VICE-ADMIRAL

[‘Nor will I lose a farthing for all the Generals in the Kings dominions’.] Autograph Letter Signed from future Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Dashwood, concerning prize money for the Danish ship the Venus, captured by him at the Battle of Copenhagen, 1807

Author: 
Sir Charles Dashwood (1765-1847), Royal Navy Vice-Admiral who served during the American War of Independence, French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and War of 1812 [Battle of Copenhagen, 1807]
Publication details: 
‘Franchise [HMS Franchise], Spithead / 16th Feby. 1808.’
£250.00

See his long obituary in the Gentleman’s Magazine, December 1847. This letter, which concerns the prize money for the capture of the 36-gun Danish fifth-rater the Venus, captured by Dashwood at the Battle of Copenhagen, 1807. 2pp, 4to, on the first leaf of a bifolium, the reverse of the second leaf is addressed, with two postmarks, to ‘James Sykes Esqe / Arundle St / London’, and docketed ‘C. Dashwood / 16 Feb 1808 / Recd 17 do’. In good condition, lightly aged, with slight damage to second leaf from breaking open of the wafer. Folded for postage.

[Vice-Admiral Sir George Strong Nares, Arctic explorer and commander of first ship to pass through the Suez Canal.] Autograph Note Signed ('G. S. Nares.') regarding his 'delicate instrument for Alert or Discovery'.

Author: 
Sir George Strong Nares (1831-1915), Royal Navy Vice-Admiral, commander of first ship to pass through the Suez Canal, Arctic Explorer with Challenger Expedition and British Arctic Expedittion
Publication details: 
No date or place [1875?].
£250.00

See Nares' entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. Clearly and boldly written, reading: 'Please give the bearer my delicate instrument for Alert or Discovery | G. S. Nares.' (Wikipedia) "Because of his previous experience in the Arctic, he was summoned from this assignment to take charge of another Arctic voyage in search of the North Pole in Discovery and Alert in 1875, the British Arctic Expedition."

[Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Dundas, Royal Navy officer who distinguished himself at Trafalgar.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Thomas Dundas') to Sir John Philippart, regarding his writing of an article for the Naval and Military Gazette.

Author: 
Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Dundas (1765-1841), Royal Navy officer in American War of Independence, French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and at Battle of Trafalgar [Sir John Philippart]
Publication details: 
Falkirk. 11 January 1832.
£220.00

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with traces of mount, and red wax seal, adhering to the reverse of the second leaf, which is franked (the franker's name and signature illegible) to 'Sir John Phippart [sic] | &c &c | No 8 New Burlington St'. Slight loss to one corner of second leaf, from breaking open of seal, with damage to one word of text.

[Lady Louisa Hardy, wife of Sir Thomas Hardy, Captain of HMS Victory at Battle of Trafalgar.] Autograph Letter in the third person to 'Mr Lahee' (the auctioneer Samuel Lahee), concerning Hardy's consent to requirements in a new house

Author: 
Lady Louisa Emily Anna Hardy (1788-1877), wife of Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy (1769-1839)], Royal Navy officer, Captain of HMS Victory at Battle of Trafalgar [Samuel Lahee]
Publication details: 
9 Queen Street, Mayfair [London]. 15 October [no year].
£250.00

Hardy is immortalised in Nelson's dying request 'Kiss me, Hardy.' Lady Hardy was the daughter of Admiral Sir George Cranfield Berkeley (1753-1818). 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with parts of red wax seal and traces of glue from mount on reverse of second leaf, which is addressed 'To | Mr Lahee | 65. New Bond Street'. Folded once.

[ Vice-Admiral Sir Roger Curtis, British naval hero. ] Autograph Signature ('Roger Curtis') cut from letter.

Author: 
Vice-Admiral Sir Roger Curtis (1746-1816), officer of the Royal Navy, during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars, who distinguished himself at the Great Siege of Gibraltar
Publication details: 
No date or place.
£25.00

On a 1.75 x 4.25 cm rectangle of laid paper cut from letter. In fair condition, lightly aged, with paper from mount on reverse. A neat, firm signature, reading 'Roger Curtis'.

