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ALEXANDER, James Edward.
Travels from India to England;
comprehending a visit to the Burman Empire, and a journey through Persia, Asia Minor, European Turkey, &c. In the years 1825-26.
First edition, presentation copy, inscribed on the first blank "with the Author's respectful compliments", the recipient's name effectively erased. Educated at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Sandhurst, Alexander was commissioned in the 1st Madras light cavalry in 1821. "He was made adjutant of the bodyguard by Sir Thomas Munro, and served in the First Anglo-Burmese War. On leaving the East India Company's service he joined the 13th light dragoons as cornet on 20 January 1825 … As aide-de-camp to Colonel Kinneir, British envoy to Persia, he was present with the Persian army during the war of 1826 with Russia, and received the Persian order of the Lion and Sun" (ODNB). The present work gives a full account of his services to this point and includes a "Chronological Epitome of the late Military Operations in Ava" and a "Summary of the Causes and Events of the existing War between Russia and Persia". Subsequently Alexander's career took him to the Balkans during the Russo-Turkish War of 1829; to Portugal during the Miguelite War of 1832-4; South Africa in the Frontier War of 1835; from 1847-55 he was in Canada as a-d-c to the commander of the troops there; and in 1856 joined his regiment in the Crimea. In retirement he was responsible for saving "Cleopatra's Needle from destruction, and had much to do with its transfer to England in 1877. At its base he buried, among other artefacts, photographs of the twelve best-looking English women of the day."
Quarto (263 × 203 mm). Recent calf to style, green morocco label, flat bands with gilt foliate roll, lozenge devices gilt to the compartments, double gilt fillet panels to the boards, edges and endpapers marbled. Lithographic portrait frontispiece printed on India paper and mounted, 5 hand coloured aquatints, 9 lithographic plates and 2 lithographic maps, 7 pages of vignettes at the rear. Stabholes visible in the fore-edges of some plates, light toning, but overall a very nice copy.
