DW101-211 Part Two.qxp_Layout 1 12/07/2019 15:16 Page 82
Lot 243
Lot 246
243* HMS Amethyst. A rare Telex of congratulations from King George VI, Admiralty, 31 July 1949, for the Commander in Chief, ‘Please convey to the Commanding Officer and Ship’s Company of HMS Amethyst my hearty congratulations on their daring exploit to rejoin the fleet, the courage, skill and determination shown by all onboard have my highest commendation. Splice the main brace’, a little spotting and toning and a few contemporary paper adhesion remains to front and back, 14 x 18cm, matted in a presentation mount with a printed description mounted beneath, overall 44 x 32.5cm
244* Holmes (Oliver Wendell, 1809-1894). Autograph letter signed, ‘O.W. Holmes’, Boston, 24 April 1889, to an unnamed editor, ‘I return one of the two proofs corrected and ready for the press. I have adopted all your suggestions with but little modification, and made some changes which I think you will approve...’, one page on a bifolium with black mourning border, short split at right edge of centre fold, 8vo, together with Huxley (Thomas Henry, 1825-1895), Autograph letter signed, ‘T.H. Huxley’, Grand Hotel, Eastbourne, 27 October 1890, to the editor of Chambers’ Encyclopaedia, querying the announcement of an article under his name for which he only supplied details, ‘You are further aware that if the article has been announced as mine, that step has been taken without my permission or knowledge’, three pages, final blank dust-soiled, 8vo, plus a group of 16 letters to [William Boycott], the mayor of Hereford, August and September 1891, mostly written in the third person and either accepting or declining an invitation to a dinner at the Green Dragon Hotel, Hereford, authors of the letters include the composers Charles Villiers Stanford and Hubert Parry, plus [Charles] Santley, Ernest Gye, George Herbert (x2), Mr Carrodus, Sir John Stainer, and others, mostly one or two pages, 8vo, plus a printed menu on card for the occasion
The Amethyst Incident, or Yangtze Incident, involved the Royal Naval ships HMS Amethyst, HMS Consort, HMS London and HMS Black Swan during the Chinese Civil War in the summer of 1949. HMS Amethyst was ordered up the Yangtze River to act as a guard ship for the British Embassy in Nanjing when it came under fire from the Communist artillery batteries on the northern bank of the river and while attempting to evade the shelling it ran aground. During the incident 17 members of the crew were killed and 10 wounded, including the captain, Lieutenant Commander Bernard Skinner, who later died. Attempts were made by the other ships to re-float Amethyst but were all forced back by intense shellfire. The crew eventually managed to refloat the ship and establish a truce with the local Communist forces but conditions worsened for the crew with extreme heat and a shortage of rations. In early July, Amethyst slipped its anchor under cover of darkness and travelled downstream to Shanghai, negotiating treacherous sandbanks and some artillery fire. Nevertheless Amethyst reached Shanghai and rejoined the British Far East Fleet. The events of this three month ordeal were well covered by the world’s press and this Telex is a rare, and possibly unique, survival. (1) £600 - £800
Each lot is subject to a Buyer’s Premium of 20% (Lots marked * 24% inclusive of VAT @ 20%)
(19)
£100 - £150
245* Stuart (Sir Charles, 1753-1801). An autograph letter to Sir Charles Stuart, signed ‘J. McKain, Naval Officer’, Naval Stores, Lisbon 2 October 1813, in brown ink in a clear hand on recto of a single sheet of laid paper, slight browning to right edge, folio The letter advises Stuart of the difficulties encountered in trying to examine the guns of a sunken ship, the Raphael. Shortage of munitions meant it was expedient to try and rescue sunken ordinance when possible. (1) £70-100
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