CAPTAIN COOK MEMORIAL

Otago Witness, Issue 2882, 16 June 1909, Page 15

CAPTAIN COOK MEMORIAL

PROPOSED STATUE FOR LONDON. (From: Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, April 12. A meeting of the General Committee which has been formed to promote, the erection in London of a memorial in honour of Captain Cook, the navigator and explorer, was held on Tuesday at the Mansion House, the Duke- of Devonshire presiding-. Among these present were Mr Herbert Samuel, M.P, Lord Brassey, Lord Licbfield, Admiral Sir N. BowdenSmith, Admiral Sir Albert -Markham, Admiral Sir L A. Beaumont, Rear-admiral A. Mostyn Field, Sir Frederick Young, Sir U Riyers Wilson, Sir John Goldney, General Sir Richard -.Harrison, Sir w! Hood Tredeger Lieutenant-general Sir Edward Hutton. Sir Westbv Perceval, Sir John Tweedy, Sir C. Lewis Tupper, Mr ™V *V Colmer . M * Herbert Daw, Mr A. W. Mayo Robson, Mr A. Kitson, and Mr -nu reenian urra y (secretary). The Duke of Devonshire assured the committee that the British Empire League of which he was president, would do its best to secure the success of the movemenl fo i' ~ the erect ion of a memorial worthy of Captain Cook. Mi- Herbert Samuel, JVI.P., moved" fea election- of the Prince of Wales as chairman of the General /Committee. Steps had, he said been taken, through the Secretary of State for the Colonies, to ascertain, that * H.R.H. would welcome^ their nomination. The Prince of Wales was interested in this- movement both on account of his long connection with the navy and of his great interest in the Australasian colonies, and for these reasons they might ba sure that the proposal whiciK would be made to the public by the committee had bis hearty approval Sir Joseph Carruthers, the late Premier of New South Wales, wrote some months ago a letter in The Times suggesting that a memorial should be erectjd in w ,^ l he memor y of Captain Cook. He (Mr Samuel) happened to have the honour of representing in Parliament the Cleveland district of the North Riding of Yorkshire, where Cook was born, and where his memory was naturally held iir the highest esteem. The Executive Committee of the British Empire Leagua heartily approved the suggestion made by tin- Joseph Carruthers, and appointed a representative Provis.onal Committee of which they ejected him chairman, 1o carry through the movement. There were various reasons why this movement should appeal to the nation James Cook was one of the greatest explorers that England had ever produced from the days of Drake to the days of Shackleton.-(Cheers.) Tl 16 m.3mor:al to Uip.fain Cook would also be a r-ecogniton ol the heroic work done for many a longgeneration by the British navy. The Jpntish navy, after all, was not only" a hgliting service. ~- It did not exist only for defensive purposes, but it also help-d on the work of the world through the explorations which had b?en carried out by us distinguished officers, and through tho surveying work done all over the seas for the. benefit of humanity at lar^e; and conspicuous among those servants of the British navy was Captain Cook.— I*-' bears.) The memorial was also a sign that England appreciated the greatness of her Australian and New Zea'and co'omes, and valued very highly the iies that united them to the Empire. He wondered whether Captain Cook, when first hoisting the British flag on the soil of New Zea\x?,' and later on tns soil of N&w South Wales, ever foresaw that those co'onies would present to the Mother Country two great battleships to increase the strength of that navy of which he was a devoted servant. — (Cheers. ) The mo Lion was carried^ unanimously. Sir Frederick Young moved the election of Lord Biassey as hon treasurer, and men tion.nl that he himself waf associated with some friends in endeavouring to get a memorial in the shape of a statue erected in New Zealand to the founder of that country— Edward Gibbon .Wakjjfield,— with whom lie was personally associated for^ many yv.ar in that colony. The motion was agreed to. The following additions were made to the Genera! Commute:: — Admiral Sir J. C. Da!rymple-Hay. Irieurenant-general Sir Arthur Paget Admiral of the Fleet Sir Edward H. Sjymour. Sir Isidore Spie!mann, and Captain Sir George R. Vyvyan (Deputy Mas-er of Trinity House). On the motion of Loid -Brasgey; an Executive Comnrbtee was appointed to secure the erection in London of a memorial to Captain Cook, with the following as members :— Mr H-.rbsrn Samuel, M.P. (chairman), Mr Gorvase Beckett, M.P., Sir I-lutrii Bsll. Lord Blyth, Admiral Sii N. Bowc'en-Smith, Sir John Cockburn, Mr W. Herbert Daw, Admiral the Hon. Sir E. R. Fremantle, Lieutcnant-g3n<>ra! Sir Edward Hutton. ll r A Kitson, Sir Weslby Perceval, Mr W. Pembei- sieves, and Sir F. Young. Admiral Sir N. Bowden-Smith, who seconded the re^o'ution, referred to Captain Cook's valuable hydrographie surveys, and mention-ed- that he was the first seaman who suec?ssfu!lv fought the scurvy. On the motion of Sir Westbv Percaval tho Duke of Devonshire was cordially thanked for presiding 1 .