ADMIRAL

6pp., 12mo. Earlier in 1864, as Captain John Corbett, he had married Georgina Grace, eldest daughter of G. J. Holmes of Brooke Hall, Norfolk. He begins by explaining that he could not answer her note, as he received it 'at Spithead just before sailing for Sheerness': 'As I explained to your Husband I took the note & consequently the address so that when I wanted to send my wedding cards I could only send them to Alexander at the R. L. College.' He continues: 'I am not very long out of harness and am going to try my hand at being a Flag Captain'.

2pp., 12mo. On aged paper, with two ring-binder holes at the head of each leaf. Date stamp in purple ink. He asks for back numbers and future issues of 'The Marvels of the Age or Universe [sic]' to be sent 'to Master David Beatty Hanover Lodge Regents Park'. A postscript concerns 'the engraved Portraits'.

All the silhouettes are cut from black card, and all but one are head and shoulder portraits. 52 are laid down on the rectos of the 17 leaves of a landscape 8vo (23 x 14 cm.) notebook of Whatman paper, stitched with grey wraps. They range from two to eight silhouettes to a page, and with the silhouettes ranging in height from 5.5 cm. to 10 cm. Two others are loosely inserted within makeshift mounts on the last leaf. Two more silhouettes are loosely inserted: the first (9 cm.

Manuscript diary of the purser of the Royal Navy Armoured Cruiser HMS Cornwall, describing Mediterranean and Baltic tours of duty (while Captain W. R. Hall was spying for Britain), with descriptions of golf and other sports and recreations. 'Letts's No. 46 Indian and Colonial Rough Diary Giving Half a Page a Day. 1909'. 12mo, 161pp. Good, on aged paper, in worn boards. Diary proper consists of 210pp., with entries on three-quarters (159pp.) of them (few entries for periods of leave), preceded by two pages with lists of family birthdays and of books read.

Both items 12mo, 1 p. Both good, on lightly aged paper. Pinned to one another. Letter One: He is'enclosing two leaflets on disc manipulation'. He has a third, 'fuller and illustrated', and if they interest Milne, he will be 'delighted'. Letter Two: He had 'much rather be found right than wrong', but would 'enjoy either experience, in meeting you again'. Could see Milne's 'pictures' after easter, and hopes to have 'one or two you may like to see as well'. Dunning had served in the United States Army Medical Corps before going to England to practice osteopathy.

Printed in black and red on piece of thick paper, 88 cm x 103 cm. In fair condition, lightly-aged. Insert map of the Golden Horn, and three sections (one of 'Mark for clearing Stefano Bank'), together with a table of conversion from 'British Units - Metres'. Printed beneath the title are six 'Cautions', with no. 2, relating to 'landing places of cables', printed in red. The title continues '[...] | under the direction of Admiral Hamelin of the French Imperial Navy. Chibuldi Bay to Dikili Rock by the Officers of H.M.S. "Spitfire" 1853.

Folio, 1 p. Twenty-three lines. Text clear and complete. Good, on lightly-aged paper. His mother Lady Napier, who went to town the previous day, has 'taken charge of the 2 Vols of the Athenaeum' his correspondent sent him. 'Lady Napier has promised to call herself at Leicester Square & deliver the books to you'. If he should be in when she calls, Napier asks him to 'explain to her my theory as to the "Sources of the Nile", briefly embodied in the accompanying paper'.

12mo, 4 pp. Forty lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, and with line of glue from previous mount. Following the 'Court Martial of Admiral Fairfax', where 'two out of 3 KCBs' wore 'Epaulettes on a Frock Coat' with 'the Collar or Badge of K.C.B.', all three parties considering themselves to be right, Kerr wishes the matter 'cleared up', Sir Algernon Heneage having officially asked for information.

Seven lines, one page, c.18 x 12cm, some staining, but text clear and complete. As Commander of he Wincheser, he's certifying that Henry A. Norman served as midshipman on the Winchester from 6 Jan. to 12 June 1833 and behaved with diligence, attention and sobriety, & was always obedient to command.

One page, c.19 x 23cm, some foxing, but text clear and complete. As Commander of he Sapphire, he's certifying the Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy that H. A. Norman served as College Volunteer of the Ist Class on Sapphire and conducted himself with Diligence, Sobriety, etc.

