Practical Remarks and Observations, on Building, Rigging, Arming, and Equipping his Majesty's Ships of War.

First and sole edition of this scarce treatise. Admiral Schomberg (1774-1850) fought at the Battle of Martinique (1794) and the Invasion of Guadeloupe (1794), and served in the Boyne under Sir John Jervis and the Glatton under Sir Henry Trollope. He was a commander during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, commanding the Loire frigate from 1807 to 1812. Schomberg remarks that "the science of naval architecture has much advanced, but still there appears more to be done; and why should not this be the case, as well as in all other great arts and sciences? The true motive for this technical brochure is for the advancement from good to better" (pp. viii-ix). WorldCat records nine copies worldwide: 6 in the UK, but not the British Library, Hagley Museum and US Naval Academy in the US, and Darmstadt in Europe. Octavo (201 x 120 mm). Mid-20th century dark blue straight-grain half morocco, blue cloth sides, spine lettered in gilt, top edge gilt, other edges untrimmed. Extremities slightly rubbed, light foxing to endpapers, lacking half-title, couple of spots to contents but overall quite clean. A very good copy.…