LITHOGRAPHY. ROYAL ENGINEER ESTABLISHMENT, CHATHAM. Fifteen works bound in one volume, thirteen lithographed, variously paginated, cont. ink ownership signature of James J. F. Cruikshank, nineteenth-century half calf, watered silk boards, a little rubbed. , Chatham: At the Press of the Establishment (or similar wording), 1823-27.

In his 'Early Lithographed Books', Twyman devotes a chapter to the lithographic presses at Chatham & Metz; the Chatham press was established by Major C. W. Pasley, first Director of the Establishment and author of these "small instructional manuals". The purpose of the Establishment was to produce trained military engineers, and the manuals deal with such subjects as Military Mining, Plans of Sieges, Field Fortification and the like. Pasley, "an innovator and energetic organiser" was well aware of the opportunities offered by lithography - still in its infancy in Britain; there were three lithographic presses at the Establishment and only one letterpress. The manuals were not published in the conventional sense: a note on the verso of several title-pages makes that clear "Papers and Plans lithographed at the Establishment for the use of the Corps are not to be published or used as materials for publication." It appears that they were issued to officers and were to be returned for re-use. They are, as Twyman makes clear, of immense interest to the historian of early lithographic printing in Britain - and extremely rare. He located thirty-nine, drawing largely on the resources of the library at Chatham; of these, twelve were published in the 1840's of later, for the Establishment continued its activities throughout the nineteenth-century. Of the thirteen lithographed pieces here, no fewer than five are not listed by Twyman: of these, perhaps the two most interesting are the 'Rules for the First Exercises of the Junior Officers' (1827), and 'Practical Architecture: of the Connection between the Brickwork and the Woodwork of Buildings' (undated). All are rare, many unique; several are skilfully and attractively illustrated; some are "of confidential nature" (how to build effective mines, for example). But this is not where the real interest of this collection lies: it offers a superb insight into, and addition to our knowledge of the early history of lithographic printing in Britain. "Officers receiving this paper are requested to take care of it, and to return it to the Clerk in the Adjutants' Office, when they are done with it, as it was not thought worth while to supply every Officer with a Copy." We are most grateful to James J. F. Cruikshank for ignoring this request! 1. Rules for the first Exercises of the Junior Officers, Attending the Establishment for Field Instruction, Royal Engineer Department, Chatham. Lithographed at the Press of the Establishment, 1827. [2],37,[1]pp., lithographed throughout from handwriting. Not in Twyman, Copac or OCLC. 2. Rules for drawing up the Journals and Plans of Sieges, to be Translated and Copied as Exercises in the Field Duties of an Engineer. Lithographed at the Establishment for Field Instruction, Royal Engineer Department, 1827. [2],10pp., lithographed throughout from handwriting. Not in Twyman, Copac or OCLC. 3. Instructions respecting the Projects of Attack of given Fortresses, to be drawn up by the Junior Officers, attending the Establishment for Field Instruction, Royal Engineer Department, Chatham. Lithographed at the Press of the Establishment, 1827. [2],53,[1]pp., lithographed throughout from handwriting. Not in Twyman, Copac or OCLC. 4. [Military Bridge of Boats for Heavy Artillery], [S.l. : s.n.]. 16pp., no title-page, title taken from running heads, lithographed throughout from handwriting. Not in Twyman, Copac or OCLC. 5. A Simple Practical Treatise on Field Fortification for the Use of the Regimental Schools of the Royal Sappers & Miners. Lithographed at the Establishment for Field Instruction, Royal Engineer Department, 1827. [6],39,[1]pp., lithographed throughout from handwriting, diagrams within the text. Twyman, 2.37. 6. Instructions for Marching in Column of Route, for the Royal Sappers & Miners. [Chatham: Printed by Townson and Burrill], [N.d.]. 6pp., printed. Copac location a single copy at Aberdeen; not in OCLC. 7. Rules for making Fascines and Gabions. Lithographed at the Establishment for Field Instruction, Royal Engineer Department, Chatham, 1823. [2],30pp., lithographed throughout from handwriting, illustrs., within the text. Twyman, 2.34. 8. Instructions for Teaching the Method of Loading and Throwing Hand Grenades &c. Second Edition. Lithographed at the Establishment for Field Instruction, Royal Engineer Department, Chatham, 1823. [2],8pp., lithographed throughout from handwriting, illustrs., and tables within the text. Twyman, 2.11. 9. Rules for Tracing, and Executing the Parallels, and Approaches, in a Siege. Lithographed at the Establishment for Field Instruction, Royal Engineer Department, Chatham, 1826. [2],32pp., lithographed throughout from handwriting, illustrs., within the text. Twyman, 2.35. 10. Rules for the Practice of Military Mining, in any Soil Excepting Rock. Lithographed at the Establishment for Field Instruction, Royal Engineer Department, Chatham, 1824. [4],92pp., lithographed throughout from handwriting, illustrs., within the text. Twyman, 2.28. 11. Rules for Blasting with Gunpowder, in Rock and Masonry. Lithographed at the Establishment for Field Instruction, Royal Engineer Department, Chatham, 1826. [2],iv,59,[1]pp., lithographed throughout from handwriting, illustrs., and tables within the text. Twyman, 2.26. 12. PASLEY (C. W.) Rules, Deduced from Experiment, for Determining the Charges of Military Mines. Chatham: Printed for the use of the Establishment for Field Instruction, 1827. [4],28pp., printed, (lacking one leaf, but supplied in a cont. manuscript hand), title-page with engraving of the insignia of Field Instruction, Royal Engineer Department. Copac and OCLC locate copies at the British Library and University of Toronto. 13. Exercise of the New Decked Pontoons, or Double Canoes, Invented by Lieut Colonel C. W. Pasley. Lithographed at the Establishment for Field Instruction, Royal Engineer Department, Chatham, 1827. [2],54pp., lithographed throughout from handwriting, illustrs., within the text. Twyman, 2.20. 14. Memoranda on the Construction of Batteries in the Field. Lithographed at the Establishment for Field Instruction, Royal Engineer Department, Chatham, 1827. [4],80pp., [8] leaves of plates, title-page with engraving of the insignia of Field Instruction, Royal Engineer Department, lithographed throughout from handwriting. Twyman, 2.22. 15. [Practical Architecture: of the connection between the Brickwork, and the Woodwork of Buildings]. [S.l. : s.n.]. 60pp., no title-page, title taken from running head, lithographed throughout from handwriting, 59 figures within the text. Not in Twyman or Copac; OCLC locates a single copy at New York Public Library. For a full account of lithographic printing at Chatham and Metz, see Twyman, Early Lithographed Books, pp. 60-75. (Book ref. 28167)  £2845.00

The payment methods accepted by the seller, Forest Books , are shown in the right-hand column.

Click here to order

Back to search