RARE VOLUMES STOLEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20622, 22 July 1930, Page 9

RARE VOLUMES STOLEN.

AMAZING MUSEUM ROBBERY.

SENTRIES ON DUTY EVADED.

WHITSUN HOLIDAY SENSATION. Have books and manuscripts were stolen from tho "Royal Arniv Medical College, Millbank, Westminster, during the Whitsun holiday. They included: The Sharagram Bible, a manuscript copy in Armenian written and illuminated by Pbilaros, who devoted the years 15801590 to the task; a Venetian chart by Cranopus Benincasa, dated 1643; the complete list of the wounded at the Battle of Waterloo, drawn up by Sir Charles Bell, together with Sir Charles' notebooks of cases; a copy of "The Excursion," by Wordsworth, autographed by the poet to his nephew John, who was in the medical service, and dated 1814 (the date of its publication); a copy of the Koran in MSS. form. In all, between 50 and 60 rare books were stolen, apart from manuscripts and a number of medals. Sentries were on duly at the timo of the burglary, but were evaded.

The stolen Bible was taken to England by Colonel Manifold Craig in 1912. It was the only one of it 3 kind iri tho world, an(l was valued at over £IOOO.

The other books stolen were mostly medical works. One of them was entit led " Military Surgery," by Bichard Wiseman, and was dated 1672. It was the only known copy. Another volume which disappeared, and on the same subject, was one by Hieronyinus Brunswig (1497). Entry Gained by a Window. Jt is believed that someone familiar with tho building must have been responsible for tho theft. The Poyal Army Medical College is on the north side of the Thames, which the front overlooks, and is separated from the Tale Gallery by Attcrbury Street. There is a large quadrangle on the Attcrbury Street side. The large apartment forming tho library contains 15.000 volumes, the upper shelves being served by a gallery. The floor space is occupied by tables, chairs and a number of showcases which were kept locked. These cases contained the stolen property —gifts by officers to the college at various times. On Whit Monday morning a non-com-missioned officer, in the course of his patrol, found a window of the library broken, and investigation revealed that every case except one had been forced open and rifled. The. exception was one containing the smallest (1824) and the largest (1918) official Army Lists. In a right angle formed by two wings of the building a window in a passage was opened from the inside. From the window-sill, by holding on to a stackpipe with the left hand, it was a simple matter for the intruder to step across to the window-sill of the library window, in which a hole was made. The catch was then raised, and the rest was easy. Gems of Collection Not Taken. A window at- the western end of the library had been opened, and it ;s believed that the property was lowered down to the quadrangle by means of a rope.

Ihe library, which is a private one for the use of the college only, was closed on the, Saturday, the door and all the windows being locked. Tt is presumed that an entry was gained lato on Sunday night., and an exit made early on Whit Monday morning. How the night guard was evaded is a mvslerv.

Among articles left behind in the forced cases were a framed and glared letter written by Florence Nightingale, and sonic very scarce writings on bamboo and pahti leaves. These, with tiie Bible, are regarded as the gems of the collection.