TUNNEL

12pp., 8vo, spine reinforced, covers(pp.1-2) grubby, small closed tear, mainly good condition. I counted three copies of this, the first, edition on COPAC.

The three items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. All three items are excessively scarce, with no copies of any of them located on either COPAC or WorldCat. ONE (circular letter): 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Date number '25' and Shepherd's name added in manuscript.

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'.

This excessively-scarce work is little noticed: Bramwell's interest in the subject is not even noted in his entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 28pp., 12mo. In original brown wraps. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with slight marking at head of wraps. The drop-head title reads: 'Royal Institution of Great Britain. | WEEKLY EVENING MEETING, | Friday, May 19, 1882. | WILLIAM BOWMAN, Esq. LL.D. F.R.S. Honorary Secretary and Vice-President, in the Chair. | SIR FREDERICK BRAMWELL, F.R.S. M.R.I. | The Making and Working of a Channel Tunnel.

4pp., 4to. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. An important document, not least for the fact that its author discusses the building of a 'tunnel 4 or 5 miles through the [Hoosac] mountain', anticipating the commencement of the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel by 23 years. The letter is closely and neatly written, with the first page headed 'The following Results of my surveys and levels, in the valley of Deerfield River, are respectfully submitted to the Commissioners of Canals, in Massachusetts. | Viz.

8vo, 60 pp (paginated 3873-3932). Disbound. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Royal crest at head of first page, beneath which: 'Anno Quinto Georgii IV. Regis. | Cap. clvi. | An Act for making and maintaining a Tunnel under the River Thames, from some Place in the Parish of Saint John of Wapping in the County of Middlesex to the opposite Shore of the said River in the Parish of Saint Mary Rotherhithe in the County of Surrey, with sufficient Approaches thereto. | [24th June 1824.]'.

Dimensions of print roughly 12.5 x 18 cm. On original white paper windowpane mount (23 x 28.5 cm). Engraved label (3 x 9.5 cm), with text printed in gilt on navy blue paper. Bright, clean impression, on discoloured mount with creased label. Depicts fashionably dressed pedestrians proceeding along the length of the tunnel. Two children play on the cobbled central track. A series of small holes have been neatly cut within the alcoves of the tunnel. On display of the print within a lightbox, these would simulate the gas lighting used to illuminate the tunnel.

Dilke, the 2nd Baronet (1843-1911), was a disgraced politician and author. All items 12mo and very good. All three docketed, bearing the Society's stamp, and signed 'C. Wentworth Dilke'. The first item is addressed to Menzies personally and the other two to 'The Secty.' ITEM ONE: one page. He has received the letter of 9 February and is 'pleased to send you a subscription though not much in town'. ITEM TWO: two pages. Would like to know 'whether ladies are admitted as guests and how often'.