Description:

RICHARD J. GATLING (1818 - 1903) American inventor best known for his invention of the Gatling gun, considered to be the first successful machine gun, in 1862. His invention remains in wide use today in many different applications. Fine content A.L.S. on "Office of the Gatling Gun Company" letterhead, 3pp. 4to., Hartford, Dec. 27, 1890 to "W. W. Williams, Pay Director, U.S.A." in San Francisco. In small part: "...I had supposed Mr. J. Clyde Sullivan had left for Honolulu...I rec.d a telegram from him on the 24th inst. Requesting that the stock & papers of my Torpedo Boat Co. be sent to San Francisco. without delay. I telegraphed Mr. Sullivan...that the papers had been sent...Mr. Geo. W. Hall, who is Sec'y of the Co., informed me that he could not get together all the shares of the co.'s stock but that his friends who owned a small amount would send it...as soon as they learned the $5,000 had been placed in the hands of Wells Fargo...If the San Francisco parties raise the $5,000...there will be no difficulty in the purchasers getting entire control & ownership of the co.'s stock, patents, control & ownership, & assets of every description....it is understood that I am to get $5000 cash for my patents, & $30,000 in full paid up stock in the new co...I hope you, & Mr. Sullivan, will be able to get up a new co., at San Francisco...to buy out the present New York co...Mr. Yung Ming informs me that he has received...two letters from his agent in Japan which give him hope that an order will be rec'd soon...for several boats on my plan, from the Japanese government...I have no doubt what a large & profitable business may be done by building the boats in California & selling them to China, Japan, U. States, & other governments..." Fine condition. Gatling was experienced in boat design: in 1862 he designed a "marine ram", a heavily-reinforced bow section for warships which would be specifically intended for ramming enemy ships. By 1890, he sought to take advantage of the demand for steam-powered torpedo boats 30 to 50 meters long, armed with up to three torpedo launchers and small guns. They were relatively inexpensive and could be purchased in quantity, allowing mass attacks on fleets of larger ships. The loss of even a squadron of torpedo boats to enemy fire would be more than outweighed by the sinking of a capital ship. Yung Wing was a Chinese national and the first Chinese to graduate from an American university.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Shipments are sent via USPS Priority, USPS International Priority, DHL (for most overseas shipments) or FedEx Ground at the auctioneer's option, signature is always required, unless other arrangements are made. Handling and shipping charges will be added to the invoice in one entry. Buyers should be aware that large, framed, fragile or odd shaped items can incur substantial shipping and packing charges. International shipments are invoiced by DIMENSIONAL weight, not the item weight. Please contact us for an estimate before bidding NOTE: Large, heavy or bulky items may not be shipped by the auctioneer - arrangements for shipping of these items via a third-party shipper may be arranged through the auction house. Customers who supply their own courier account number will still be charged a handling fee. Please allow 2-3 weeks for shipments after receipt of payment due to the high volume of packages being shipped.

November 14, 2018 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 28% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000