[H.M.S. VICTORY]: An interesting, small collection of correspondence between Captain Alex Anderson, a South African seaman and correspondent for the Natal Mercury newspaper in the 1920s, author of Windjammer Yarns - Incidents in the Life of a South African Seaman Aboard the Wooden Ships and Steam Tramps of Fifty Years Ago (1923), and the Royal Navy concerning his model of HMS Victory which he built at the age of nearly 90 in South Africa, including a T.L.S., Alex Anderson, two pages, 4to, Durban, Natal, 9^th January 1934, to the Permanent Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty in London. Anderson states, in part, 'The Young Womens' Christian Association of South Africa made me a White Ensign to fly on the Model of Lord Nelson's “VICTORY” which we built in Durban…..I have pleasure in sending you six postcards of this Model. They are all endorsed with their particular subject and date…..No. 55 is our Model on Durban Bay, dressed and fired a salute to Admiral Evans. He was very pleased, and hoped the ”VICTORY” would give him another salute when he came again to Port Natal in July 1934. You may notice whilst we were sailing we did not fly any kind of Ensign, because any flag except the White Ensign would look ridiculous on our Model of the “VICTORY”. I am, therefore, humbly asking that such permission to fly the White Ensign be granted me. I am quite at a loss to know how to apply for permission to hoist the White Ensign, or to whom to apply, but if you can help me and send this letter on to the proper quarters, I shall ever be grateful….'; a T.L.S. by Captain Roy W. Lethbridge, Royal Navy Paymaster and Secretary to the Commander-in-Chief, one page, 4to, Africa Station, Simonstown, 30^th March 1934, to Alex Anderson, responding to his letter of 9^th January 1934 and advising that the Admiralty have informed the Commander-in-Chief 'that, while Their Lordships do not propose to issue you with a warrant permitting you to hoist a White Ensign on board your model of H.M.S. “Victory”, They have no objection to its occasional use' and further adding that the White Ensign may be flown on certain special occasions including the birthday of the sovereign, Trafalgar Day, Empire Day or 'If the model is under way or manned by you on the occasion of the arrival or departure of any H.M. ships'; a T.L.S. by Admiral Sir Francis Loftus Tottenham (1880-1967), Commander-in-Chief Africa Station, one page, 4to, Africa Station, Simonstown, 28^th February 1938, to Captain Anderson, regarding his proposal to make a gift of his model of H.M.S. Victory to the Royal Navy at Simonstown, and stating, in part, 'On behalf of officers and men of the Africa Station, I accept this generous gift with much pleasure and will maintain it with great care as a valued possession. When not afloat, I intend she should be mounted at the junction of three main thoroughfares in the Dockyard, where she will be on view in a similar manner to Nelson's flagship in Portsmouth Dockyard….I also take this opportunity of thanking you for lending the model during Navy Week……she proved one of the most valuable exhibits of the Week'. Together with a few pieces of printed ephemera etc. relating to Anderson including an unsigned postcard photograph of him seated outdoors in a three-quarter length pose and an A.L.S., Alex Anderson, one page, 8vo, Durban, 27^th August 1937, to Mr. Cary (?), stating 'Please give my Kaffir boy a small tin of your good boat varnish and I will come up to pay for it, and also enquiring on behalf of a friend if he stocks paint suitable for a house roof. Some file holes and minor age wear, G to about VG, 7