HISTORIC DOCUMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1929, Page 11

HISTORIC DOCUMENTS

TREASURES FOR AMERICA.

THE MARLBOROUGH ARCHIVES.

Historic documents from his family’s archives have been, presented to the American nation by the Duke of Marlborough, and they will be kept in the Congress Library at Washington. Mr. Bainbridge Colby, former Secretary of State, who was a guest at a luncheon given by American correspondents in London, in announcing the gift, quoted from the letter of thanks sent to the Duke by Mr. Herbert Putman, the Congress librarian: “I know of no instance where the head of a family of such distinction has deliberately confided to foreign custody memorials so precious.” Included in the collection, numbering over 130 documents, are the letters written by the soldier duke announcing the victories of Ramillies and Blenheim. These were sent by courier to the duchess, who wag given the privilege of announcing the victories of Queen Annes It is recorded that it was a pencil note written by the Duke on the field of Blenheim which gave news of the greatest triumph achieved by an English general since the Middle Ages. Many of the letters, go back more than 200 years. There are others from Queen Victoria, and a number of recent documents signed by famous men. The present Duchess of Marlborough, a remarkably handsome woman and charming hostess, is an American. She was formerly Miss Gladys Deacon, daughter of the late Edward Parker Deacon, of Boston. When she was a ■schoolgirl, before the war, she stayed ; at Blenheim. There is no doubt that I it is the Duke’s many personal asso- i ciations with America which has decided the course he has taken in regard to these important family documents.