Three ALS, two Folios and one Octavo. In all 9 pp. Of text. Brown ink on watermarked laid paper or writing paper. Fold marks, paper of one letter slightly age toned, otherwise a very good collection.

The collection includes:

1) Autograph letter written in secretarial hand and signed by Henry Unwin Addington, addressed to Lovell Badcock. With Addington’s additional P.S. Note in the end. St. Ildefonso [Spain], 26 August 1832. Folio (ca. 31x20 cm). 4 pp.

2) Anonymous letter of a British official about the latest events of the Portuguese Civil War mentioning a report by Badcock. Lisbon, 4 Jun. 1833. Quarto (ca. 25x20 cm). 3 pp.

3) Autograph Letter Signed by Badcock, probably to his superior Lord William Russell. London, 23 May 1834. Folio (ca. 32,5x20 cm). 2 pp.

In his letter to Badcock Henry Unwin Addington (1790-1870), then a British ambassador to the Spanish court in Madrid, talks about the latest events after the recent embarkation of the fleet of Dom Pedro, one of the contestants of the Civil War, on the Portuguese coast near Porto and his capture of the city. Addington informs his correspondent about the preparations of the Spanish troops and naval forces to intervene into the Portuguese affairs. “… the Count d’Alcudia has announced to me that it may be deemed necessary by his Government to exact it by force, namely by marching Spanish troops into Portugal and by placing Spanish ships of war before Oporto. <…> The movements which you report exactly coincide with those which the Count d’Alcudia had previously announced to me <…> We … stand in a critical position, and it is therefore necessary to exert every possible vigilance to prevent a surprise; or to meet it if it should come upon us <…>”

The second, anonymous letter was written by a British resident of Lisbon, then under control of the Miguelite forces and shorty before its capture by the Liberal troops of Dom Pedro. “We are here in the same state looking to you to relieve us as you seem to be looking to foreign intervention, so I fear we should look till Providence relieves us. I see no other chance, unless your new French general does something to get you out of Oporto, indeed in my opinion it is of the greatest importance that Dom Pedro should now gain some military success for it would incline the Court of Spain to listen to M. Stratford Canning’s proposition, <…> so convinced are they of his ultimate failure… What a misfortune that the Algarva expedition never took place, I am told there is not a soldier in that Country, that a final body of troops might march to the south bank of the Tagus… But there is neither energy nor enterprise in your friends. <…> Dom Pedro seems to be surrounded & governed by such fools & rogues that I take less interest in his course every day. But the tyranny that oppresses this Country cannot be endured, here people are growing heartily sick of it and the wish for the abdication of Miguel increases every day. It is said that Mr. St. Canning is to propose Da. Maria mutual conception, this is the best thing to do, for I see no men fit to govern this unfortunate Country, nor the material for making two Chambers. Portugal must be governed by force for some time to come”.

The last letter written by Badcock and apparently addressed to his superior, Lord William Russell (1767-1840), gives a brief report of the former’s service during the Portuguese Civil War: “Having lately returned from Portugal & Spain, where I have been serving two years under your Lordship’s Command, I beg to solicit your favour to endeavour to obtain for me, from His Majesty’s Government, some remuneration or reward for my services during that period, in which I believe I met with your Lordship’s appropriation as also that of Mr. Addington, the then Minister at the Court of Madrid.

I need not recall to Your Lordship the disagreeable as well as perilous situations in which at different times I have been placed, passing thro’ a country excited by Civil War. The remaining 4 Months with the Spanish army, considered by them as an enemy & exposed to all the jealousy of the Spanish Authorities. And for which I received the thanks of the Minister at Madrid. On my return to Portugal from Spain proceeded immediately to Porto & remained there during the Siege, from the beginning of Jany. 1833 till the end of it in July. And present at most of the affairs that took place between the contending parties.

On my return from Porto repeatedly employed in writing and reporting upon the armies before Santarim[?] and latterly to the Algarvas &c., during which periods exposed not only to the fire of the contending parties, but also to pestilence & famine <…> I have mentioned remuneration or reward in the body of my letter, but I beg your Lordship to understand that, as a Military man, I should value some mark of my Sovereign’s approbation, conveying professional distinction beyond any other”.

Overall an interesting collection of informative letters giving an inside into the British prospective on the Portuguese Civil War (1828-1834).