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War Department NotesA call for "Expressions of Interest" | |
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Dear fellow Collectors, In the mid 1860's a fortunate event occurred, the vast majority of the activities of the Ordnance Department of the British Empire was captured on paper. That is to say that an immense amount of information in the form of written descriptions, original drawings, official printed reports, circulars, proformas & tables etc were bound together in the shape of 5 handsome leather covered volumes.
This mine of information is largely unknown though some of it is to be found in the unpublished papers of the Ordnance Select Committee. Each volume is in handwritten copperplate, which, though legible to someone familiar with it, is a challenge to the ordinary reader. It appears that only one set of these volumes was produced. The detail in the volumes is quite incredible. In the "Small Arms" volume the complete fabrication of a "Snider" is but one fascinating section. In the "Laboratory" volumes there are descriptions of what was painted in which colour, the formulas for the paints & with the cartridge paper details it even includes samples of all actual original cartridge papers pasted to the page. The "Carriage" volume even goes into detail of leather harness's & which part of what hide each strap is cut from! Also the timbers used, when to log, how to cure, when to cut & which carriage parts they are used for. It is hard to even pick the most interesting sections as all are quite fascinating, unique & very thorough. Over 50 years ago these 5 volumes were bought from a historic book dealer by the late John Bell, a very well known figure in muzzle loading & historic shooting circles in the U.K. He generously gave access to these volumes to Dr Christopher Roads for his standard reference book, "The British Soldier's Firearm 1850 - 1864" published in 1964, and various tables etc appear in that book with appropriate acknowledgement. Since then a few excerpts have appeared but nothing more. In the months before his passing 10 years ago John Bell endorsed a plan to publish these volumes in the form of what was to become a memorial tribute. His widow, Margot Bell, also a very well known muzzleloader & historic rifle shot, approved the idea of this tribute and has made the volumes available for this purpose. Fortunately one of their sons, Mike Bell, is a printer & has agreed to produce the facsimile edition on a response to order basis. The commentary & typed transcriptions, which make the narrative in these volumes easily available to any reader, are being written by Dr Christopher Roads, Chairman of Heritage Arms Rescue, & currently Chairman of an historic arms restoration company in the Sultanate of Oman. His activities include conducting research into artillery carriages & building exact reproductions for a museum of artillery that will become one of the best in the world for muzzle loading artillery. His collaborator & fellow author in this work & in the commentary for Holden's work is his nephew, Adrian Roads, who has himself acquired a formidable expertise in the fields of artillery & small arms. Plans to digitally "scan" each page are well underway. Though this makes reproduction costs high it brings to the reader the "life" of the volumes themselves, the style of hand of the writer, the pencilled comments, the incredible draftsmanship of original drawings detailed in a bygone era, the colour & even the folds, small tears/stains etc that make the volumes themselves come to life. Each page is to be followed by the same page translated into type & is accompanied by historical comments, notes and updates. Binding will be hardback. The first Volume to be released is "Notes On Laboratory Course Section B.C.D. 1865. G.C. Holden, Assistant Superintendent of Stores." Briefly put, this covers in great detail Artillery fuzes, bursters, cartridges & projectiles as well as the full range of rockets. It also includes a large section giving the full details of all small arms caps, cartridges and projectiles. It is anticipated that there will be a "one off" printing of this volume in mid 2006, at this stage we are taking serious expressions of interest only. As the print run will be large enough only to deal with orders in hand prior to printing, no stock is likely to be held. Each subsequent volume will be printed as it is ready, most probably at the rate of one volume per annum. Costs, unknown at this stage, will be kept to a minimum and will vary volume to volume as some volumes have double the number of pages of others. All expressions of interest will be placed on a database and periodically those so recorded will be contacted to confirm continuing interest. Only when print dates and costs have been finalised will firm orders be taken from those who have expressed their interest. Printing and distribution will be from England. To register you interest in this unique opportunity please contact Adrian Roads August 2005
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