[19TH-CENTURY BRITISH ARMS INDUSTRY / ANGLO-OTTOMAN RELATIONS] Four autograph letters signed by Joseph Whitworth to Lieutenant-Colonel Said Pasha (Eğinli), concerning Ottoman arms and machinery orders following the Crimean War

WHITWORTH, JOSEPH (1803-1887).

Joseph Whitworth & Co., Manchester, 1864.

Complete title: [19TH-CENTURY BRITISH ARMS INDUSTRY / ANGLO-OTTOMAN RELATIONS] A group of four autograph letters signed “Joseph Whitworth”, the distinguished English engineer and inventor, addressed to Lieutenant-Colonel Said Pasha (Eğinli), containing significant details concerning the arms and machinery ordered by the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of the Crimean War.

Four manuscript documents written in black ink on laid paper. Three measuring 32 × 20.5 cm and one 25 × 20 cm. In English, comprising 21 manuscript pages on 44 pages in total. Written on headed stationery bearing the printed instruction, “Letters on business with the Firm please address Joseph Whitworth & Co, Chorlton St. Portland St. Manchester”, with blind stamped impressions of “Joseph Whitworth & Co., Engineer, Manchester”.

A historically significant and richly detailed group of four autograph letters signed by Sir Joseph Whitworth, the celebrated English engineer and inventor, addressed to Lieutenant-Colonel Said Pasha (Eğinli) (1830-1896), who was acting on behalf of the Ottoman Ministry of War in 1864. The correspondence contains substantial information concerning the arms and machinery ordered by the Ottoman Empire, offering valuable firsthand evidence of Anglo-Ottoman military and industrial relations during the period of Ottoman military modernisation.

In the aftermath of the Crimean War (1853-1856), the Ottoman Empire became increasingly aware of its technological shortcomings in military equipment and armaments. Often regarded as one of the first modern wars, the conflict witnessed the pioneering use of railways and telegraphic communications in military operations. Seeking to address these deficiencies and modernise its armed forces, the Ottoman government turned to Great Britain, whose Industrial Revolution had established it as a leading centre of engineering, weapons manufacture, and military technology.

Said Pasha, who had been sent to Great Britain in 1853 to pursue advanced studies in engineering, graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1860 before returning to Istanbul. Promoted to the rank of major and subsequently lieutenant-colonel in 1862, he entered Ottoman naval service. Two years later, he was dispatched to Europe by the Tophane-i Âmire, the Ottoman Imperial Arsenal, to procure arms and military equipment. It was apparently in connection with this mission that the Ottoman authorities, acting through Said Pasha, established contact with Sir Joseph Whitworth, one of Britain's foremost engineers and manufacturers of precision machinery and armaments. The present correspondence, comprising Whitworth's replies to a series of apparently now-untraced letters from Said Pasha, provides valuable firsthand evidence of these negotiations and reveals important details concerning the Ottoman Empire's procurement of British military technology during a crucial period of military and industrial modernisation.

The first letter dated 31 August 1864 reads:

“Sir,

We have now (as requested by your favor 4th August) the pleasure submits our tender for the supply of machinery for making the steadiest Ordnance.

The price is including packing cases and Delivery at stull.

The machines would be made with our usual workmanship and would be specialty adapted for the peculiar purpose required.

The weight of each machine is given approximately in the tender, and all the large tools are of extra strength and weight meet the increasing dimensions of large Ordnance.

The steel cutting tools, templates etc. we have omitted from the tender, it being impossible to estimate the cost accurately unless we knew what construction of rifled Ordnance was intended to be adopted. The strapping is also omitted, but a separate specification will be sent possible.

For the sake of future reference, we have numbered the items of the specification from No. 1 upwards.

We beg to refer to the following items 27 to 29. The extra slide rests are omitted, as they do not appear to be necessary in the coil Lathes and we did not find them in use at Woolwich, they can however be added if you still require them.”

Then he gives details of the situations and constructions of some numbered items much heavier than the machines in use at Woolwich and how they can be calculated.

This letter ends with this information:

“With reference to the time of completion we think it would take from 18 months to two years to complete the whole.” and a payment update will be sent.

Another document dated 31st August 1864, including an account and a table of a long list of the weapons and machines accompanies the letter reading:

Joseph Whitworth & Co. Tender for machinery for making the heaviest Ordnance as per detailed specification submitted to them by Lieut. Col. Said Bey, London, on the 4th [of] August 1864:

[With number of items, approximate weights, titles, and amounts, prices in Pounds]:

“Six heavy gun boring machines, two selfacting [sic. self-acting] gun boring machines, two rifling machines, one smaller rifling machine, one set of hydraulic fireing [firing] pumps, one machine for capping out, of grinding, two very strong lathes, adapted for guns, two very strong special lathes, three special lathes, for rough turning, three special lathes, for (?) prices, two special lathes, for turning tube, one special lathe, to have end of (?), three special coil lathes, four special lathes, for small coils, two vertical boring machines, for coils, two single boring machines for trunnions, four trunnion lathes, two special trunnion shaping machines, two (?) machines, adopted for guns, two (?) cutting lathes, ten special building up lathes, in one 30 feet bed, 30 inch centres, in one 30 feet bed, 24 inch centres, in one 30 feet bed, 20 inch centres, in one 25 feet bed, 18 inch centres, in one 25 feet bed, 15 inch centres, in one 25 feet bed, 12 inch centres, forty four sets of countershaft brackets, one breeching lamp rotting machine, one boring machine, for breeching lamp, drilling machine, two sighting machines, one machine, and chill fine holes in (?), one (?) cutting lathe,…”

