South Seas Tradition - from p55

and Pacific historians would probably still be thumbing through it with gratitude a century hence, and those remarks may now be applied with equal justice to the Nicholson opus.

Like the original volume, Nicholson’s book-aims to provide a record of shipping movements in and out of Sydney during the 15 calendar years indicated in its title.

Each vessel is listed in chronological order according to its date of entry, and details are given of its type, master, provenance, cargo and notable passengers. If a ship happened to be wrecked after leaving Sydney, that, too, is noted.

The book was produced offset from typescript and was printed in Singapore where Captain Nicholson is currently naval attache at the Australian High Commission.

The book is title No 23 in the Roebuck Series, which John Cumpston (a former Australian consul in Noumea) launched several years ago as an outlet for “books of merit on Australian historical sub jects” that could not otherwise find a publisher. Its cost direct from the publisher in eluding postage within Australia is $16.50.

Title No 22 in the Roebuck Series is a reprint of Cumpston’s own Shipping Ar rivals and Departures, Sydney, 1788-1826, which has been out of print— but much in demand for several years. Its cost plus postage within Australia is $11.50.

The two volumes may be had for $27.00.

Roebuck books are availa ble from booksellers or from J. S. Cumpston, 42 Araba Street, Aranda, ACT, 2614 Robert Langdon.