One page, c.20 x 16cm, some foxing, but text clear and complete. As Commander of he Sapphire, he's certifying the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy that H. A. Norman served as Midshipman on the Edinburgh from 18 Nov. to [1 Dec. 1835] with diligence, sobriety, etc.

One page, folio, foxed, four small tears with no textual loss, fold marks, text legible and complete. It refers to the order for the examination being given by Admiral Sir Josias Rowley, gives details of his career in the Royal Navy (ship, entry, discharged, time, etc columnised), mention of certificates from his Captains (see #s9958-9962 in my inventory), statement of his competence, signed by three examining Captains naming their ships (Bellerophon , Samuel Jackson, Revenge, William Elliott, and Asia, William Fisher.

One page, c.18 x 11cm, trimmed, some foxing, but text clear and complete. As Commander of he Sapphire, he's certifying that H. A. Norman served as College Volunteer on the Sapphire from 10 Oct. 1832 to [15 Jan. 1833] with diligence, sobriety, etc.

One page, 20 x 16cm, some staining, but text clear and complete. As Commander of he Orestes he's certifying that Henry A. Norman served as midshipman on the Sloop Orestes from 7 Dec. 1835 to the date hereof and conducted himself with diligence, sobriety & attention, and was always obedient to command.

4to, 2 pp. Fourteen lines. Text clear and complete. Begins 'With my wretched attainments as a cricketer & golfer how otherwise can I do credit to my revered Chief and his band of brothers than by trying to keep my wicket up in this job?' Discusses 'those Jokers [members of a club?] whom HM has still to honour': 'we all consider that to be a Joker at all is quite enough for any man'.

Folio, 2 pp. On first leaf of bifolium. Neatly written out by a secretary and signed by Curtis and 'W. H. Brown, acting secretary'. Headed 'By Sir Lucius Curtis, Bt. CB. Rear Admiral of the Red Second in Command of H.M. Ships and Vessels, on the Mediterranean Station and Senior Officer during the Absence of the Commander in Chief on Special Service.' Directing Norman to join 'Her Majesty's Surveying Vessel Bonetti' as Lieutenant, 'until the pleasure of Vice Admiral Sir William Parker the Commander in Chief shall be known'

8vo, 1 p. Text clear and complete. Docketed on reverse 'pour agit | Salles'. Initial bill of eleven items, from '1 jour de Logement 36 [francs]' to café et thé 12 [francs]', amounting to 306 francs. According to the Oxford DNB, 'In April 1814, with Napoleon on his way to Elba, Keith was at La Rochelle supervising the embarkation of Wellington's army for its return to England. He was back at Plymouth on 29 July and hauled down his flag.' This is added to a running bill for 8027 francs, with two extra items (including 'Domestiques'), making a total of 8618 francs.

On piece of card, 4 x 7 cm. Aged and spotted. Reads 'Sir Chas Napier | Merchistoun', with the words centred as usual. Drawing or floor plan in pencil on reverse. From the Paterson papers.

12mo, 2 pp. Bifolium, with the reverse of the second leaf carrying the address ('J. Sykes Esqr: | 22 Arundel Street | Strand', with two postmarks and docketing by Sykes. Nineteen lines. Text clear and complete. On aged paper, with wear to second leaf. Sykes 'will not be surprized to hear' that on the previous day 'Poor Georgina [...] paid the Great Debt'. Colpoys has arranged for her funeral to be 'conducted - in a Decent Private manner', and for her to be buried 'in the Parish of Kensington where she Died - Mr.

On rectangle cut from letter, 7 x 11 cm. On dusty paper. Laid down on page removed from autograph album. Reads 'Wishing you the joys & compliments of the Season, believe me | Your's faithfully, | W. H. Smyth. -' Docketed by Webster at foot: '24/12/56. Admiral Smyth Vice President Royal Society a learned Pundit.' From Webster's autograph collection.

12mo, 4 pp. Bifolium, with mourning border. Thirty-eight lines. Text clear and complete. On aged and worn paper. The context of the letter is explained by a report in The Times of 2 May 1814, which states that, following Napoleon's abdication, 'The Royal Sovereign and Royal Charlotte yachts are to remain in the Downs, to be ready to sail for Calais for the reception of the Emperor ALEXANDER and the other illustrious personages who will shortly visit this country.