92 items in the list, with the last two paragraphs ending the document:

“The whole of the foregoing machinery to be of the first quality both as regards (?), soundness, correct fitting, materials, and general (?), in all respects first class. The pric - es include packing cases and delivery free on board ship in Hull [underlined], and are to be to the entire satisfaction of Lieut. Col. Said Bey, or such officer as he may appoint for inspection previous to leaving the premises of Joseph Whitworth & Co. Terms, net cash [underlined], the third payable at the time of order, and the remainder on deliv - ery at our works.”

All items cost 58909 GBP according to the total.

The second letter dated 10 Sept[ember] 1864 reads:

“Lieut. Col. Said Bey,

Sir,

We now beg to submit the accompanying specification of machinery for making the heaviest ordinance as tendered for by us on August 31st.

We are sorry so much delay has intervened sending the specification but (?) it has not caused you any inconvenience.”

And the very long addendum includes a striking account of the arms industry in Britain and 93 items ordered by the Ottoman War Ministry through Said Bey [Pasha], with the specifications and features of the machinery, the factories in which they were produced, and other technical details meticulously described:

“[.] 1. Six heavy gun boring machines similar in arrangement to those in the Royal Gun Factories, Woolwich, but of dimensions not less than 50 ft in length, capable of boring guns 16 ft in length of bore; boring bar to have a quick motion both for advancing and retiring in addition to the self-acting boring machines; also the levers and handles for manipulation are to be in close vicinity to the muzzle of the gun. The bed adapted for bolting to stone foundations...

[.] Two rifling machines, similar in arrangement to those in the Royal Gun Factories but adapted for guns 16 ft in length of bore, proportionate diameter on the extremity of trunnions, capable of rifling guns on any principle, shunt or plane, as desired. The bed adapted for fixing...”

Sir Joseph Whitworth, 1st Baronet, FRS, FRSA (1803-1887) was an English engineer, entrepreneur, inventor, and philanthropist. In 1841, he devised the British Standard Whitworth system, which established an accepted standard for screw threads. Whitworth also created the Whitworth rifle, renowned for its accuracy and considered one of the earliest examples of a sniper rifle; it was used by some Confederate forces during the American Civil War. Whitworth was created a baronet by Queen Victoria in 1869.

Upon his death in 1887, Whitworth bequeathed much of his fortune for philanthropic purposes in Manchester. The Whitworth Art Gallery and Christie Hospital were partly funded through his benefactions, while Whitworth Street and Whitworth Hall in Manchester bear his name. Whitworth’s company later merged with the W. G. Armstrong & Mitchell Company to form Armstrong Whitworth in 1897.

Said Pasha (1830-1896) was an Ottoman military engineer, teacher, politician, and Minister of the Navy. He was nicknamed “İngiliz Said Paşa” (“English Said Pasha”), having received part of his higher education in Britain, acquired a strong command of English, and developed close connections with Britain.

Said Pasha was also involved in Ottoman-British diplomacy surrounding the Cyprus Convention of 4 June 1878. Following the Treaty of San Stefano, signed after the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78, the settlement was subsequently reconsidered at the Congress of Berlin, culminating in the Treaty of Berlin in July 1878.

THE WHITWORTH RIFLE: The Whitworth rifle was designed by Sir Joseph Whitworth, a prominent British engineer and entrepreneur. Whitworth had experimented with cannons using polygonal rifling instead of traditional rifled barrels, which was patented in 1854. The hexagonal polygonal rifling meant that the projectile did not have to bite into grooves as was done with conventional rifling. In 1856, that concept was demonstrated in a series of experiments using brass howitzers.

Whitworth believed that the same type of system could be used to create a more accurate rifle to replace the Pattern 1853 Enfield, which had shown some weaknesses during the recent Crimean War. Trials were held in 1857 to compare Whitworth’s design against the Enfield. The Whitworth rifle outperformed the Enfield at a rate of about three to one in the trials, which tested the accuracy and range of both weapons. Notably, the Whitworth rifle was able to hit the target at a range of 2,000 yards (1,800 m), whereas the Enfield was only able to hit the same target at a range of 1,400 yards (1,300 m). While the trials were generally a success for the Whitworth rifle, the British government ultimately rejected the design because the Whitworth’s barrel was much more prone to fouling than the Enfield, and the Whitworth rifle also cost approximately four times as much to manufacture. The Whitworth Rifle Company was able to sell the weapon to the French and Ottoman armies, and the Confederacy during the American Civil War. (Wikipedia). Overall, this small collection of autographed material written by a famous British engineer sent to Said Pasha provides invaluable insight into the weapon industry in Britain in the 19th century and Ottoman–British relations. Based on online research, all kinds of autograph materials by Whitworth seem to be extremely rare in the market and auction records.

Provenance: The collection of Ali Çubuk (d. 2020), comprising predominantly rare books, manuscripts, maps, and portolan charts relating to navigation and maritime history. Çubuk’s wife was a great-granddaughter of Eğinli Said Pasha, the recipient of the present letters.