Australia Buys Dalrympie Collection

Inangahua Times, 4 July 1934, Page 4

Australia Buys Dalrympie Collection

The Commonwealth Librarian (Mr Iv. Binns) and Professor Scott inspected to-day the Dairy mple collection, the purchase of which is almost complete. It comprises 835 charts and maps of the Indian and Pacific Oceans | and East Indies ports, drawn and I arranged by Dalrymple, 38 books 1 and tracts of South Pacific discov- • eries, 16 autograph letters on the I discovery and settlement of the Pacific, 16 Dalrympleana, including l an Arrowsmith map of the world (1794) showing, particularly, Cook's discoveries, a memoir on a chart by Robertson (1805) showing New Holland and New Guinea, and seven original poitraits ot Dalrymple by George Dance who painted Cook. The collecting by the Musuem Book Store occupied 20 years. Professor Scott considers Dalrymple to be more important than is generally recognised. Interest attaches to criticism of Cook’s achievements and records of early Australian settlement, although much does not apply particularly to Australia. It is an .important contribution to the history of the Pacific, of which Australia should be the repository. Dalrymple research workers, in future, must visit Canberra for the full records.