The Emigrant Soldiers' Gazette and Cape Horn Chronicle
Richard Wolfenden, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty, 1907. 1st Edition. Quarto. Very Good. Item #19324
A very scarce first-hand account of the voyage of a detachment of Royal Engineers aboard the British ship "Thames City" from Gravesend around Cape Horn to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada to establish a British Government presence after gold was discovered on the Island and to prevent American expansion from moving northward.
"The ship departed from Gravesend on October 10, 1858 with Captain Luard, Lieutenants Lempriere, Palmer, Surgeon J.V. Seddall, 118 non-commissioned officers and sappers, 31 women, and 34 children on board. Life on the Thames City was very cramped and privacy would have been very limited as the passengers slept in close bunk-like quarters.
"They were given a collection of 2,000 books handpicked by Bulwer-Lytton to provide entertainment and intellectual stimulus for the long journey. The ship made only two stops to pick up provisions; the first in the Falkland Islands and the second in Chile. A total of eight children were born and one woman and one child died during the voyage that spanned 19,000 miles over 206 days, reaching Esquimalt on April 12, 1859." - communitystories-ca
This particular edition features two wonderful 1939 gift inscriptions to the front endpaper, the first a 1908 presentation inscription from Lt. Col Richard Wolfenden, who came to British Columbia with the Royal Engineers in 1858 and remained as a citizen once his duties were fulfilled, was in charge of the Royal Engineers' printing press, and a founder of the British Columbia Gazette.
Wolfenden's inscription is to William J. Edwards, a 26 year veteran of the Engineers, who possibly came across with Wolfenden.
The second inscription is from Lydia Edwards, likely the wife of the Lt. Col. to her son William P.B. Edwards.
Illustrated black and white portraits, two larger ones pasted down. Unpaginated. Square tight binding. Clean interior. Original red typographical wraps, with moderate edge wear.
Overall, an incredible very early piece of nautical history from among the earliest settlers of Vancouver Island.
Price: $125.00