Military and Naval History

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Autograph Letter Signed "W. Sidney Smith" to the Prime Minister, the Earl of Liverpool.

Author: 
Admiral Sir [William] Sidney Smith, hero of Acre.
Publication details: 
Paris, 6 Aug. 1818.
£180.00

Four pages, 4to, fair condition. Smith has put a cross through the first page, suggesting a draft - with no loss or obscuring. He believes he has had proof of Liverpool's goodwill towards him and is emboldened to ask that a protege "be included in the next list of Post Captains".

Autograph Letter Signed to "Lord Duke of Buckingham", presumably Grenville, Richard Temple Nugent Brydges Chandos, first Duke of Buckingham and Chandos

Author: 
Admiral Sir [William] Sidney Smith, hero of Acre.
Publication details: 
No 5 Regent Street ([Powells?]), London, 25 July [1830].
£100.00

Four pages, 4to, fair condition. Smith has crossed out page one, suggesting this was a draft. He regrets missing the Duke on whom he waited. He makes strenuous representations on behalf of Dr George Roddam, hoping that Buckingham will support Roddam with the new King (William). He discusses Roddam's experience as Royal Physician to "the late King" (GeorgeIV) and Charlotte, and his services to Smith himself on the "Antelope" and "Pompee", and in Rio de Janeiro.

Autograph Letter Signed to "These / For the Right Honble. the / Principall officers of his Mats. Navy / in London" [address panel].

Author: 
Thomas Walsham
Publication details: 
Plymouth the 14th october 1666.
£350.00

One page, folio, staining and other defects but text legible and complete, as follows (spelling adjusted): "This day the [Sephard?] and Forester arrived here with four ships from Ginny [Virginia] and two from the West Indies bound for London - the Eagle [for "Egell] now in the sound, notwithstanding teh Extreem of weather, the Guernsey in [Catwater] Expecting Cables for her security as [lost], by my last to yor. Hons.

Autograph Letter Signed ('B H Baden Powell') to unnamed Indian District Officer ['My dear Major'].

Author: 
Baden Henry Baden-Powell (1840-1901), author and half-brother of the founder of the Boy Scout movement [Allan Octavian Hume; ornithology]
Publication details: 
Simla; 15 November 1873.
£56.00

Three pages, 12mo. On aged and lightly spotted paper, with loss at head of crease (not affecting text) resulting from removal from spike. Letter of introduction for 'Mr Davison', [William Davison, discoverer of the Andaman Pale Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela davisoni)] 'who is on a visit to explore for its birds. He has been working with Mr. A. O.?>

Fragment of Autograph Letter Signed.

Author: 
General Reibell [French soldier]
Publication details: 
12/09/56
£38.00

On piece of grey paper roughly 10.5 x 13.5 cms. Creased and with some evidence of previous mounting on reverse. Docketed 'From general Reibell commanding in the Haut Rhein - who cut his way into the Tuilleries, & saved Louis Philippe & his Queen; commanded the Cavalry in Paris afterwards, on the jour des revoltees [sic] Etc. -.' Reads 'Je ne regarde pas la partie comme perdue, tout faut, nous causerons de ce qu'ils faudras faire | Tout a vous | G[ener]ale Reibell'.

Loss of The Centaur Man-of-War, In the year 1782. (Written by Capt. Inglefield.)

Author: 
[John Nicholson Inglefield] [Shipwrecks; The Centaur; Naval; Maritime; The Royal Navy]
Publication details: 
Place and date not stated [c.1818?].
£100.00

Eight 16mo leaves ['A4' at foot of recto of first leaf]. Sixteen unpaginated pages. Unbound, in contemporary marble wraps. Aged and slightly stained, but good overall. Dramatic fold-out handcoloured engraving of distressed men in rowboat in turbulent sea, roughly four and a half inches by five wide, captioned 'CENTAU. | Situation of part of the Crew who are leaveing [sic] the Wreck in a Boat.' Closed tear in engraving unobtrusively repaired on reverse with archival tape. Small stamp of the Webster Collection, with manuscript date 1924, on reverse of print.

Document Signed. In French.

