![HANDWRITTEN LETTER (ALS) FROM THIS WHALING CAPTAIN [to N & WW Billings, New London, Connecticut] DATELINED AT CAPE VERDE ISL., JUNE 19th, 1833](https://d3525k1ryd2155.cloudfront.net/h/417/409/1199409417.0.m.jpg)
1833. Original manuscript. Very Good. One page, quarto, about 20 lines in sepia ink, by a readable hand. Minor break at one fold, no text loss. In part: "Sir, I now embrace the second opportunity to inform you that we are all well at present & I cruised at the Western Islands. ...about the 25th May I stood into St. Michael's Bay saw two larger whales fastened to one drawed lost him.... I have looked the ground well over between the Islands. I have not seen the spout of a whale. I shall now make the best of my way to the Tristan Isl. in hopes of taking some sperm.... There was considerable sperm taking in that vicinity last season. I stop[p]ed at St. Nicholas for hogs but got none. The people are in a wretched state hardly living enough to bury the dead.... I am pleased with my ship officers and crew. Your obedient Humble Servant / Albert McLean." Docketed on verso. 10.25" x 8" McLean was at this date Master of the Ship Flora out of New London, Connecticut, owned by N & WW Billings. "Billings was established in 1823 and ceased operations in 1851. During this period the company managed at least twelve whaling vessels which, by the end of business, had made it one of the most successful whaling agencies in New London....In addition, the company operated a soap and candle making business that used oil and spermaceti, etc. taken by their whale ships" [from Mystic Seaport records].
Washington DC: Committee on Rivers and Harbors, 1899. First Edition. Softcover. Very Good. 7pp. Neatly removed from a nonce volume, and spine reinforced with archival paper. 9" x 5.75"
Washington DC: War Department, 1854. First Edition. Softcover. Very Good. 7pp. Neatly removed from a nonce volume, and spine reinforced with archival paper. 9" x 5.75" Details the costs of opening a harbor for large vessels on the coast of Lake Ontario. "...Twelve-mile creek or Tuscarora creek...has its sources in the mountain ridge, near the Tuscarora reservation, in the township of Lewiston, Niagara county, in the State of New York, and empties into Lake Ontario, about twelve miles east of Niagara river...."
1835. Original manuscript. Good. One page, quarto, 18 lines in a clear and bold hand, sepia ink. Sansom states that he is well "with the Blessings of God and Good Friends my Capt is more Like a Father to me then I am Like a Sevant to him and his officers Jest the same as if I was one of the Same Class .... Thair is not a Ship left Newlondon this Season that has more peacible crew .... please to give my best Respect to Mrs Billings and Mrs Swift Mr B pleas to Remember me to Anson Bush .... Please Sir to Excuse the Liberty [signed] Frank Sansom Esq." 10" x 8". Break at one fold, no text loss. Written by a cabin boy on a whaling ship out of New London, Connecticut, owned by N & WW Billings [see Sherman, Whaling Logbooks & Journals, 1613-1927.] The "Western Isl" designation probably means the Azores. According to New Bedford Whaling Museum records, whaling boats from New England frequented the Azores at the time. As to the recipient of this letter, "Billings was established in 1823 and ceased operations in 1851. During this period the company managed at least twelve whaling vessels which, by the end of business, had made it one of the most successful whaling agencies in New London...." [from Mystic Seaport records].
Washington DC: Committee on Rivers and Harbors, 1900. First Edition. Softcover. Very Good. 6pp. Neatly removed from a nonce volume, and spine reinforced with archival paper. 9" x 5.75"
Washington DC: War Department, 1844. First Edition. Softcover. Very Good. 34pp. Neatly removed from a nonce volume, and spine reinforced with archival paper. 8.75" x 5.75" [American Imprints 44-1721].
Washington DC: Printed by Gales & Seaton, 1826. First Edition. Softcover. Very Good. 11pp. Neatly removed from a nonce volume, and spine reinforced with archival paper. 8.5" x 5.5" [American Imprints 27332].
