Beschreibung:

Naval Papers. A group of 13 mostly Nelson-era Autograph Letters and related, 1796/1841, including three letters signed from Evan Nepean (1751-1822), 1799/1801, all to Rear Admiral Duckworth, the first (ALS) approving the conduct of Captains Blackwood and Brenton, Master of the St Vincent schooner, the second a cover letter concerning another letter received from a Mr Madden at Liverpool containing intelligence respecting the sailing of a Spanish squadron from Havana to Cadiz, the third marked 'Secret' and 'Copy', to Rear Admiral Duckworth, concerning the safety of the white inhabitants of the island of St Domingo, 'that the intentions of France in respect to its reduction, should not be known to the Blacks and People of Colour; you are not to communicate on any account whatever, the information which has been given to you on the subject, excepting to persons from whom it cannot be withheld without prejudice to the Public Service... '; Two Letters Signed from James Gambier (1756-1833), 1808/09, both to Duckworth, relating to the transporting of the French Army from Portugal to Quiberon Bay, and giving naval instructions; An Autograph Letter Signed from John Thomas Duckworth (1748-1817), signed with Initials, Port Royal, 3 March 1804, to Lieutenant General Rupert, concerning the use of various vessels, corrections and deletions; A statement concerning a Court Martial on board HMS Bellerophon at Port Mahon, 17 April 1799, following an order from Admiral John Thomas Duckworth, signed by 7 Captains including Darley, William Drury, W. Rowell, Robert Campbell and others; A Letter Signed from several Captains on board the sloop Hunter, 10 September 1802, concerning an order from James Richard Darres and reporting that they 'find there are Two Mulatoe Lads on board who entered at Barbadoes on 14 July last', giving further details of their names and trades; an Autograph Letter Signed from William Cross, Spanish Town, 21 September 1802, giving his version of the events to an unidentified officer, 'The officers of the yard have misinformed you, in acquainting you, that I have given an opinion so contrary to reason, as that the Negroes alluded to were proper subjects, to be tried for Murder, because a Boat ran foul of them, in the execution of their duty, by which accident some people were drowned... '; plus 4 others, some occasional browning, a total of 25 pp., mostly folio/4to (Quantity: 13)