ORIGINAL TASMAN MAP

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 29 September 1933, Page 7

ORIGINAL TASMAN MAP

VOYAGE OF 1642 RECALLED. SYDNEY Sept. S>. Thto Mitchell Lil>rary”s wonderful I store of Australiana lias been enriekI eel by the acquisition of one of the most interesting relics that have conic i into its possession. It has just ieI ceivecl from London the original Tasman map showing Tasman’s voyage of 1642. when lie discovered Tasmania, New Zealand and the Fiji®, and Tonga Islands. The map was presented to the trustees of the library by Princess George of Greece. The trustees of the Mitchell Library consider it to be- one of the most Important maps in their extensive- - ollection. It is especially interesting because of the fact that Tasman was the first to circumnavigate Australia and because the AlTtchell Library a few years ago acquired in Holland the original Tasman Journal of the 1642 •x----pedition. A. translation of the Dutch title of the map is: “All these' lands were discovered bv the Dutch East Indies Company’s discoverers, with the ox-| ception of the northern part of Nova Guinea and the west end of Java. This work has been compiled from various writings, together with his own observations, by lAbel Jansz Tasman, anno, 1644. by order of the Honour-i able the Lord Governor-General Anthonio van Dieman.” The history of the acquisition of the map, as is often the case with iare and valuable historic documents, is interesting. The Public Librarian (Mr W. H. Ifould) was first informed of the map being in the possession of the Bonaparte family (of which Princess George of Greece is a member! by Mrs Daisv Bates, one of the mostisolated white women in Australia, as she lives, as a prptrectress of aborigines. at Golden. Western Australia. Mrs Bates directed Mr I/ond’s attention to a paragraph in a hook. “Round the World.” bv Dr Thomson, secretary of the Queensland Geographical Society. the book having been published in 1904. . Dr Thomson, the guest or Prince Roland Bonaparte, was interested in the Prince’s special hobby, the collection of geographical, books. [ Dr Thomson referred in his book to the prince’s possession of the original I Tasman manuscript map of his. 1642| voyage. He said tljlati the prince. stated his intention of bequeathing the Tasman map to Australia at his death.

On this information Mr Ifould wrote to the then Agent General for New South Wales (Lord Chelmsford), suggesting that ho should •communicate with Princess George of Greece, who had inherited the collection of her father, Prince Roland Bonaparte. Lord Chelmsford wrote to the British Ambassador in Pans, who interviewed the Princess, who agreed that the map should go to Australia. She. however, mentioned that her husband Pri nee George, intended to visit Australia and present the map to the people on that visit. As nothing eventuated for some time. Mr Ifould, during a visit to Europe in 1929. took steps to remind the Princess of her promise. The Princess repeated her promise, but still, hoped that her busband would be able t-o present the map in person. Princess George was reminded again two years later, and was persuaded to agree that the map should be transferred to London and thence to Australia.

The discovery has also been reported to Mr Ifould of a- Duiffien chart, which proves that the Duiffien was the first vessel to sight any part of Australia. The discoverer was Dr. Wieder. probably the most distinguished authority in the world on early maps and editor of “Monuments Cartographica.” An Australian professor, writing to Mr Ifould from London regarding the chart, said: “Dr. Wieder has recently found a chart drawn by Roossengin on board the Duiffien of her discovery of the western coast of York Peninsula in ISO 6. He has just given me a copy, with permission to use it as l wish 11, is my intention to send it out on loan for exhibition in the Mitchell Library It is the first authentic record of the discovery of any part of Australia hi a white man Some months befoiv Torres went through the straits, and every place he visited is clearly marked on the chart.” Mr Ifould described the chart as an important discovery. He said: “Owing to the absence of any direct record of the Duiffien’s voyage, geographers have frequently questioned whether she ever did more than sail along the south coast of New Guinea—that is, whether those" on board really had the first sight of any part of Australia. T-his chart answers that question, which has been a matter of controversy among geographers for more than a* century. The Mitchell Library will obtain from Dr. AVieder a facsimile reproduction of the chart in colour.”

Tlio Tasman map gives a fairly good outline of the Australian coasts, especially the southern, western, and north-western, but Tasmania is shown joined to the mainland. The east coast is made too regular, and there is evidence that Tasman regarded the Great Barrier Reef as the main coastline, while it is shown that he believed New Guinea also to be joined to the mainland. New Zealand i» peculiarly chartered. Only the west coast of the two islands is shown, and that is joined, with evidence that Tasman believed the strait between them was a huge bay.