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). When referring to this item please quote stockid 223522.
Frontispiece and eleven sepia or tinted full-page views, three topographical plans, two folding, ix + 415pp. 23 x 14.5cm. One plate strengthened with tape at the hinge and now protruding a little, a little age-toning to the fore-edges and outer margins of a few plates, small marginal tidemark to the frontispiece, not affecting the image, and slight offsetting to the two folding plans. Inked inscription “Gladswood” and the neat inked inscription of a later owner on the front paste-down. Original blind-stamped boards lettered in gilt, wear to the head of the spine. A good copy.
The conquest had been viewed as an over-reach particularly by the British Resident in Sindh, Sir James Outram, and by the later Governor General in India, Lord Dalhousie, with the war reputedly denounced at East India House. Sir William's account attempts to re-cast his brother as a conquering hero and points to Sir Charles' reforming zeal in abolishing the slave trade and his defence 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