NATIONAL HEIRLOOM.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1331, 8 January 1912, Page 4

NATIONAL HEIRLOOM.

LOG-BOOK OP THE VICTORY. It is strange that a log-book of Nelson's Victory should have remained in private hands for more than a century. This is not the official log of tho.-Victory, which is preserved at the Public Record Office, but tho rough "deck log," kept: by the sailing-muster, from which the official log was compiled by the navigating officer. Iho official log, however, docs not contain a record of the signals made bv the Victory to tho fleet on Octobor 20| 1805, and theso are included in tho deck log, a rough book in canvas binding, bearing on the back the strongly-inked title, "His Majesty's Ship' Victory's Log-book,. No. 10,

The "remarks" which brighten the quaint mathematics of Nelson's favourite sailing-master, Thomas Atkinson, present an unadorned but vivid picture of tho events of Trafalgar, a record which makes the log a priceless national heirloom. The story of the battle contains iho bald statement that "about 1,15 tho Right Honourable Lord Viscount Nelson, K. 11., and Comniander-in-Cliief, was wounded in the shoulder. Similar brief ontries describe tho course of events during the next three hours. "Partial firing continued," tho log stales, "until -UO, when a victory having been reported to the. Right Honourable Lord Viscount Nelson, K.B. and Com-mander-in-Chief, he then died of his wounds." The log then goes on simplv to describe the. damage suffered hv tho'vessel, the same straightforward' language, eloquent in its unaffected simplicity, serves to narrate the anchoring of tho \ ictory in Dover Roads on December 13, and tho parting with her glorious burden on December »!. "Camn alongside Commissioner Grey's yacht from Sheerness," states the record, "and received the remains of the late Lord Viscount Nelson, JU!., Vico-Admiral of tho While." There was no time for tears.

I his wonderful record was preserved bv members of the Atkinson family until a feu- weeks ago, when' it. was oil'ered for wile in London. There was danger of it falling into sacriligious hands, but happily it was purchased by an Englishman. Some day it is In be hoped it will become one of the precious possessions of the nation.