[ The New Asbestos Company, Limited, London. ] Prospectus with application form, accompanied by reports by Sir Douglas Fox, T. J. Scoones and C. Lacoste.

The three items in fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with light damp staining to the Prospectus. ONE: Prospectus. 4pp., tall 8vo. Bifolium. First page headed 'Contractors to the French Government, Naval, Military, and State Authorities. | The New Asbestos Company, Limited. | Incorporated under the Companies Act, 1862 to 1886, whereby the liability of each Shareholder is limited to his Shares. | Capital - - £120,000, | Divided into 30,000 Shares of £4 each. | [Shares £4 Each (= 100 francs) have been adopted to suit the convenience of French applicants.] | Issue of 25,000 Shares, | [...]' The prospectus follows a list of the Company's officers, and begins: 'This Company has been formed to acquire, carry on as a going concern, develop and extend a very important Asbestos industry, thoroughly established and in complete working order, known as the "Société Française des Amianes," of Tarascon.' It includes descriptions of 'Asbestos Properties' ('viz., sixty-two in Italy, of an area of over 700 acres, and six in France, of an area of about 8 acres, producing some of the finest Asbestos in the market, and the possible output of which is of so extensive a character that several hundred workmen could at present be profitably employed in extracting it from the mines [...]'), 'Buildings, etc.', 'Factories', 'Goodwill, etc.', 'Depots', 'Agencies', 'Discoveries and Patents' and 'Gold Medals, etc.' The final page is printed lengthwise with title in customary manner, and includes the company's 'Memorandum of Association' in small print. TWO: Perforated application form. 1p., 8vo. THREE: Paper (4pp., tall 8vo, bifolium) headed 'Issued with the Prospectus of | The New Asbestos Company, Limited.' Containing five 'Reports' and seven 'Certificates'. The reports are by 'Sir Douglas Fox, Member of the Council of the Institution of Civil Engineers. | T. J. Scoones, Esq., Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. | C. Lacoste, Esq., late Engineer Paris, Lyons and Mediterranean Railway, and Government Engineer of the First Order. | P. Vidal, Esq., Manager and Director of the Tarascon Works. | T. J. Scoones, Esq., Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, as to Purchase Price of £84,000.' From the papers of Sir Richard Harington (1835-1911) of Ridlington, 11th Baronet.