Washington DC: [USGPO], 1881. First Edition. Softcover. Very Good. 27pp. Neatly removed from a nonce volume, and spine reinforced with archival paper. 9" x 5.75"
Washington DC: Government Printing Office, 1874. First Edition. Softcover. Very Good. 12pp, string-tied signatures; lightly dusted. 8" x 5"
Washington DC: Printed by Gales & Seaton, 1820. First Edition. Softcover. Very Good. 15pp. "[59]" printed above title. 9.75" x 6" [American Imprints 3875. WorldCat finds two library holdings; add the LC deposit copy and the AAS copy.].
![HANDWRITTEN LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE PRESIDENTS OF THREE INSURANCE COMPANIES, REGARDING SEIZURE OF THE BRIG "OPHIR" AT CAMPECHE, MEXICO [ON MAY 1, 1835]:; Written less than eight months before the Battle of the Alamo](https://d3525k1ryd2155.cloudfront.net/h/599/958/1174958599.0.m.jpg)
1835. Original manuscript. Very Good. 2pp, quarto, integral address leaf, written in sepia ink on laid paper, watermarked HUDSON. Datelined: Department of State, Washington, 6th July 1835. Addressed to the presidents of the New York State Marine Insurance Co. (Jno. C. Delprat), the Commercial Insurance Co. (Edward A. Russell), and Union Insurance Co. (Jeremiah P. Tappan). Acknowledges their letter of the 1st instant and their enclosure of a message from the Consul of the United States at Campeche "relative to the seizure of the Brig Ophir by the authorities at that place...." Forsyth states that a Mr. Butler has just left Washington on return to Mexico, will look into the matter, and will "demand such redresss as it may be found entitled to." Signed with a flourish, John Forsyth. John Forsyth (1780-1841) represented Georgia in the House of Representatives and in the Senate, then served as the 33rd Governor of Georgia. A strong supporter of the policies of Andrew Jackson, he was appointed Secretary of State by Jackson in 1834, and continued in that role until 1841 during the presidency of Martin Van Buren.
Washington DC: Printed by Gales & Seaton, 1820. First Edition. Softcover. Very Good. 15pp. "[59]" printed above title, and changed by an old hand to "(17)". Neatly removed from a nonce volume, and spine reinforced with archival paper. 8.5" x 5.5" [American Imprints 3875. WorldCat finds two library holdings; add the LC deposit copy and the AAS copy.].
Washington DC: Printed by Gales & Seaton, 1822. First Edition. Softcover. Good. 4pp. "[86]" printed above title, changed by an old hand to "(54)". Neatly removed from a nonce volume, and spine reinforced with archival paper. 8.5" x 5.5" [WorldCat finds only the Hagley Library holding of this pamphlet. ] The author addresses the "numerous applications [to Congress]...for a repeal of the existing navigation acts" on behalf of those who believed that the current system "would deprive their agricultural brethren of a market for their several products." Not only would such action fail to produce the desired results, but "it would very injuriously affect the navigation and foreign commerce of the United States."
New Brunswick, NJ: Robt. M. Boggs, 1860. Original document. Very Good. Full-length photographic portrait of Admiral Charles S. Boggs in his US Navy officer's uniform with greatcoat, holding his hat. Image size is 3.5" x 2.25". Overall card size is 4" x 2-3/8". Printed on the verso: "From Robt. M. Boggs, Photographic Gallery, 226 Burnet St., New Brunswick, N.J." Above that is written in pencil, "Admiral Boggs." [Not an authentic signature.]. Boggs (1811-1888) was born and died at New Brunswick, New Jersey. He served in the US Navy during the War with Mexico, aboard the steamer "Princeton," and commanded the gunboat "Veruna" in the American Civil War, during the capture of New Orleans in 1862, &c. The destroyer USS Boggs was named for him. // Regarding the photographer: "...Boggs had his own studio in New Brunswick from 1860 to 1868, during which time, like other studio photographers, he photographed Civil War soldiers..." (Saretzky, Nineteenth Century New Jersey Photographers). + "Advertised at the "Combination Light Daguerreian Gallery", 199 Burnett Street, New Brunswick, N.J., 1855-1856. He lived on on George Street. He offered daguerreotypes, crayon and stereoscopic pictures. Probably the same as Robert M. Boggs, listed as ambrotypes, New York City, N.Y., 1858-1860. There, in 1858-1859, he was listed at 419 Broadway, and lived in Jersey City, N.J." (craigcamera.com).
