BURNEY, Stephen and Edward CHRISTIAN

Minutes of the Proceedings of the Court-Martial...

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J. Deighton London, 1794. Quarto; a very good copy with generous margins; early tree calf, gilt, rebacked to match, fine morocco spine label. Extremely rare: a fine copy of a legendary Pacific rarity, the first of three contemporary quarto pamphlets on the trial of the mutineers, and one of the most difficult of Bligh-Bounty pieces for any collector to acquire. This is the full contemporary account of the trial, and includes Edward Christian's famous appendix in defence of his brother Fletcher.

This account of the proceedings of the court-martial of the Bounty personnel captured and brought back to England for trial was published in a very small edition for distribution among the interested parties and the ministers of state at the time. It is and always has been extremely rare. The Francis Edwards 1934 catalogue of the remarkable Edge-Partington collection noted that 'not more than three or four copies appear to be known, none of which is in the British Museum'.

The content is derived from the court notes of Stephen Barney, who successfully represented William Muspratt at the trial. The main work is comprised of Bligh's deposition to the court and the evidence (with cross-examination by the court and the accused) of John Fryer, William Cole, William Peckover, William Purcell, Thomas Hayward, John Hallet, John Smith, Captain Edwards, and lieutenants Larkin and Corner (of the Pandora). The appendix contains a defence of the conduct of Fletcher Christian by his brother Edward, professor of laws. It also contains a considerable amount of information not found elsewhere, relating both to events preceding and subsequent to the mutiny, none of which was mentioned at the court-martial. It evoked a reply from Bligh in which he said '...this Appendix is the work of Mr. Edward Christian... written apparently for the purpose of vindicating his brother at my expense...'.
Hill, 1162; Kroepelien, 43; O'Reilly-Reitman, 564; Spence, 'Bligh', p.10.

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