Author: 
Bide de la Grandville, French military commander
Publication details: 
Lille, 8 Dec. 1733
£100.00

One page 8vo, some defects, but text clear and complete, body of letter in secretarial hand. De la Grandville asks the magistrates of the town o Lille to provide 140 "fournitures des lits, et de les faire places a la Citadelle pour cazerner les miliciens engage pour l'armee d'Italie, etant necessaire de separer des bataillons qui sont en garrison dans la ville . . ."

Autograph Letter Signed to William Symonds, R.N., with presentation copy of 'Some Remarks on the Rules to be observed in forming a Code of International Signals; with a comparative review of the systems proposed [...] by Captain Levin Joergen Rohde'.

Author: 
Henry Cranmer Phillipps [Henry Cranmer March Phillipps], R.N.; Captain Levin Joergen Rohde, of the Royal Danish Navy, Knight of the Dannebrog; Sir William Symonds
Publication details: 
LETTER: [Avebury, B[uckinghamshire]?], 3 November 1835; PAMPHLET: London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green & Longman, Paternoster-row. 1835. [Printed by Manning and Smithson, Ivy Lane, Paternoster Row.]
£120.00

Full subtitle: 'With a comparative review of the systems proposed by H. Cranmer Phillipps, R.N. and by Captain Levin Joergen Rohde, of the Royal Danish Navy, Knight of the Dannebrog, &c. &c.' The letter was previously attached by four small pieces of red sealing wax on the verso of its blank second leaf to the title-page of the pamphlet. Letter and pamphlet are now detached, with traces of wax adhering to both, but not affecting the text of either. LETTER: 12mo, one page. Good on aged paper.

Romance of 1857.

Author: 
William Tayler, barrister, sometime Commissioner of "the Great Province of Patna".
Publication details: 
[Mulgrave House, Fulham, March, 1875].
£150.00

Pamphlet, 8pp., 8vo, not bound, some faint foxing. William Tayler outlines the experiences he had during the Mutiny when he feeels he reacted to events with greater prescience than Halliday, the Lieut.-Governor of Bengal. Halliday, however, was rewarded for his mistakes and Tayler maligned. He seeks "public recognition of his achievements, quoting distinguished supporters.

On the Drawing Office. Received 13th March, 1895; Read 26th March, 1895.

Author: 
Sir Archibald Denny (1860-1936), Scottish shipbuilder who chaired a 1912 British committee to investigate the Titanic sinking [Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland (Incorporated)]
Publication details: 
Offprint 'Reprinted from the Transactions of the Institution.'; Glasgow: Wm. Asher, Central Printing Works, 80 Gordon St. 1895.
£85.00

Thirteen pages, octavo, and fold-out 'PLATE XXI' (eight and a half inches by twenty-two and a half wide), with nine illustrations, headed 'THE DRAWING OFFICE BY MR. ARCHIBALD DENNY.', by Robert Gardner & Co., Engineering Lithographers, Glasgow. Unbound and stapled. Good, on aged and lightly foxed paper. Original pink printed wraps detached, chipped and with minor loss. PRESENTATION COPY, with front wrap (which has minor offsetting in ink) headed in pencil 'With the Authors Compts'. Ownership inscription of 'H. J. Young | Nov: '95' at head of first page.

Autograph letter signed to [?] Young,

Author: 
Thomas Brassey, 1st Earl Brassey of Bulkeley,
Publication details: 
13 September 1905, with letterhead "SUNBEAM RYS".
£45.00

Politician and maritime administrator (1836-1918). 3pp,12mo. "If you could postpone the date for a week, it would afford me the greatest pleasure to present the testimonial to Canon Simpson. Kindly send me list of a few leading subscriptions as a guide, addressed to Chapel Wood / Nutley / Uckfield. / I am at Milan International Maritime Conferrence last week Septr / Yours faithfully / Brassey"..

Autograph Signatures, with others, on fragment of document authorizing repairs.

