A VALUABLE GIFT TO THE COLONY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10252, 2 October 1896, Page 4 (Supplement)

A VALUABLE GIFT TO THE COLONY.

A valuable presentation was made at Wellington on tho 11th of September, to the Parliamentary Library by Count d'Abbans, in the shape of a work of great value, not only because ib is oub of print, bub because also ibis of considerable importance historically. The work is a record of the voyugo of the French corvette Astrolabe, executed by order of the King during the years 1826,1827, 1828, and 1829, under the command of Mr. T. Dummonb Durville, captain of the French navy, and was published by order, f His Majesty King Charles the Tenth. The work comprises 16 volumes, and five atlases containing about 600 engravings. Count d'Abbans, in a letter addressed to the Speaker, writes':—"The work was included in the library of a grand 1 mine, who was a peer of Franco at the time of publishing, His Excellency tho Count de Montepin. I add a valuablo book j of historical references, and very curious ! documents, for the history of the hundred years last, remarkable for the printing and i the engravings, which nas been supplied to subscribers only, and is nob in the trade. The title is 'The Book of the Hundredth Year of the Journal of the Debates.' lam glad to find an opportunity for showing my appreciation of thf constant kindness I met from all raombe'rs of the New Zealand Parliament since eleven years. , I came to this colony for the first tiino as the first official representative of) the Republic of ; France here." : On :„ the motion of : the Premier a vote of thanks was passed to the donor for his generous gift of these '-. 'valuable works. Captain Russell, ' Mr. Tom Mackenzie; and Mr, Tanner spoke in appreciation .of J the gift ; :v : r';; *:■■ i:>: : /:-ii J -<<m\