Beschreibung:

Berkeley (Sir George Cranfield, 1753-1818). Four letters to Sir Charles Stuart Baron Stuart de Rothesay (1779-1845), envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary at Lisbon, 1811-12, comprising: 1. Autograph letter signed as commander-in-chief on the coast of Portugal, [no place], 7 April 1811, on subversive activity at the Portuguese court in exile at Rio de Janeiro ('I have just recieved letters from Rio Janeiro in which I find that Sousa has stated to his brother, who has suggested it with too much success to the Prince [the future King João VI], that the interference of the English relative to the deportees is a direct infringement of his royal prerogative ...', unaddressed but evidently to Charles Stuart marked 'private', single sheet written on both sides, 4to (23.8 x 18.3 cm), 2. Letter signed as as commander-in-chief on the coast of Portugal, Lisbon, 9 April 1811, returning 'a copy of a letter you had received from [Portuguese general and secretary for war] D[om] M[iguel] Forjaz together with the various orders transmitted to General Trant at Porto, relative to the Danish Vessels at that place ...', addressed at foot 'His Excellency the Right Hble Charles Stuart', single sheet written on one side, remnant of seal verso, folio (32 x 19.6 cm), 3. Autograph letter signed as commander-in-chief on the coast of Portugal, [no place], 27 April 1811, requesting a reference for an unknown visitor to HMS Barfleur and seeking a meeting ('I have received some very particular intelligence, which I want to communicate to you in private ...'), addressed verso to 'His Excelcy Rt Honble C Stuart' with wax seal extant (showing through recto), single sheet written on one side, small chip at one corner, 4to (19.7 x 16 cm), 4. Autograph letter signed, Wood End, Chichester, 23 August 1812, apparently Berkeley's first letter to Stuart following his retirement and return to Britain, discussing the victory at Salamanca, the possibility of honours for Berkeley and Stuart, audiences with Lord Castlereagh, and social matters, addressed to 'His Exclcy Rt Hoble C Stuart', marked 'private' at head, single bifolium, written on all 4 sides, toned, browned along edges of first leaf recto, 4to (23.9 x 20.2 cm) (Qty: 4) Berkeley was appointed commander-in-chief on the coast of Portugal in December 1808; in July 1810 he was promoted admiral and named lord high admiral of Portugal by its prince regent. His actions in support of Cradock and then Wellington were instrumental in the allied defeat of the French in the Peninsular War. Sir Charles Stuart undertook intelligence gathering with the provincial juntas in French-occupied Spain (1808-10) and afterwards 'made himself indispensable to Wellington' as minister at Lisbon (1810-14) and member of the Portuguese regency council. He later helped negotiate the treaty by which Brazil became independent from Portugal.