Queen Victoria’s Squadron

in grand facsimile

Australia’s part in the ex ploration, and deve lopment, of the Pacific is fascinating and, still to a large degree, unknown by many. The men who mapped the seas and the islands, those who, like Sir James Bums, opened trade routes, others who dug for minerals, set up schools, carried the message of Christianity, and who,in many ways, gave their energy and their lives to the Islands have still to be popularly chronicled among their countrymen. But, the work is proceeding and the list of books available grows almost daily. But none matches the magnificence of a special facsimile edition of the original Narrative of the Expedition of the Australian Squadron to New Guinea. It has been espe cially produced to mark the Centenary of the Proclamation by Queen Victoria, on Novem ber 6, 1884, of British New Guinea as a Protectorate of the Empire.

Hand-bound, beautifully printed,in a limited, numbered, edition of 1000, and with magnificent reproductions of the original maps and color plates, it is without doubt,one of the most splendid books pro duced on the Pacific. It has been re-published with the sponsorship of the South Paci fic Brewery, in a limited, num bered, edition by Robert Brown and Associates of Bathurst, New South Wales. At $175 per slip-boxed copy it is not, of course, for everyone but, given the fine quality, rarity and genu ine beauty of the book it is worth every dollar.

Copy number one of the

edition was presented to the Speaker of the PNG Parliament as a gift for their magnificent new library. Copy number two was given to prime minister, Michael Somare, and copy number three to Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, the great-great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria. Adding to the historical significance of it all, it was Prince Charles who, on the 100th anniversary of Proclamation, opened the Parliament of a sovereign and independent Papua New Guinea, which remains part of the British Commonwealth.

The original 1885 edition of the book was printed to com memorate the official hoisting of the British flag at Port Mores by at 8 a.m. on November 6, 1884, and the reading of the Royal Proclamation by Com modore J.E.Erskine, ADC, at the London Missionary Society station near Hanuabada village.

The volume, bound in blue, with gold handtooling and lettering, measures 42cm by 34 cm and its 100 gold-edged pages incorporate a narrative,

fivechromo-lithographs, map of the voyage and some magnifi cent photographs of the naval party and villagers they met.

The narrative describes the voyage and accounts witnessed by the officers of six of Her Majesty’s Ships of the Austra lian Squadron, as they travelled along the south-eastern coast of the newly-established colony to raise the flag at various coastal villages.

As a record of this historic event, and as a beautifully produced window on the life in the territory at the time, this book probably has no parallel.

South Pacific Brewery’s sponsorship of the project is part of their on-going involve ment in many community undertakings. Very early on they began to assist Red Cross activities in Port Moresby and, later, in other centres. South Pacific supported the various agricultural shows that have become a feature of life in many PNG towns, the first of which began, in Wau, in 1950.

The first of the now world famous Highland Shows, was held at Goroka in 1956.

The brewery has also spon sored many sporting events.

Golf was one of the first sup

ported in a large way and events such as the South Pacific 500, for professionals, held in June, 1963, brought in entries from many countries and attracted international attention to the country. Since then South Pacific has supported the administration and operation of many sports, from the major games, like cricket and various football codes, to squash, game-fishing, archery, pistol shooting, yacht racing and water-skiing.

Additionally, and it is in this area that the company lent its support to the present pub lishing project, South Pacific has contributed to many cultu ral programs. Among these was Operation Armada, the spectacular opening event of the South Pacific Festival of Arts in 1980.

Copies of the book are avail able through Pacific Publica tions, 76 Clarence Street, Syd ney, NSW 2001.

Tony Crawford, of Robert Brown and Associates, examines the facsimile edition.