One page, c.16 x 17cm, some staining but text clear, trimmed (with loss only to part of a column of MS figures in the top right (total £27), part-printed, filled in in MS. Receipt for £27 from the Exchequer, three months annuity, granted under An Act for granting to her Majesty [Anne] new Duties of Excise . . .

One page, c.19 x 18cm, some staining and minor damage (mainly a few pinholes) but text clear, trimmed (with loss only to MS figures), part-printed, filled in in MS. Receipt for £12.10s from the Exchequer, three months annuity, granted under An Act for continuing one half part of the Subsidies of Tonnage and Poundage, and other Durties upon Wines, Goods, and Merchandizes imported . . .

4to, 3 pp. Bifolium. Twenty-two lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with minor damage repaired with archival tape. Franked, with broken red wax seal and two postmarks, to 'Captain Saml Brown R.N.', at Inverleith House, Edinburgh. Despite the fact that Martin has 'given the Credit of every improvement in the Service', Napier happens to know 'that other people are deserving of more credit than him', and he wishes to 'bring forward some great names like yours' to 'the Lords & the Country' at the second reading of the Navy Officer Bill.

An interesting correspondence, from one maritime expert to another, casting light on German naval attitudes in the period following the Great War. Batsch's father, Admiral Karl Ferdinand Batsch (1831-1898), is regarded as one of the founders of the German navy. Bower, who served for twenty years in the Royal Navy, retiring in 1884 with the rank of Commander, is best known as Imperial Secretary in South Africa at the time of the Jameson Raid. Following the First World War he established himself as an expert in international law relating to naval matters.

On one side of a piece of vellum, dimensions 27 x 32 cm. Neatly folded to make eight rectangles. Red wax seal under paper in top left-hand corner, embossed with the Admiralty anchor. One blue 2s 6d stamp in left-hand margin. Small paper stamp on the reverse, which is docketed 'Ariadne | Capt. Paterson | Admty Conf Comm | 20 Jany 1794'. Text entirely legible on lightly discoloured vellum. The body of the document is printed over fifteen lines, with the specific information added in manuscript.

One one side of a piece of vellum, dimensions 28.5 x 32.5 cm. Neatly folded to make eight rectangles. Red wax seal beneath paper square in top left-hand corner, embossed with the Admiralty anchor. Two blue 2s 6d stamps in left-hand margin. Small paper stamp on reverse. Text entirely legible on discoloured vellum. Four small burn holes in vellum, affecting two words of text. The body of the document is printed over fifteen lines, with the specific information added in manuscript. Headed 'By the Commissioners for Executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain and Ireland &c.

4to: 1 p. 7 lines of text. Docketed on the reverse. Good, on lightly aged paper. That day he went to the Admiralty 'in hopes of meeting Lord Sandwich in order to recommend Mr Paterson [later Admiral Charles William Paterson] to his good will', but he did not see him. When he does, he will 'certainly say everything in that young Gentlemans favor', and he will 'say the same to Lord Howe if I can catch sight of him'. 'Our last news from America are not unfavorable in some respects.'

12mo: 1 p. Five lines. Good, on lightly aged paper, with one minor water stain affecting a couple of letters of one word. Reads 'The Adm[ira]lt[ie]s order for you son's reception as Vol[untee]r 1st. Class in the Victory is arrived, & he may join as soon as convenient'. Docketed by Tonyn on reverse '3d. June 1828 |Sir Robt. Stopford Commr. in Chief Porstmo. respecting my son George'. After Trafalgar the Victory was moored in Portsmouth Harbour off Gosport and used as a depot ship.

12mo, 3 pp. Good, on lightly-aged paper with small light stain to one edge. He has 'been laid up since the party with what appeared to be much the same brand of whopping cough as that indulged in by my children by the present moment!' He is 'shaking it off now' and is 'delighted to hear that your district has achieved the amount aimed at', and is pleased to have 'helped in a small degree towards it'. Written a few months after North's return home in disgrace, after allowing a French squadron pass the Strait of Gibraltar without harrassment in September 1940.