New Guinea and Polynesia Discoveries & Surveys in New Guinea and the D'Entrescasteaux Islands: A Cruise in Polynesia and Visits to the Peart-Shelling Stations in Torres Straits of H. M. S. Basilisk
by Morseby, John
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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About This Item
London: John Murray, 1876. xviii, 327 [32] pp. First edition. Octavo. Bound in original blue cloth. Gilt lettering and illustrations on the spine and cover. Spine sunned. Boards have some shelf wear. Original Victorian red end papers. Previous owner's bookplates on the front end papers. Head and tail edges are trimmed, the fore edge is untrimmed. Edges are dust soiled. There is some staining and foxing inside the volume. Contains four plates and four maps, including a fold out chart. It also includes at the rear of the book an advertising list of the publisher's other works. Moresby published Discoveries and Surveys in New Guinea in 1876 after a lifetime spent on the ocean. Joining the navy at age twelve, he served in South America and the Baltic during the Crimean War and worked in Ireland as a marine surveyor. The voyage described in this book was the H.M.S. Basilisk exploration of New Guinea and other South Sea islands. Moresby charted and surveyed New Guinea; his reports also include information on Milne Bay and the China Strait. A supplementary chapter is also included with Morseby's thoughts on colonization. He notes that it is time "to decide on a plan of action with regard to the races that inhabit [these islands]." He notes that as the empire requires the sandalwood, cotton, labour and tobacco the islands produce, it is also obligated to protect the people dwelling there. "They have seen so much of our heathenism that we are bound in fairness to show them something of our Christianity." As an item of provenance, please note that this book came from the library of Lieutenant Commander Andrew David and has his book plate on the front free end paper. 1876
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Details
- Bookseller
- Aquila Books (CA)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 143816
- Title
- New Guinea and Polynesia Discoveries & Surveys in New Guinea and the D'Entrescasteaux Islands: A Cruise in Polynesia and Visits to the Peart-Shelling Stations in Torres Straits of H. M. S. Basilisk
- Author
- Morseby, John
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- John Murray
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1876
- Keywords
- Exploration|Hydrography|Travel |New Guinea|Polynesia|Australia|Indigenous cultures|Expeditions |Colonization|Christianity
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About the Seller
Aquila Books
Biblio member since 2010
Calgary, Alberta
About Aquila Books
Aquila Books specializes in books dealing with Polar Exploration, Western Canadiana, Mountaineering, the Canadian Pacific Railway, Early Voyages as well as many other areas. We also deal in antique maps and prints, historic photos, autograph letters, postcards, antique scientific instruments and antique bookcases. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Plate
- Full page illustration or photograph. Plates are printed separately from the text of the book, and bound in at production. I.e.,...
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Tail
- The heel of the spine.
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
- Fore Edge
- The portion of a book that is opposite the spine. That part of a book which faces the wall when shelved in a traditional...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- New
- A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Soiled
- Generally refers to minor discoloration or staining.
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Shelf Wear
- Shelf wear (shelfwear) describes damage caused over time to a book by placing and removing a book from a shelf. This damage is...
- Sunned
- Damage done to a book cover or dust jacket caused by exposure to direct sunlight. Very strong fluorescent light can cause slight...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...