Military and Naval History

Erskine, who died in 1806, was the grandson of the 27th Earl of Mar. 3 pages, 8vo. In very good condition. The letter, addressed to 'your Excellency', concerns 'The Honble. Captain Cunningham who had resigned a Troop of Dragoons on the Irish Establishment to go upon Service with the same rank in my unfortunate Regiment of Swiss Chasseurs'.

4to, 1 p, 9 lines. On behalf of his 'Committee' acknowledging his correspondent's 'kind letter with its generous contribution to the funds of our Campaign', adding 'a message of individual thanks from myself to you for your mostt encouraging support'. 'Our Campaign is prospering, and we hope soon to complete our success by the early expulsion of the Reds.' His correspondent's 'welcome help' is of 'great value'.

4to, 2 pp, 18 lines. Text clear and entire on aged, creased paper, with pin holes and indentations and slight smoke-staining in right-hand margin of first leaf (not affecting text) and on the blank reverse of the second leaf. The late response to Hurd's letter of 13 March is due to 'a clerical oversight and the illness and absence of the writer'. Gives details of the amount of coal carried by the 'Blanco Encalada', 'Hai Chi' and 'Buenos Aires', as well as their bunker capacity and normal supplies. He also refers to the 'Astraea' and the 'Japanese Battleship "Yahsima"'.

Written on both sides of the card, dimensions 5.5 x 9 cm. Good, with a little light scuffing on the front. Communication between two leading lights of French nineteenth-century mathematics. Printed text reads 'VICE-AMIRAL DE JONQUIERES | MEMBRE DE L'INSTITUT | AVENUE BUGEAUD, 2'. Asks Lalanne to 'inscrire Monsieur Bonnaffé, lauréat de l'Institut, parmi les lecteurs'.

12mo, 3 pp. Ruckled and stained, with the verso of the second leaf of the bifolium (carrying the address) laid down on a leaf detached from an autograph album. The 'Royal Family of France' are causing 'a very deep interest' and 'a portion of them have found their way to this Island'. He reports that the 'Duchesse d'Orleans and her two Sons, and the Duc de Montpensier have arrived here from Granville - they were brought over by a Jersey Boat the Master of which has been most liberally rewarded'.

12mo, 3 pp. Good on lightly-aged paper. He has 'written to the necessary authorities' about his correspondent's son. 'Of course it will largely depend on which Slade [Lt-Gen. Frederick George Slade (b.1851), C.B.] says about him, as I do not know your son personally - though his record reads an exceptionally good one.' He is sorry to hear about his correspondent's brother's death: 'he was always very kind' to Rundle.

4to, 2 pp, 25 lines. Good, on slightly discoloured and grubby paper. Watts takes issue with 'The statement of British Shipbuilding Programmes since 1889' which Hurd has forwarded. 'It was found more convenient to draw up the table again', and Watts is sending 'the result of the investigations which have been made' (table not present). He is in 'complete agreement' with the 'statements under the headings of Battleships, Armoured Cruisers and 1st. class Cruisers', but 'Under the headings of 2nd. and 3rd.

Printed handbill, 2pp., 8vo, edge attached to card, bottom edge curled but text complete. At the top the words "N.B. This narrative of events is not to be taken into the trenches". Obviously an account of a German atttack dealt with and returned by Indian regiments, issued in this form for morale-boosting. Laid down on reverse printed Christmas greetings from Sir John French, Xmas Day, 1914 (a "Special Order of the Day"). Two items,

All three letters good, on lightly aged paper. Close's first letter (12mo, 2 pp): He is pleased to hear 'that Professor O. T. Jones is convalescent and back at work'. Close will write to him to ask if he will take part in the 'Commission' on the 'Terrasses littorales'. Having none 'handy', he is writing to the Admiralty Hydrographer for a 'list of Admiralty Charts'. The Closes have 'settled to take a house in Jersey for the children's holidays', so there is 'little chance of our being at Oxford for the British Association meeting'.

