Taylor, William Rufus. Autograph Letter Signed by William Rufus Taylor to Lieutenant James Melville Gilliss (1811-1865) U.S. Navy Congratulating Gilliss' on his Successful Expedition i.e., the U.S. Naval Astronomical Expedition to the Southern Hemisphere 1849-52 and thanking him for the "beautiful and interesting books " which were most likely copies of the results of the expedition which were published 1855-6. Newport R.I.: April 17th 1856.

Small Quarto (ca. 20 x 16cm). One page pp. Brown ink on wove paper, verso blank. Letter with a minor crease of upper left corner, otherwise in near fine condition.

The letter reads: "My Dear Sir, Upon my return to this place, ten days ago, after an absence of several months, I found here the beautiful and interesting books that you did me the favour to send me. Permit me to offer you my best thanks for this mark of remembrance. I shall read them with much interest. Often during your absence I thought of your labouring in that distant field, & I sincerely congratulate you upon the successful results of your expedition. Will you be pleased to present my respectful compliments to Mrs. Gilliss. Believe me sincere esteem. Yours very truly, Wm. Rufus Taylor. "

Gilliss a naval astronomer and founder of the United States Naval Observatory, in August 1848 "succeeded in obtaining $5,000 from Congress for a naval astronomical expedition to Chile. The chief purpose was to determine the solar parallax--and thus the scale of the solar system--by observations of Mars and Venus. From August 1849 until its return in November 1852, Gilliss headed this expedition, again making observations far beyond the original purposes of the expedition and leaving behind the foundation for the Chilean National Observatory "(ANBO). The author of the letter is most likely William Taylor (1821-1902), evangelist and missionary bishop of the Methodist Episcopal church and author of "California Life Illustrated " (pub. 1858) amongst several other books. "Taylor was one of the most energetic and influential missionary leaders in nineteenth-century Methodism. He was especially responsible for the spread of Methodism in Australia, India, South America, and Africa. Among his most notable accomplishments was his commitment to the principle of indigenous leadership and self-supporting churches "(ANBO).