm). 14 lines. Text clear and complete. On aged and somewhat grubby laid paper with Britannia and 'GATER | 1811' watermarks). Chipping and wear at head and extremities. Printed at head: 'By Sir RICHARD BICKERTON, Bart. Admiral of the White, Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's Ships and Vessels at Spithead, and in Portsmouth Harbour, and on the Guernsey Station.' Written in a secretarial hand and signed by Bickerton and, 'By Command of the Admiral', by Hulbert.

An interesting collection of material relating to an extraordinary woman whose exploits deserve recognition. According to one obituary Mitchell (sister of American General 'Billy' Mitchell) was 'he only foreign woman to serve with the Chetniks', for whom she acted as a dispatch rider. Captured by the Gestapo while swimming at Dubrovnik, 'still in her bathing suit, and with papers on her that would have caused her to be executed without trial, she turned to the agents and asked: "Gentlemen, you will permit me to change my trousers?" They agreed.

12mo (leaf dimensions 22.5 x 14 cm): 12 pp paginated [3] to 14. Lacking (presumed) title-leaf. Unstitched, and consisting of one sheet of paper, 45 x 28 cm, folded twice to make four leaves; and one half sheet, 22.5 x 28 cm, folded to make two leaves. Text clear and entire, on heavily aged and spotted paper chipped at extremities. In an attempt to defend a perceived attack on his honour, W. D. B. prints, with commentary, three letters written by him to the editor of the Naval and Military Gazette, only the first of which was published (6 August 1839).

On one side of a piece of vellum, dimensions 24.5 x 31 cm. Neatly folded to make six rectangles. Entirely legible on discoloured vellum, with one small hole (not affecting text) caused by wear at one fold. The body of the document is printed over nine lines, with the specific information added in manuscript. Also in manuscript at the head: '[By] Sir George B Rodney Bart. KB.

One one side of a piece of vellum, dimensions 28.5 x 33 cm. Neatly folded to make eight rectangles. Red wax seal under paper in top left-hand corner, embossed with the Admiralty anchor. Two blue 2s 6d stamps in left-hand margin. Small paper stamp on reverse. Text entirely legible on lightly discoloured vellum, with one small hole (not affecting legibility of text) caused by wear to a fold. The body of the document is printed over fifteen lines, with the specific information added in manuscript.

On one side of a piece of vellum, dimensions 28 x 33 cm. Folded three times to make eight rectangles. Red wax seal under paper in top left-hand corner, embossed with the Admiralty anchor. One blue 5s stamp in left-hand margin, with '£5: 7: 6' and an illegible signature above it in manuscript. Small paper stamp on the reverse. Text clear and complete on lightly discoloured vellum. The body of the document is printed over thirteen lines, with the specific information added in manuscript.

12mo, 1 p. Very good on lightly-aged paper. Reads 'Dear Mr Wright, | I am sending you a photograph which I hope you will like, | Yours faithfully, | [signed] E R Fremantle'.

Stitched notebook, in original marbled wraps, containing 19 manuscript pages on ten leaves. Leaf dimensions 32.5 x 20.5 cm. On laid paper with Britannia watermark. Good, on aged paper, in worn and creased wraps. Text closely and neatly written, clear and complete. From the Tonyn and Paterson family papers, but not in Paterson's hand. Contains transcriptions, in Paterson's hand, of thirty-three orders, twenty-four of which are addressed to him personally, the other nine being general orders 'To the respective Captains Commanders & Commanding Officers of H.M. Ships & Vessels'.

4to: 6 pp. Unbound. Leaf dimensions 26 x 19.5 cm. A bifolium, with a third leaf attached. Good, on lightly aged and creased paper. With a few manuscript emendations by Paterson. One page is taken up with a copy of a letter, originally dated from Brockhurst House, Gosport, Hants, 1st May, 1860.', but with a manuscript label reading 'Victoria Lodge | Osborn Road, Fareham | Hants | April 15th. 1868' laid down over the printed text. In the original printed text Paterson offers himself as 'a Candidate for the Appointment as GOVERNOR of H.M.

One page on the recto of the first leaf of a bifolium of laid watermarked paper. Leaf dimensions 32 x 20 cm. Text clear and entire on aged and lightly-spotted paper.

All three items 4to. All good, on lightly aged and creased paper. Letter One (2 pp, 14 lines), addressed to 'My Lord'.

4to: 23 pp. Paginated 1-23. Twelve leaves; verso of last leaf blank. No title (presumably none called for). In early twentieth-century marbled boards, with green cloth spine. Text clear and complete, apart from damage to three words on title leaf. Ruckled and stained. Slight loss at head and foot of title, which also has a long closed tear repaired with gummed paper. Ownership inscription of Captain N. F. Duff. An excessively scarce survival, relating to the Battle of Quiberon bay, one of the greatest of English naval victories, rightly described by A. T.

Each item on a piece of laid paper roughly 33 x 21 cm, and each with the same letterhead (with manuscript additions in square brackets] of the 'Armée d[e L'Ouest] | Liberté Égalité | [14e.] Division Militaire | Inspection des Côtes Maritimes. | Département du Calvados.' Both items in very good condition: on lightly aged and creased paper. Both in French.

4to: 1 p. Good, on lightly aged and creased paper. 'I have great satisfaction in acquainting you that a Commission has this day been signed promoting you to the Rank of Rear Admiral of the Blue.' Docketed by Paterson twice on the otherwise-blank reverse '12 Augt. 1812 | Lord Melville informing me I am made Rear Admiral of the Blue'.

Dimensions of print roughly 13 x 17.5 cm. On original grey paper windowpane mount (22 x 28.5 cm). Engraved label (3 x 12.5 cm) beneath the print, with small remarque-style illustrations of the ship and the queen. The print itself is good, although aged and a little worn and spotted; the spotting and aging to the margins and mount is a little heavier. Attractive and unusual item, the image changing when held up to the light. The ship is depicted sailing on choppy seas, and the young queen seated with drapery around her on a verandah with stone balustrades and a landscape behind. Scarce.