8vo (23.5 x 18.5), 2 pp. Signature cut away, resulting in loss of 3.5 x 10 cm rectangle from corner at bottom and affecting four lines of text on recto. Otherwise good, on lightly aged paper with thin strip from brown paper mount adhering to inner margin on reverse. 37 lines of text (four with loss). An interesting letter written during his final illness. He begins by confirming the report which has reached the recipient of Gardner's 'having been very seriously indisposed'.

Four pages, 12mo. Good, on aged paper with one half-inch closed tear. Claims to be 'compiling an historic book [...] which has been left to the nation', and asks for his contribution. Provides a full-page list from the 'over 500 Autographs'. The collection 'could not be complete without' Montgomery's 'honoured name'. Asks for 'a few words (as many others have done) on the blank side so as to keep this for Gen Alexander & others who took part in your campaign'. Congratulates him on his 'brilliant Victory'.

The two items one page, on both sides of an octavo sheet. Good, with unobtrusive strip of glue along one edge of Davis's side of the leaf. Davis is 'endeavouring to make a collection of autographs of the leaders of the United Nations, and especially of the British Commonwealth of Nations', and lists those he has already acquired. Willis encloses an 'autograph card' (not present) and suggests that Davis try '(a) Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Olivier, who is now 88 and was one of the Naval Leaders of World War I. He has been an A of F for over 25 years!

Octavo: 28 pp. Stabbed. In original blue printed wraps. Advertisements on back. On browning high-acidity paper, in chipped and worn wraps with damp staining to edges at rear. 298 items. Items 95-141: 'Signers of the Declaration of Independence and Presidents of the United States.' Scarce: no copy on COPAC, which does record one copy of a catalogue of a sale of Morrell's books by the same firm in 1866, and two copies of a catalogue of a further sale in 1869.

12mo, 3 pp, 35 lines. Good, on lightly aged paper, and with a thin strip from mount adhering at head of blank verso of second leaf of bifolium. Discusses 'the restriction on the importation of paper and paper making materials', imposed 'with the object of securing more tonnage space in incoming vessels'.

Two pages, 12mo. Very good, on lightly creased paper. He is sending five autographs to add to her collection and is 'sorry not to have those of distinguished men of later dates but I am quite out of the service now'. Wonders if she knows his 'very dear friend General Nicholson who is living now at St. Andrews. He and his wife are among our dearest friends.' He 'saw the Godfreys last week - both well.'

All eight items are 4to, 1 p, and good on lightly aged paper. Seven items bearing the Society's stamp and four docketed. The correspondence concerns a talk given by Pearson to the Society, 'on the subject of the training of the soldiers blinded in the War'. On 19 October 1916 Pearson writes: 'I am a little afraid that I cannot properly carry out the suggestion you so kindly make. I am quite blind, and therefore am unable to read a paper.' The 'preparation of a formal paper' would 'demand more time than I am able to spare at present.

Foolscap bifolium: 1 p. Worn, and on discoloured paper, but with text clear and entire. Thirteen lines of text.

On piece of laid paper, dimensions 6 x 11 cm. Good. Clearly complying with a request for an autograph. Reads 'With much pleasure | [signed] Napier of Magdala | March 1884'.

Dimensions of paper roughly 4 x 6.5 cm. Good, although with slight wear at left and small part of loop at beginning of signature crossing over a printed vertical line. Docketed in pencil 'Lord Treasurer'.

On piece of card roughly 3.5 x 7 cm. Good, though slightly discoloured. Reads '[signed] Admiral | Lord Ams. Beauclerk', beneath which, in a contemporary hand, 'Port Admiral | of Plymouth'.

On piece of grey paper roughly 2 x 8.5 cm. Discoloured and with some glue staining. Mounted on larger piece of paper docketed 'Sudan Egypt'. Reads 'Yours very sincerely | [signed] Reginald Wingate'.

The collection is in good condition, with occasional light creasing. The 'Regulations' ('ON HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE') consist of four pages printed on a folio bifolium. The other printed item, in facsimile handwriting, dated '15.11.51' (and dated in manuscript 'Horse Guards 1st.