Oyster Bay, New York: The Binnacle Press, 1962. First Edition. Softcover. Fine. pp: 18, (1) crew and passengers, colophon; printed throughout in black, blue, and red; centerfold route map of the "Stephen Taber." Bound in brown wrappers, cover label. 9" x 6" One of 600 copies printed.
Washington DC: USGPO, 1896. First Edition. Very Good. 207pp. Each verso page lists detailed channel distances, names of lights, locations, colors, distances from cities for each of the named rivers. Facing recto pages are ruled for notes (none present). Bound in calfskin over flexible boards, title and date stamped on cover, marbled edges. 6" x 3.75"
Yarmouth-port, MA: W.S. Fisher, 1845. First Edition. Very Good. 4pp, newspaper format, 24" x 17". Contains: "Uncle Abel and Little Edward" by Harriet Beecher Stowe; A Noble Name for A Noble Ship; "Lucy Dutton" by Fanny Forrester; The Mutiny on Board Ship Sharon; Marine Hospital at Hyannis; Town Officers for 1845; Local Marriages and Deaths; Marine List [ships and their voyages]; ads for local businesses; ads for proprietary medicines and curatives; etc. Two original folds, sound and clean. The H.B. Stowe contribution appeared first in THE GIFT for 1839 [Blanck, BAL 19325].
Provincetown, MA, 1940. Original document. Very Good. On the recto is a photograph of the "Cee Jay" with a party aboard. Text on the verso, in part: "Fishing Trips on Yacht 'Cee Jay' ... Bait and Lines Free ... $4.00 per person ... For safety, by far, the fastest big boat in Provincetown Harbor ... A real fisherman--who's been taking out fishing parties longer than any other man on the pier ... Cap't Bill Cabral, 122 Commercial St., Provincetown, Mass." "From the 1940s through the 1960s, Commercial Street and Whorf's Court was the hub of the large and very active Cabral clan. This was home to the patriarch, William P. "Captain Bill" Cabral (b ±1899) and his wife, Mary (Taves) Cabral (b ±1900). Captain Bill was a fisherman who moved into the party boat business in the 1940s and 1950s, sending groups out aboard the 60-foot cabin cruiser Katherine II, the 57-foot cruiser Caroline, and the 60-foot cruiser Cee Jay." [Online article, Building Provincetown].
Philadelphia: Thomas M. Scroggy, 1850. Original edition. Very Good. Contains three verses, in part: "I'm afloat! I'm afloat on the fierce rolling tide, / The ocean's my home and my bark is my bride....Our flag of defiance still waves o'er the sea...." Typographic ornamental border. 8.5" x 4.5" [Wolf, American Song Sheets, 1014c.].
Washington DC: United States Navy, 1848. First Edition. Disbound. Good. Unbound, unopened signatures, pp: 733-1,004 + 16 folding plates of plans. Estimates in detail the equipment needs of the US Navy for 1849-1850, in part: "...The experimental course of cannon practice at the navy yard is continued with successful results by the lieutenant charged with that duty; and the operations of the observatory have been continued and extended scientifically and usefully by its superintendent...." 9.5" x 6" The 16 folding, architectural plans related to conditions and needs at specific navy yards: Memphis; Pensacola; Norfolk; Philadelphia (3 plans); New York; Boston (3 plans); Portsmouith, NH (6 plans).
