James R. Boosé

“ The history of Newfoundland is of considerable interest, inasmuch as it is our oldest Colony and owing to certain political events, still continues to occupy an amount of attention not vouchsafed to many of the larger Colonies. Its very early history will be found in the various collections already referred to, whilst for more recent information we have the works of Chabert, Reeves, Anspach, Chappell, Bonnycastle, Pedley, Hatton and Harvey, &c. The Dominion of Canada is represented by a vast collection ”

“ As long ago as 1837 a society was formed with the title of the Colonial Society, for the purpose of affording a place of rendezvous to persons interested in the various dependencies of the Empire in every quarter of the globe, and by means of which information upon all Colonial subjects might be collected and circulated through the intercourse of many individuals having the same object in view. ”

“ The circulation of information through its books has undoubtedly contributed to raise the tone of thought and feeling, and to educate the British public throughout the whole of the United Kingdom, as well as to create a desire for acquiring a knowledge of the extent and resources of the Empire among no inconsiderable portion of the community. ”

“ Turning now to Africa, which section comprises the Cape Colony, Natal, Matabeleland and Mashonaland, West Africa, East Africa, and African Travel, there are few instances where there has been so rapid an increase in the literature of any country, but in spite of the continuous flow of works, almost every publication of any importance at all will be found in the library. ”

“ In 1881, or thirteen years after the foundation of the Institute, the first catalogue was printed, the library then containing 2,500 volumes. In 1886 a second catalogue upon a far more comprehensive scale was issued, the cost of publication having most liberally been defrayed by Mr. C. Washington Eves, and contained 7,291 entries, besides a catalogue of authors; whilst at the present time a new catalogue, to which I shall refer later on, is in course of preparation, which will contain the titles of over 20,000 volumes and pamphlets embracing every branch of Colonial literature. ”

“ In connection with the voyage of Flinders, I would draw your particular attention to what, in my opinion is the most valuable and, at the same time, unique treasure in the library. I refer to the collection of original pencil and water colour drawings by William Westall, A.R.A., who proceeded as landscape painter with that celebrated expedition of discovery and survey on the coasts of Australia during the years 1801 and 1802. ”

“ With regard to the magazine articles, it is a well-known fact that the deepest thinkers and most able writers frequently seek a medium of communication with the public in the leading magazines, and in many instances an article will be read when a volume cannot be touched, a reason which induced me to include in the catalogue the titles of such articles as relate to the Colonies, all of which are carefully indexed, and so rendered easily accessible. ”

“ By his kindness, many works which were published in the Colony were added to the library, and so vastly increased the importance of the New Zealand section. The New Guinea division contains 130 volumes and pamphlets, covering a period of one hundred years, and extending from the voyage of Sonnerat in 1776, to the travels of Bevan, Chalmers, D'Albertis, and the present energetic governor, Sir William MacGregor. Fiji is represented by sixty-six works, covering a period of eighty-one years, containing a general review of the past and present history of that thriving Colony. ”

“ The library is arranged in sections, each Colony occupying a distinct position in the several presses, every part of the British Empire being represented, from the great Dominion of Canada to the smallest island dependency ruled by the British Government. ”

“ For the botanical student there is a very comprehensive collection of the floras and botany of the various colonies, embracing the works of Aublet, Forster, Sweet, the floras of Ceylon, Barbados, Jamaica, Austral Africa, West Africa, the whole of Australasia, Hong-Kong, Canada, Mauritius, Bermuda, as well as Sir Joseph Hooker's Botany of the Antarctic Voyage of the "Erebus" and "Terror" in six volumes including New Zealand and Tasmania, the whole being illustrated with numerous coloured plates. There is also a collection of the poems of the principal Colonial writers beginning with Mr. ”

“ The remaining section of the library contains a collection of works upon the Colonies generally, their history, resources, Government and Trade, as well as Emigration and the important question of Imperial Federation, and embracing the works of all the chief writers upon Colonial questions during the past two centuries. ”

“ His first work on Australia was published in 1848, and at the present time he is actively engaged on behalf of the Government of New South Wales in assisting, and in fact, performing the chief work in connection with the publication of the historical records of that Colony, and of Australia generally. In the department of ethnology Australia is strongly represented, the library containing all the principal works regarding its aborigines. Works of Australian fiction have not been omitted, the collection including those of Mrs. ”

“ The sketches comprise views of King George's Sound, Port Lincoln, the head of Spencer's Gulf, Kangaroo Island, Port Phillip, Port Jackson, the Hawkesbury River, Keppel Bay, Port Bowen, Shoal Water Sound, Thirsty Sound, and the Gulf of Carpentaria; besides sketches illustrative of the natives, the flora, and fauna. ”