A History of General Sir Charles Napier's Administration of Scinde, and Campaign in the Cutchee Hills.
London. Chapman and Hall. 1851. Stock ID #223522 First edition account by Sir William Napier (1785-1860) of his brother Sir Charles Napier's conquest and administration of Scinde (Sindh). The conquest had been viewed as over-reach particularly by the British Resident in Sindh, Sir James Outram, and by the later Governor General in India, Lord Dalhousie. The Board of Directors of the East India Company officially condemned the war as "uncalled-for, impolitic, and unjust." When referring to this item please quote stockid 223522.
Frontispiece + 11 sepia or tinted full page views, 3 topographical plans (2 folding), ix + 415 pp; original blind-stamped and gilt lettered boards 23 x 14.5 cm, wear to the head of the spine, one plate strengthened with tape at the hinge, a little age-toning to fore-edges and to the outer margins of a few plates, the frontispiece with a small marginal tidemark (not affecting the plate) slight offsetting to the two folding plans, inked inscription of "Gladswood" and the neat inked inscription of a later owner to the front pastedown, in very good condition.
Sir William's account attempts to re-cast his brother as a conquering hero and pointed to Sir Charles' reforming zeal in abolishing the slave trade and his defense of women and children - particularly in his prohibition of sati. The twenty appendices republish correspondence and extracts in defense of Napier, including, as Appendix XIV, correspondence from Napier to Lord Dalhousie "relative to Lieutenant-Colonel Outram's published slanders".
Price: $750.00 AU