CAPTAIN COOK.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 506, 13 May 1909, Page 2

CAPTAIN COOK.

■ v. PROPOSED MEMORIAL L\ LONDON. A meeting '■ 'of the' Gerieral CommitteJ ' formed :in connection with the .proposal, to'' • ' erect, in Londdri a memorial! to the famous/ 7 navigator-and explorer, Captain Cook, was held, at the Mansion House, on Marcn 30. The Duke of Devonshire presided. Mr. Herbert' Samuel,' in moving the election of tho Prince of Wale's as honorary chairman of the General Committee, said that his Royal Highness was interested in the movement on account both of his connection with! the Navy and his great interest in the Aus- ■ tralasian. States. The movement was initial ted by' Sir Joseph Carruthors,' ex-Primo ■ Minister of New South Wales. Ho (Mr. ■ Samuel) happened to : represent in Parliament tho Clevedon Division , of Yorkshire, where Captain Cook was born. The commit-,' .ted.; of the British Empire League heartily approved of the idea, and a provisional committee was appointed, with himself as chairman. He wrote, to soveral of his colleagues : in the Government and other leading mon in the country, and a general committee was '■ formed which included representatives of tho . British Navy, tho Colonial .Office, the Australasian States, British shipping, • and also tho learned societies.. .

There were various reasons, continued Mr. Samuel, why the movement snould appeal to the nation." James Cook was one of, tho greatest explorers that England had .ever produced:• Ho was a mail who sailed' in small ships and explored unknown seas; ox- : posed to almost deadly peril, who showed dauntless persoycrancoj and, in a.ll his dealings with the savago tribes with which ha ' came ill contact, conspicuous humanity. Tho . movement Would also bo a recognition of tho scientific work which had been done for so ' many generations by the British Navy. Tho' . Navy was not only 0110. of tho fighting services, but helped 011 the'work of tho world through tho investigations which, 'had been | carried out by its distinguished officers in tho various Bcas of the world. . It was a sign_that" England appreciated tho greatness of 'Aus-*, tralia ,and New Zealand, and valued very highly the ties that united them to the Em- •. > pire/that the movement had. been so heartily welcomed. Ho wondered whether. Captain Cook, when ho first hoisted the British flag in: Australia, and later 'on in' Now Zealand,. could havo foreseen that nearly a century and . ■ H half later those colonies would present to tho Mother Country two great battleships to add 'to the strength of tho Navy of which 110 was so devoted a servant.

On the motion of Lord Brassey, seconded , | by -Admiral Sir Nathaniel Bowden-Smith, • K.C.8., a resolution was adopted'appointing ' an executive committee "to secure tno ereotion in London of a memorial to Captain Cook." ' .