SIR HARRY HAMILTON JOHNSTON - AUTOGRAPH - HFSID 81410

HARRY HAMILTON JOHNSTON
Johnston's clipped signature, mounted to a piece of paper with his biography
Clipped signature: "H.H.Johnston". Also with one unidentified signature in an unknown hand. 5x1 signature mounted on 4½x5¾ white piece of paper. With a short biography affixed. Captioned: "Yours very truly". Johnston (1858-1927, born in London, England) was an English explorer, botanist and colonial administrator. He studied painting at the Royal Academy and, as part of his studies, visited the little-known interior of Tunisia in 1879 and 1880. He met Henry Morgan Stanley in the Congo in 1883 became one of the first Europeans to see the river above the Stanley Pool (now the Pool Malebo). Johnston was appointed leader of a 1884 scientific expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro. This expedition became part of the late 19th century Scramble for Africa, as he concluded treaties with local chiefs that helped to define the borders between British and German territories in that region. After this, he held positions in the colonial governments of Cameroon, Mozambique and Uganda, helped to solidify British claims over Lake Tanganyika and helped to resolve territorial claims in southeastern Africa and the Congo Free State. Johnston also published over 40 books, most of them on Africa. He was knighted in 1896. Lightly toned and rippled. Top edge of signature has adhesive residue. Irregular edges. Otherwise in fine condition.