HISTORICAL DATA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19853, 17 July 1934, Page 2

HISTORICAL DATA

AUSTRALIA BUYS DALRYMPLE COLLECTION LONDON, June 28. The Commonwealth Librarian (Mr K. Binns) and Professor Scott inspected to-day the Dalrymple 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 arranged by Dalrymple, 38 books and tracts of South Pacific discoveries, 16 autograph letters on the discovery and settlement of the Pacific, 16 Dalrympleana, including 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 portraits of Dalrymple by George Dance, who painted Cook. The collection by the Museum 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.