Author: 
Vice Admiral Sir George Francis Seymour (1787-1870); Admiral Richard James Meade, Lord Gilford (1832-1907, ltr 4th Earl of Clanwilliam); Admiral Sir William Fanshawe Martin (1801-95) [THE ROYAL NAVY]
Publication details: 
Circa 1856; no place.
£76.00

On both sides of a piece of aged paper watermarked 1855, dimensions three inches by eight and a quarter wide. Good, though a tad grubby, with traces of previous brown paper mount adhering to reverse. Recto reads '[tick] H.C.L. | [in another hand] App? | [signature] . Captain | in Comd of Division. | [in another hand] [signature] C M Collins | 1st Class Asst. Engineer | [in another hand] [signature] Gilford | Lieut in Comd. | [in another hand] Approved for necessary Defects | to be made good. | [signature] G F Seymour | Vice Adml. and Commr. in Chief'.

Substantial Autograph Letter Signed to his sister.

Author: 
"Tom" [surname unknown], sailor (possibly Captain).
Publication details: 
Ship Donna Amelia, Valparaiso, 24 Sept. 1865.
£240.00

Four pages, 4to, minor defects, text complete and clear. Something of a stylist, he first describes the effects of a severe storm on his ship (out of Montevideo). They eventually arrived at Valparaiso, planning to load a "coasting cargo for Callao from there to go to the [Chinea?] Islands to load a cargo of guano". He hoped for a rest but the Spanish Admiral arrived on the 17th "in a splendid steal friggat[sic]". He ordered the Chilean authorities to salute his flag and then he would talk to them. They refused as the 18th was the anniversary of thier independence.

Autograph Letter Signed to James Finn.

Author: 
Stratford Canning
Publication details: 
25 September 1867; Westbrook.
£85.00

Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe, British diplomat (1786-1880; DNB), for many years Ambassador to the Sublime Porte. The recipient, James Finn (died 1872), was British consul at Jerusalem from 1849–1858. 2 pages, 16mo. In good condition. He has sent his correspondent's 'memorandum respecting Abyssinia' to Lord Stanley, 'who is a better judge than I can presume to be of any advantage which might result from putting into practice the suggestions it contains'. He has 'a due sense of the confidence you have shewn me'. Signed 'Stratford de R.'

Archive of papers relating to his employment.

Author: 
George Hazlehurst (1867-1941); Millwall Dock Company; Manchester Ship Canal Company
Publication details: 
1867-1932.
£186.00

20 items. Various formats (see below). Showing signs of age, and with some foxing, fraying and creasing, but in very good condition overall. Collection indicates that Hazlehurst, who was born in Grappenhall, Lancashire, to an illiterate mother, was a capable individual entrusted with responsible positions. ITEMS 1 TO 5: Certified Copies of Hazlewood's birth and marriage certificates (birth certificate in poor condition, but with text entirely legible), his wife's birth and death certificates, and his parents' marriage certificate.

Manuscript document signed by Henry Greenhill "To the respective Officers of his Majs yard near Portsmouth".

Author: 
Henry Greenhill (Commander St Lo)
Publication details: 
near Portsmouth, 4 November 1699
£450.00

Title: "Whereas the Honble Navy Board in their [Letter?] of the 31 Ult: have been pleased to Communicate to me the Severall Articles following which have been laid before my Lords of the Admlty by Cap Geo. S. Lo Comr of his Majs Yard at Plymouth [later known as Devonport] , being such as have Occurred to his Observation Since his residence there, and wherein he conceived his Majs Service hath much suffered" Three pages, small folio, some marking but text clear and complete. Text: Namely: Ist.

Manuscript (possibly part) signed by Strachan and his Gunner, Tho. Lampen.

Author: 
Admiral Sir Richard J. Strachan (as Captain of the "Diamond"[?])
Publication details: 
01/07/96
£750.00

Manuscript, two pages, small folio, good condition, [PAGE ONE] headed "Small Stores Expended in July 1796 , columnised as follows: For what Use Expended (For cleaning the Arms/ Lost amd Broke/ Broke and Unserviceable/ For greasing the Gun trucks & c/ Worn out / For wads and sizings / Burnt); Quality (Oil, priming horns, [Basschings?], tallow, baskets, junk, match); Quantity (Half gallon, etc.).

Part of manuscript list of ships, headed '<...> at this present yeare 1676'.

