Sir Joseph Banks letter

Address: Soho Square, London. Relates to 'the undertaking now in hand for exploring the rapid Currents of the Zaira'. Reference is made to the mutiny of the Bounty, 'which began by turning the Commander adrift & ended in the Peopling of Pitcairn's Island. A less economical Outfit succeeded & the business was happily effected. Hence I deduce that in all matters of Naval Equipment it is better to adopt a Plan of sufficient extent at first than to do it after a failure, which if attributable to parsimony will in a Country like this meet with censure.' He advocates the use of a steamboat, 'a Fort impregnable to Native Armies & capable of sending out a subordinate Expedition'. This letter appears to be either a copy of a draft letter made by an amanuensis.

See hard copy catalogue

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Special Collections Reading Room. Please contact the University Archivist for details. At least 24 hours notice is required for research visits.

Catalogue of the manuscripts and autograph letters in the University Library at the central building of the University of London (1921). A copy is available in the Library's Special Collections Reading Room.