THE LOG OF THE "VICTORY"

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 281, 23 August 1919, Page 7

THE LOG OF THE "VICTORY"

Tho log-book of the Victory, Nelson's flagship at Trafalgar, was sold by Messrs. Sotherby on July 30. It was acquired by private "treaty, through the same firm, in 1911 by the late Mr. Thomas .1. Barratt, from whose collection it now comes to public auction, (says the "Manchester Guardian"). The history tlio extremely interesting manuscript is known, and can be quickly .told. Written up from day,'to day, as scanty leisure permitted, by Thomas Atkinson, tho sailing-master (or, as wo should now term- him, the navigating lieutenant), it was copied in a fair hand, and this copy is now in the museum of tho Public Rccord Office. Had j the nsunl practice been observed, tho original version should have been destroy I cd. It was not, however—doubtless bo- > cause of its extreme interest. Atkinson's j daughter, Mrs. Carey, wife of Commander I Thomas Carev, R.N., inherited it; and, j after her, iher son and grandson, from | tho last of whom if, passed in the lran»j action of 1911 already mentioned, j One point specially noteworthy is that | the fair copy in the. Rccord Office contains—as tho original log does not—the I famous signals made just, before the ac- ' tion began. The original, in .fact, stops iat 0.15 a.m, There is an interesting j piece of saleroom mystery connected with the memorandum missing in the present log. Appearing at Messrs, Christie's on iMarch 14, 1006. it was bought, bv Mr. Sabin for and by him, in .response to a special effort, was sold at cost price to Mr. H. M. Woollan, for prcseu- ; tation to the nation', though during that ; donor's lifetime it. was phu-ed in the ! town hall at Tunbridge Wells.