The majority of the material is on leaves of foolscap paper. The collection is in good condition: lightly aged and with some wear to extremities. Assembled by Lever during the course of his training as an officer in the Fiji Defence Force, it gives a valuable insight into colonial military procedure. Occasional manuscript additions and corrections. Arranged in four folders. FIRST FOLDER ('H.M. Customs, Fiji.') contains: ONE: [2 pages] Army School of Instruction. New Zealand Expeditionary Force 1940. War Equipment Tabel. Infantry (Rifle) Battalion. TWO: [5 pages] Army School of Instruction.

Four pages, 8vo, good condition. Much is indecipherable to me but he appears to hope his correspondent will read something referring to Scutari, says he would have sent a duplicate (article?) but "it is in print". He refers to the Prince [Albert] and considering the "exhibition of folly we have already made at Scutari we need not allow the Queen to become ridculous in the eyes of Orientals - better send the 2 [?] from [?] . . . pigtails and all to personate Castor & Pollux or any other Gods of cavalry & Shipping . . . fallen brave . . .

Letter One (12mo: 4 pp, to 'My dear Mr Nichols', good, on discoloured paper): Explains that he has given 'a note of introduction to a most particular friend of mine Mr Lawrence of Ipplepen near Totnes and Launceston Cornwall'. Lawrence 'was a great friend of the late Mr Arundel of Landulph' and is 'a great friend of Mr Bray of Tavistock'. He is 'a man of ancient Cornish descent & from its first families'. Spence thinks Nichol will find Lawrence 'a valuable West Country Correspondent, well up in County history and nothing loth in the pursuit of antiquarian lore[.

Octavo: 18 pp. Unbound: stabbed and unstitched. First leaf and leaves with pp. 15/16 and 17/18 loose. Leaves with pp.3/4 and 15/16 half-separated. Paper discoloured and chipping at edges. Extends to 918 lots. The odd number of leaves implies the loss of a final leaf, possibly bearing text. Stamp of the Public Library Ford Collection. Docketing in pencil notes a duplicate at the New York Public Library. No other copy traced.

Octavo: 16 pp. Stitched and unbound. In original brown printed wraps. Dogeared, and on slightly discoloured paper. Wraps creased and worn. According to a prefatory note by Hamilton (dated 'London, May 28th, 1816'), a 'Statement of Facts, relative to the Trial which took place in the Court of King's Bench, on the 23rd of February last, (in which Mr. John Walker Anderson, the Plaintiff, obtained a Verdict of £2000 Damages for false Imprisonment, whilst in Heligoland, against Lieutenant-Colonel Sir William Hamilton, late Lieutenant-Governor of that Island, the Defendant'.

(1699-1747). One leaf, dimensions roughly eight inches by ten. Printed text with manuscript additions on recto; docketed on verso 'Right Hon Pattee Byng afterwards Earl of Torrington Treasurer of the Navy 1729- Brother of the unfortunate Admiral John Byng'. Good, but grubby, and with slight loss at head and in centre (affecting five words of text). 'Received then of [Lord Parker one of the Four Tellers of his Majesty's Exchequer] the Sum of [One hundred Twenty one thousand four hundred and sixteen pounds seven shillings and Eleven pence] in further Part of an Order, Dated the [10th.

See DNB for both van Straubenzee and E.A. Inglefield (the latter Admiral and explorer (1820-94). One page, folio. Van Straubenzee feels it is important to visit Gozo "during this month on duty", and asks if Inglefield will be good enough to "grant [him] a steamer" on a named day, Inglefield's note is vertical in the margin, saying "Submitted for the information of the Commander in Chief, observing that the "Escort" has been lent for this service. / Dockyard, 3 Nov. 1875 ./ EA Inglefield AdmlSupt".

Statesman (1771-1851); First Lord of the Admiralty, 1812-27, after whom Melville Sound was named. Three pages, quarto. Very good if a tad grubby.