EARLY AUSTRALIA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 10 February 1923, Page 9

EARLY AUSTRALIA.

NAPOLEON AND SYDNEY. SYDNEY, Jan. U. At the end of this month the prinI cipal librarian of the Public, Libraries of New South Wales (Mr W. H. Ifould) will leave for France foT the special purpose of examining French docu- ( nients relating to the earliest periods of • Australian history. Although there is no definite historical evidence to substantiate it, there is an old suspicion i that the Government of Napoleon had jin view the formation of a colony in • Australia. Professor Scott, of Melbourne, has asserted that the infant settlement on the shores of Port Jackson _ was not entirely free from danger , during the Napoleonic w?irs, and he added that the great French leader was supplied with precise information as to how an attack upon Sydney could be I made, with excellent prospects of success. It is related that when the French colony Maritius was languishing for lack of supplies in 1810, , Napoleon specifically directed the Gov-ernor-General of the colony to take '■ Port Jackson (Sydney), "where considerable resources will be found." At ; that time, however, Mauritius 'was , closely blockaded by a British squadron, and the Governor-General could not hold his own, much less send tin expedition to capture Port Jackson. After visiting Franco, Mr Ifcujfit will go to London, where he will inspect ! the original journal written by Cap- j tain Cook during his first voyage, j . which is to be sold by auction, in j ; Mardi. There is a strong fooling that \ no_ effort should be spared to secure this immensely interesting .journal for Australia. It is claimed that by coordinate effort between the State, the Commonwealth and the rich citizens it would be v easily possible for it to be , brought to the country.