Author: 
French Navy, 1676 [SAMUEL PEPYS, SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY]
Publication details: 
Without place or watermark.
£1,000.00

On a piece of foxed and discoloured laid paper, dimensions roughly 12 inches by 8 inches. Edges fraying, and with loss to two corners affecting a text and a total of six entries. Cluster of small holes towards one corner, not affecting text. Bearing a circular red stamp, roughly half an inch in diameter, with a central shield surrounded by the words 'FORTE SCUTUM SALUS DUCUM'. Presumably the second of two leaves, with a total of ninety-two ships, numbered 74 to 165, arranged in three columns.

Manuscript (part prob.)signed by Williams as Captain and by the gunner [Jack?] Mathers.

Author: 
Admiral Thomas Williams (then Captain of the "Vanguard).
Publication details: 
01/08/01
£450.00

Two pages, c.8" x 8" (probably lacking half a folio leaf), pages, entitled "An Account of Gunner's Stores returned into Store &c from His Majesty's Ship Vanguard, Sir Thomas Williams, Kt. Captain between the 27th February 1801 and the 30th November 1801, pages columnised under headings: Time return (all 12 August); Place where (all Portsmouth); To whom ([S.L. Spencer?] Storekeeper); Quality (see list below); and Quantity.

Five Autograph Letters Signed to Sir Robert Gardiner, Governor of Gibraltar (1848-55)(DNB).

Author: 
Sir John Hobart Caradoc, second Baron Howden.
Publication details: 
Madrid 1851-1854.
£300.00

Minister Plenipotentiary at Madrid (1850-58?)(DNB). Total 20 pages, 8vo (4) and 4to (1), good condition. Subjects and quotes: (1851) personal loss; "Pray do not hurry yourself about the Documents. God knows there is never any hurry in this Capital!"; health trip to the Sierras; news of the Ministry which "is supposed to have acquired considerable favour at Court for leaving the Queen alone. I have been able to compress the international tendeincies of Miraflores . . . [comment on Electoral Machinery in Portugal and Democrats] ..

Autograph Letter Signed "L. P. D'Orleans", to Col. Moore, IN ENGLISH.

Author: 
Louis Philippe, King of France.
Publication details: 
Thunderer off Cadiz, 14 August 1808.
£850.00

Louis Philippe I, formerly Duc D'Orleans. Two pages, 8vo, minor defects but good condition, saying: "My dear Col: Moore, I have barely time to inform you that . . . I am hurried off to England. . . . Should you arrive at Gibraltar wit a proper permission to attend me, I can only intreat of you to wait there either for me or for some news from me, were I prevented from returning to my dear cousin to whom I am much attached. He was justly very desirous of having an english [sic] officer that might put him / au fait of english manners customs &c.

Autograph Letter Signed "A Cooper Key" to General Gordon.

Author: 
Sir Astley Cooper Key.
Publication details: 
Admiralty, 23 May [1879?].
£125.00

Admiral (see DNB). A difficult hand. Two pages, 8vo, residue of laying down on verso, torn in two which only marginally affects the text, as follows: "My Dear Gordon, / I have had this sketch [?] copied. Many thanks for it and for the paper containing the general's visit to Abyssinia. I have given the [?] to Lord North[?] to read. I look upon . . . [???] the [?] of the Nile as impracticable for an army but I sh[oul]d like to send a small force across the [?] almost at the same time as the [Troops?] go from Suakin to Berber."

Autograph Note Signed to [Wilson Lowry], engraver (see DNB).

Author: 
John George Children
Publication details: 
Montagu Place, Russell Square, 4 August 18[22?]
£100.00

Scientist (see DNB). One page, trimmed 4to, laid down on card, some staining, date smudged, but text clear and complete. "I hope the enclosed will be useful to you in finding the vessell you want for your circumnavigation." Perhaps it relates to Lowry's scientific interests.

Autograph Noted Signed.

Author: 
Edmund Nagle.
Publication details: 
No place, [April 1802].
£100.00

Note trimmed with the loss of a few letters, c.7" x 6", some staining but text clear, as follows: "These are to Certify the Principa[l] officers & Commissioners of His Majestys Navy that Mr Thomas Muir served as Lieutenant onboard His Majesty's Ship Juste under my command from the 15th day of June 1801 to the date hereof during which time he complied with the General Printed Instructions & was not absent Six Weeks at any one time./ Given under my hand onboar[d] the Juste this 10th day of [in another hand] April 1802." Note added in another hand - information about Nagle.

