“THE TIMES” IN 1805

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26510, 27 August 1951, Page 6

“THE TIMES” IN 1805

ACCOUNT OF BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR DARGAVILLE MAN’S DISCOVERY (New Zealand Press Association) DARGAVILLE, August 26. In the possession of Mr J. J. Walker, of Dargaville, is probably not only the oldest newspaper in New Zealand, but possibly one of the world’s most historic. a copy of “The Timas" of Thursday, November 7, 1805, giving the official account of the Battle of Trafalgar. It is possible that this is the only remaining copy of the issue outside the files of “The Times” office in London. Mr Walker’s father served in the Royal Navy After the death of his mother, Mr Walker found the newspaper wrapped in his father's discharge papers. Badly worn and water-stained, the newspaper is of four pages, each of four columns. The outer pages are devoted to advertising and the inside almost completely to the battle. The price is Bd. The hand-set type of the period is clearly legible. In the stilted language of its day, the paper describes, as a leading article put it. “the official account of the late naval action which terminated the most decisive victory that has ever been achieved in British skill and gallantry.” Detailed are the accounts which are now a matter of history, including the names of the ships engaged. a list of killed and wounded, and the story of Lord Nelson's last moments.

This is possibly the first printed record of Nelson’s momentous signal, “England Expects that Every Man this Day will do His Duty." Advertising columns in the newspaper are interesting also. They deal with everything from sales by auction to the case of a young man who wants to engage himself to an elderly gentleman. There are grandiose announcements to the nobility, and gentry, and others, and the activities of Their Majesties* upholsterers are described.