[ Vice-Admiral Philip Howard Colomb, inventor. ] Autograph Note Signed ('P H Colomb'), regarding the adoption by the Admiralty of his system of 'signals for the service of the Fleet'.

Author: 
Vice-Admiral Philip Howard Colomb (1831-1899), Royal Navy officer and inventor
Publication details: 
18 Edith Villas | Fulham S.W. [ London ]. 12 February [ 1867? ].
£220.00

1p., 12mo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. The identity of the recipient is unknown. Reads: 'My dear Sir | You will be glad I am sure to learn that the Admiralty have finally adopted my signals for the service of the Fleet. | Yrs. try | P H Colomb'. A note in pencil on the reverse of the second leaf states that Colomb 'Devised night System known as "Colomb's Flashing Signals"'. Colomb's contributions to naval warfare and signalling were considerable. His evolutionary signal-book forms the basis of the current system of tactical evolutions at sea.

[ Vice-Admiral Robert Hall, Third Lord and Controller of the Navy. ] Letter in a secretarial hand, signed 'Robert Hall', to William Griffith of Derby

Author: 
Vice-Admiral Robert Hall (1817-1882), Royal Navy, Third Lord and Controller of the Navy [ The Admiralty, Whitehall ]
Publication details: 
Admiralty [ Whitehall, London ]. 27 March 1874.
£56.00

1p., folio. In good condition, with light signs of age. Addressed to 'Wm. Griffith Esqre. | Becket Street Chapel | Derby.' Informing Griffith that he has 'laid before My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty the petition from the United Methodist Free Church, Derby, requesting the alteration of the 93rd. Clause of the Marine Mutiny Act'.

Autograph Letter Signed from Lieut. George Thorp to his brother Robert, written while serving on board HMS Aigle off Smyrna, describing two visits by 'Captain Pacha' [presumably Cenaze Hasan Pasha, sometime Grand Vizier]

Author: 
Lieutenant George Thorp (1777-1797) of HMS Aigle or L'Aigle, son of Robert Thorp, Archdeacon of Northumberland [Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha (1713-1790) of Algiers, Grand Admiral of the Ottoman Empire]
Publication details: 
'L'Aigle Smyrna Sept 5th [1795]'.
£750.00

3pp., 4to. 59 lines of text. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed on reverse of second leaf, with two postmarks and a manuscript note by forwarding agents the Frères Smitmer of Vienna, to 'Robert Thorp Esqr | Alnwick | Northumberland | England'. Addressing his letter to 'My Dear Brother', Thorp begins by congratulating him on his wedding: 'Sailors are bad hands at Complements [sic] but I cannot avoid expressing the satisfaction I had in hearing who my new Sister was'.

2 Autograph Letters Signed by Close (both 'C. F. Close') to Dawkins; and one Typed Letter Signed ('H. R. Douglas') from Douglas to Close.

Author: 
Sir Charles Close [Sir Charles Frederick Arden-Close] (1865-1952), surveyor and geographer; Vice-Admiral Sir Henry Percy Douglas (1876-1939) [Sir Wiliam Boyd Dawkins (1837-1929), geologist]
Publication details: 
Close's letters: 17 and 24 April 1926, both on letterhead of Coytbury, St. Giles's Hill, Winchester; Douglas's letter: 23 April 1926, on letterhead of the Hydrographic Department, Admiralty, Whitehall, London, S.W.1.
£100.00

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'.

Thirty-four Autograph Letters Signed to the Secretary, Royal Society of Arts.

Author: 
Vice-Admiral Sir (Henry) Percy Douglas
Publication details: 
1935-8; on letterheads including 18 Dealtry Road, Putney, and 34 Waterloo Mansions, Dover.
£180.00

British sailor (1876-1939), hydrographer of the Royal Navy (1924-32), inventor of the Douglas Protractor and the Douglas-Appleyard Arcless Sextant. Various formats from 12mo to octavo. Very good, some docketed and/or bearing the Society's stamp. Relating to the business of the Society, and in particular to a lecture by Douglas involving film of the Manchester Ship Canal.

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