CAPTAIN COOK MSS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17721, 24 March 1923, Page 18

CAPTAIN COOK MSS.

THE AUSTRALIAN PURCHASE. (BY CABLE—PEESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) SYD-NIEY, March 23. The library authorities and bookmen generally are elated at the purchase of the Captain Cook manuscripts. They consider it a cheap bargain, as they expected that Australia would have to pay much more. A leading bookseller declared that when Australia, comes into her own the money value of Lot 1 alone will be not less than £60,000. It transpires that when the trustees of the New South Wales Public Library decided to become the purcnaeers they were not aware that the Commonwealth Government also intended to be a bidder. However, after fha departure of their agent, Mr W. H. tfouM (principal librarian of the New South Wales Library), for London, the Prime Minister informed them that, as the documents'were of a national character, it waa desired to obtain them for Australia. Arrangements were then, made for Mr Ifould to act as the agent of the CommonwealtK in bidding.

In view of the fact that the Commonwealth Government is finding the purchase money, the library authorities are returning the moneys to the citizens who had subscribed a considerable /sum towards the purchase of the documents.

The Mitchell Library, Sidney, will have custody of the documents until the Commonwealth has a suitable permanent depository.