MUNITIONS

[ Ministry of Munitions, First World War: Banbury factory. ] Two post cards, each with printed poem: 'An Appreciation' (of women workers), 'Composed by G. Gilbert, Munition Worker' and 'An Answer to "An Appreciation." By One on “The Other Shift.”'

Author: 
'Mr. G. Gilbert, Munition Worker' and 'One on "The Other Shift"'[ Ministry of Munitions National Filling Factory No. 9, Banbury, Oxfordshire, in the First World War; The Banbury Advertiser ]
Publication details: 
Both dating from the First World War. The 'Answer' published from '"Advertiser" Office, Banbury.' [ Oxfordshire ]
£150.00

Two First World War postcards, with the poems printed in black lengthwise on one side, and 'POST CARD' and the usual arrangement printed on the other side. Neither item with any manuscript text or other additions. Both in fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Valuable artefacts, filled with information about the workings of a munitions factory, and reflecting the tensions between the male and female workers. No other copies traced, either in the Imperial War Museum, on OCLC WorldCat, or on COPAC. ONE: Headed 'An Appreciation. | (Copyright.)' At foot: 'Composed by Mr. G.

[ First World War: proposed British Parliamentary legislation. ] Typescript of 'Skeleton Draft of a Bill prepared in August 1914.', proposing to 'organise and make fully effective the services which every subject of the Realm is bound to render'.

Author: 
[ First World War, compulsory service on the Home Front: proposed British Parliamentary legislation, 1914; the Houses of Parliament ]
Publication details: 
[ London? Circa August 1914. ]
£320.00

An anonymous document, clearly the work of a member of the British Parliament. Typescript of 12pp., folio. With retrospective title page in neat manuscript, reading: 'Skeleton Draft of a Bill prepared in August 1914. | How many troubles and disasters might have been saved if some such scheme had been carried out.' A few minor emendations in the same hand. On 'British Loan' Britannia wove paper. In good condition, with light signs of age and wear.

[Halifax Explosion, Nova Scotia, Canada, 6 December 1917.] Twelve postcards of scenes of devastation by the largest non-nuclear man-made explosion in history, by Underwood & Underwood of New York.

Author: 
Underwood & Underwood, N.Y. [Halifax Explosion, Nova Scotia, Canada, 6 December 1917]
Publication details: 
Copyright Underwood & Underwood, N.Y. [New York.] 'Novelty Mfg. & Art Co., Limited, Montreal [Canada]'. Undated [1917 or 1918].
£100.00

The largest man-made explosion before the the development of nuclear weapons, with a force equivalent to nearly 3 kilotons of TNT, occurred when the French cargo ship SS Mont-Blanc, laden with wartime munitions, collided with the Norwegian vessel SS Imo in the Narrows, a strait connecting the upper Halifax Harbour to Bedford Basin. The explosion devastated the Richmond District of Halifax, killing 2000 and injuring 9000. Each postcard carries the words 'Copyright Underwood & Underwood, N.Y.' next to the caption beneath the image, with 'Novelty Mfg.

Autograph Letter Signed ('P-N. Bonaparte.. | Repr. du Peuple'), in French, from Pierre-Napoleon Bonaparte to Lieutenant-Colonel Lherbette, requesting that Samuel Colt be admitted 'aux expériences de tir des carabines à tige des chapeurs à pied'.

Author: 
Pierre-Napoléon Bonaparte (1815-1881), son of Lucien Bonaparte, deputy for Corsica to the Constituent Assembly of 1849 [Samuel Colt (1814-1862), inventor and manufacturer of the celebrated revolver]
Pierre-Napoléon Bonaparte (1815-1881), son of Lucien Bonaparte, deputy for Corsi
Publication details: 
2 September 1849; Paris.
£280.00
Pierre-Napoléon Bonaparte (1815-1881), son of Lucien Bonaparte, deputy for Corsi

12mo, 3 pp. Thirty-six lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed by Bonaparte, with stamp, red wax seal and postmarks, on reverse of second leaf, to 'Monsieur le Lieutenant-Colonel Lherbette Adt. au comm. de l'artillerie dans la 1re. division militaire | Vincennes'. Were he not leaving for the country, he would have presented in person 'Mr. Colt, citoyen des Etats-Unis, inventeur d'un ingénieux système d'armes à feu à plusieurs coups'.

Two Typed Letters Signed "E.W. Moir", Comptroller of Munitions Inventions, to The Secretary, Royal Society of Arts

Author: 
[Ernest Wm Moir] E.W. Moir, Comptroller of Munitions Inventions
Publication details: 
Ministry of Munitions, Princes Street, Westminster, [London], SW, 4 and 7 Oct. 1915.
£125.00

Total 3pp., folio, fold marks, good condition. He asks the Scretary of the RSA to "draw the attention" of members to "to the fact that the Munitions Inventions Department, which ...

Collection of papers relating to the military career of General Sir William Cator, from the Peninsular War to the Crimean War (during which he was Director-General of Artillery). Comprising three commissions, a printed memoir, five manuscript items.

Author: 
General Sir William Cator (1785-1866), K.C.B., Royal Artillery, Director-General of Artillery during the Crimean War [British Army; Peninsular War]
Collection of papers relating to the military career of General Sir William Cato
Publication details: 
London, Constantinople and other places. From c. 1853 to c. 1866.
£450.00
Collection of papers relating to the military career of General Sir William Cato

An short account of Cator's career is to be found in the Gentleman's Magazine for June 1866. This collection of nine items is of particular importance, considering the fact that - remarkably for such a distinguished figure - he was not accorded a Times obituary, and has no entry in the Dictionary of National Biography. The absence of biographical material may be due to the contemporary criticism of Cator's department for its handling of the provision of supplies during the Crimean War. All items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with texts clear and complete.

Reports and Translations No. 234. The Hydrodynamical Fundamentals of Heat Transfer.

Author: 
Alexis von Baranoff [Ministry of Supply (Air), Völkenrode]
Publication details: 
M.O.S.(A) [Ministry of Supply (Air)], Völkenrode: June 1946.
£150.00

Not published. Cyclostyled on the rectos only. 8vo: 165 pp followed by 28 pages of 'figures'. Contained in a buff 'Apex Vertical Filing Folder'. Very good, on aged paper. Complete and clear. Stamped 'UNCLASSIFIED' on front cover, with manuscript reference 'GVC/54T'. Preface reads 'The present work is the English rendering of a partly revised German manuscript which the Author prepared for the Leipzig publishers Bibliographisches Institut to be published as volume 49 of their series Meyers kleine Handbücher.

Autograph Letter Signed to Sir H[enry]. T[rueman]. Wood, Secretary, Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
John Allen Harker
Publication details: 
9 February 1916; The National Physical Laboratory, Teddington (on deleted letterhead of the National Liberal Club).
£28.00

Inventor and engineer (1870-1923), whose papers are held by the Royal Society. During the war Harker was in the Inventions Department of the Ministry of Munitions. One page, 12mo. Good, if slightly grubby. Docketed in pencil and bearing the Society's stamp. Reads 'I send herewith a short contribution to the discussion of Dr Flemings paper at which I was present but in which on account of lack of time I did not feel it desirable to take part verbally.' Signed 'J. A. Harker'.

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