Item #134205 The Journal of HMS 'Endeavour', 1768-1771. Lieutenant James COOK.
The Journal of HMS 'Endeavour', 1768-1771
The Journal of HMS 'Endeavour', 1768-1771
The Journal of HMS 'Endeavour', 1768-1771
The Journal of HMS 'Endeavour', 1768-1771
The Journal of HMS 'Endeavour', 1768-1771
The Journal of HMS 'Endeavour', 1768-1771

The Journal of HMS 'Endeavour', 1768-1771

Guildford, Genesis Publications, and Adelaide, Rigby, 1977 [first edition thus].

Folio, 527 pages with 12 illustrations, a map and 40 pages of plates (6 in colour) plus a folding facsimile document and pictorial endpapers.

Hand-bound at the Kemp Hall Bindery, Oxford, in half calf and buckram; spine tooled in gilt; front board stamped in gilt with a pictorial design showing the 'Endeavour'; leather lightly scuffed on the spine, with a few light vertical creases (this copy has been read!); an excellent copy in the slipcase (slightly bumped on one corner, with a tiny piece missing from a top corner of the margin of the printed paper label on one side).

Number 100 of only 500 copies. The bulk of the book (approximately 380 pages) comprises a facsimile reproduction of the Admiralty copy of Cook's journal, considered by the Cook authority J.G. Beaglehole as 'the best and most careful, as it is the only fair copy that exists'. The balance of the book (approximately 100 pages) comprises lengthy introductory essays and a very useful index. Provenance: Kenneth Johnstone Binns (1912-1987), 'public servant' from Sir Donald James Hibberd (1916-1982), 'businessman': a well-executed calligraphic plate tipped in on an early blank records that the book was presented by Hibberd to Binns 'in appreciation of his sound advice, loyal support and warm friendship ... May 1979'. The 'Australian Dictionary of Biography' has much more to add to the bald description of these two gentleman. The advice, support and friendship appears to have its substance in their joint membership of the board of the Commonwealth Aluminium Corporation Pty Ltd (Comalco). Hibberd was Comalco's managing director (1960-69), chairman and chief executive (1969-78), and non-executive chairman (1978-80); Binns served on the board of Comalco from 1960-80.

He may not have received many gifts of this nature: 'The commitment to what Binns perceived as a public service ethic - providing fearless advice and maintaining political neutrality - led him, on his retirement in 1976, to criticise his fellow public servants. He questioned whether they were devoted to the best interests of the State, or were preoccupied with their own terms and conditions, and said, "I leave depressed". The Tasmanian Public Service Association launched a strong defence of its members, suggesting to him that if he had anything else to say he should "say it soon so that we can digest it, dismiss it and get down to the serious business of forgetting all about you". It was an unfortunate ending to a public service career dedicated to benefiting Tasmanians'.

Item #134205

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