A course of Military Surveying; including instructions for sketching in the field, plan drawing, levelling, military reconnaissance, etc., and embracing a variety of information on other subjects, equally useful to the traveller and to the soldier: also a particular description of the suverying instruments, commonly employed by military men in the field, with explanations of the methods of using them, and instructions for their adjustment; with plates and diagrams. By Major Basil Jackson, H. P. Royal Staff Corps, and Professor of Military Surveying at the Honorable East India Company’s Military College.

First edition. Printed by John Nichols. Sold by Wm. H. Allen et al. London. 1838. Crown octavo. xvi, 310, (1). (1)pp. 18 engraved plates, of which 3 are folding. Original cloth, gilt to spine, with original price in gilt, embossed blind decoration to boards. Bookseller's plate to fep. Rubbed to extremities. Light sporadic foxing. Water stain to plates 1 and 2. Stamp of Thomas Fletcher to fep and ffeps. A contemporary dated signature of historic interest to fep., edge slightly adhered to ffep at gutter. Includes Mundium to Wallajahpet folding map; Malaga to Granada folding map; Prices of the principal instruments as manufactured by Mssrs Toughton and Simms, Fleet Street.

Rare: 7 copies held worldwide. 4 copies in UK libraries.

JACKSON, BASIL (1795-1889) Netherlands, Waterloo, St. Helena with Napoleon Bonaparte (he spoke fluent French), Canada - Rideau canal construction. Professor at East India Company's college at Addiscombe, where this was the textbook. The Times noted in 1889 he was "one of the four surviving heroes of Waterloo". He is buried at Goodrich, Herefordshire. The Times (24 Oct 1889); C. Dalton, The Waterloo roll call (1890); CGPLA Eng. & Wales (1889); ODNB.

Provenance:

Signature of Major G. Blomefield Necton, Norfolk dated 1838 to fep. [Rider Haggard association]

George Blomefield, son of William Mason, Esq., of Necton Hall, Norfolk, and Elizabeth, daughter of Francis Blomefield, the author of The History of Norfolk. "A Lieut-Col. in the army, who has taken by sign-manual the surname and arms of Blomefield, under the will of the late Francis Blomefield, Esq" (John Burke 1846)

George Blomefield is Listed as Land Tax Commissioner for the County of Norfolk 1838.

National Archives holds: P4/55 Attested copy of declaration (1870) by William Meybohm Rider Haggard of Bradenham Hall, Norfolk, esq. That George Blomefield (né Mason) of Necton Hall, Norfolk, is the heir at law of William Mason, his brother, who died intestate 2 Dec. 1865. Annexed: Copy of burial certificate (1866) of William Mason. 11 Sept. 1877

"Colonel George Blomefield, late of Necton Hall, in the County of Norfolk, deceased (who died on the 18th day of June, 1871, and whose will was proved by William Meybohm Rider Haggard, of West Bradenham Hall… the sole executor therein named." London Gazette January 12 1872.

Rider Haggard describes attempted blackmail in "Diary of an African Journey": "A hard-faced young man hanging about the door pounced upon me and informed me that he was the son of George Blomefield, alias George Mayes [sic]. The illegitimate child of old Col. Blomefield of Necton Hall, Norfolk.