The War in Egypt and the Soudan, An Episode in the History of the British Empire; Being a Descriptive Account of the Scenes and Events of That Great Drama and Sketches of the Actors in It. Vols. I-IV

Glasgow: Blackie and Son, 1887. Hardcover. Very Good. Hardcover. SCARCE IN THE US. British forces invaded and occupied Egypt in 1882 to put down a revolution hostile to foreign interests. British forces remained there to prevent possible intervention of another European power, especially along the Nile. The British government negotiated agreements with the Italians and the Germans to keep them out of the Nile valley, but the French wanted Britain to withdraw from Egypt. The tension continued for many years, encompassing France's efforts to develop a canal route through the Suez. In this four-volume publication, Archer traces the antecedents to the conflict and the first several years of the life of the conflict. The volumes were published by the famous publisher, Blackie and Son, in Glasgow. No publication date is present in any of the four volumes, but historical records suggest that they were released separately between 1885-1887. In Volume I of this set, there is a Preface by the author that is dated February 1887, which suggests that the four volumes in this set were published simultaneously. In the Preface, the author writes, "It is not for the writer to say that he has succeeded ... [but] he has already the happiness of knowing that, when three out of the four volumes were issued, they were well received ...", indicating that the first three volumes were initially published earlier. This is an interesting near-contemporaneous depiction of one of the most critical episodes in the history of the British empire.

Small quarto. Four volumes in two bindings. Vol. 1, 288 pages; Vol. 2, 288 pages; Vol. 3, 272 pages; Vol. 4, 264 pages, plus index. Numerous photographic plates and illustrations throughout. Three-quarter green leather binding over maroon cloth boards. Leather on spines has faded to brown. Gilt title in maroon leather on spines; raised bands on spines. Some scuffing to leather and boards, especially at corners and edges. Marbled edges to text blocks. Pages are slightly yellowed but clear and bright. Previous owner's bookplate to front inside covers. ENGHIST/051525.