Autograph Note Signed to [Richard Bentley, publishers, prob.].

Author: 
Rev. G.R. Gleig.
Publication details: 
Ash, 16 Jan. 1834.
£66.00

Later chaplain-general of the forces, author (DNB). One page, 4to, slight remnants of laying down process, fold marks but letter in good condition. "I heard today that Allan Breck [pubd by Bentley in 1834] was in circulation in several book clubs in this neighbourhood. If it be so, your people have forgotten to send me any copies. Be so good as let me have five, that I may give them to the Editors of two of our local newspapers, & get them favorably noticed there. / Don't forget the last I sent you . . .".

Autograph Letter Signed "T. Belsham", to Robert Philips, Esq.

Author: 
Thomas Belsham.
Publication details: 
Essex Street, 15 Dec. 1822.
£156.00

Unitarian Divine (see DNB). Two pages, 4to, blank leaf conjoint crudely trimmed with no loss, mainly good condition. He thanks himn for a present of game and discusses health and weather. He then talks about rumours of war and Wellington saying that, as a Spanish grandee, any nation attacking Spain would find him at the head of Spanish troops.

Two documents signed ("Walckenaer" and "Bn Walckenaer"), one manuscript with printed heading "Prefecture de la Seine" and other detail, the other a printed form with heading Institut de France / Academie Royale des Inscriptions et Belles-lettres".

Author: 
Baron Walckenaer [Charles Athanase Walckenaer]
Publication details: 
{Paris} 1816 and 1846 respectively.
£300.00

Geographer, entomologist, pioneer biographer, etc. ("In 1839 he was appointed conservator for the Department of Maps at the Royal Library in Paris and in 1840 secretary for life in the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres.") Total three pages, folio (2) and 4to (1), some damage, but texts clear and complete. (Ist ITEM, 1816) a "Conseil de Prefecture,Seance du Jeudi 17 Octobre 1816 / Present M. Narchand, Champion & LeConte, membres du Conseil, etc".

Autograph Letter Signed, apparently to his publishers Sampson Low & Co.

Author: 
Sir William Laird Clowes
Publication details: 
Sark. 9.9.02.'
£25.00

British naval historian (1856-1905), author of a standard history of the Royal Navy (7 vols, 1897-1903). One page, on piece of stiff paper, roughly four and a half inches by three and a half. In poor condition, discoloured and stained, and with one small hole and some fraying to extremities. Reads 'Thanks for yours of the 8th. | I am afraid that I can only express the hope that you will, in this case, keep the price as low as possible, - as I do not know the business aspects of the question.

Copy of manuscript document 'To The Commissioners for Victualling His Majestys Navy' from 'R. M.'

Author: 
[Maritime History] [The West Indies] [Lord Hugh Seymour]
Publication details: 
His Majestys Ship Carnatio Port Royal Harbour Jamaica November 18. 1801'.
£200.00

4to. 4 pages. In poor condition: on paper creased, discoloured and frayed, with several closed tears, but with the text entirely legible. Apparently a copy, and docketed 'No. 1'. Seymour (1759-1801), the commander in chief at Jamaica, died of yellow fever on 11 September. 'R. M.' begins this unusually forthright document by informing the Commissioners that Seymour's death has caused their 'Letter relative to the public service' to pass under his inspection.

Autograph Letter Signed to unnamed male correspondent.

Author: 
Sir Henry Vane-Tempest, 2nd Baronet of Wynyard
Publication details: 
27 April 1813; London.
£45.00

Wealthy landowner (1771-1813), MP for County Durham, sued by George Stubbs for non-payment for his picture of Vane-Tempest's racehorse Hambletonian. Four pages, 12mo. Good, though grubby and on paper slightly discoloured with age. Tipped in along one edge on leaf removed from autograph album. From this showing little wonder he died of apoplexy. He has received his correspondent's letter containing one from 'Mr Smith'.

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