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Series 1: Correspondence and papers of Sir Joseph Banks

 

Item 1 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Extracts from the transactions of the Royal Society relating to sending people to observe the transit of Venus in 1769, 5 June 1766 to 9 June 1768.
Item 2a - 2u Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Correspondence, together with replies, sent to the Viceroy of Brazil while the Endeavour lay in Rio de Janeiro, November 1768.
These manuscripts comprise the rough drafts by Banks of memorials to the Viceroy of Brazil requesting permission to make natural history observations in the neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro, dated 17 and 18 November, 1768, together with fair copies of them; also rough drafts for a memorial, which evidently was not submitted. The replies by the Viceroy are originals, that of the 18th November being in Portuguese only with translation by Banks, that of the 20th November is in Portuguese and English and is accompanied by a contemporary transcript of the English version. The manuscript throws additional light on the episode of the Viceroy's refusal of permission for the scientists to land.
Item 3 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Letter to Earl of Morton, Rio de Janeiro, 1 December 1768.
Letter describing the voyage from Plymouth to Madeira, where he made collections of plants and of marine zoology at sea; describes the hostility of the Portuguese in refusing to allow the Endeavour party to land in Rio de Janeiro. Banks expresses his frustration at the inactivity and is sending copies of letters sent to the Portuguese Viceroy and the replies.
Item 4 - 4e Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Thoughts on the manners of [the women of] Otaheite, written in Holland for the amusement of the Princess of Orange, 1773.
Written at the request of Count Bentinck, in 1773
Item 5 - 5b Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Accounts of presents to be sent out with Omai, undated.
Item 6 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Account of the bills for Omai, undated.
One of the items is a bill for Oedidee amounting to (UK pounds)46.16.3
Item 7 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Account of the presents intended to be sent to the inhabitants of the South Sea Islands, undated.
Item 8 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Account of the bills for Oedidee, undated.
Item 9 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Expenses on account of Omai in 1774, undated.
Banks' handwriting on outside only.
Item 10 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Expenses incurred on account of Mr Omai in the course of the year 1775, undated.
Item 11 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Expenses incurred on account of Mr Omai in the course of the year 1776, undated.
Item 12 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Goods that Captain Cook may carry out for the benefit of the Society at large, undated.
Item 13 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Account of presents for Omai, undated.
Item 14 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Things intended for Omai [and] Things intended to be sent to Oedidee, undated.
Item 15a - 15z, 15(1) - 15(20) Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Addresses to the Royal Society, London the first on being appointed to the Chair and later addresses on presentations of the Copley Medal, 1778-1796.
Item 16 - 16r Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Correspondence between Sir Joseph Banks and C. Pancoucke concerning the paper used for the publication of Cook's 2nd and 3rd voyages. 1778 to September 1783.
Comprises 8 letters exchanged between Banks and Pancoucke, a Paris bookseller, concerning the cost, quality and procurement of the paper for the publication of Cook's 2nd and 3rd voyages. Some of the letters have enclosures containing information obtained from third parties. The bulk of the correspondence is dated between August 1782 and September 1783. However one document, entitled "Account for paper for printing translation of Cook's 2nd Voyage" is dated Paris 1778 and one enclosure, a letter from Pancoucke to Elmsley, is dated 10 September 1781.
Item 17 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Letter to J.R. Forster, Soho Square, London, 22 January 1783.
Letter to J.R. Forster in answer to Forster's letter of 6th July, 1782 concerning the repayment of loans of money. See MS 9/78h. Banks is surprised at the contents of the letter and did not expect this refusal of a demand which had been delayed so long. He does not accept the opinion of the lawyers and magistrates and has therefore instructed Durcking to commence proceedings against him.
Item 18 - 18a Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Minutes of a meeting held at Lord Sandwich's house in order to facilitate the finishing of the charts supposed to be delayed by misunderstandings between Dalrymple, Capt. King and Lieut. Roberts, 5 December 1783.
Comprises a list of agreed responsibilities entitled "Considerations relative to the charts intended for the publication of Captain Cooke's voyage"
Item 19 - 19d Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Instructions to two Botanic collectors, James Smith and George Austin who sailed in the Guardian for New South Wales. l July 1789.
Item 20 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Introduction, to an unnamed person, of the bearers, Mssrs. Vere and Hill requesting that they be allowed to visit "your botanic garden", 29 July 1792.
Item 21 - 21a Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Letter to Lord --- concerning Grenville's shipwreck and the effect of icy conditions on navigation in the North Sea. Soho Square, London, 27 December 1799.
Item 22 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Manuscript copy of a letter to Capt. Matthew Flinders, Soho Square, London10 April 1803.
Received with satisfaction reports of the success of the first part of the survey. Comments that the French will not be serious rivals. Mentions the proposed settlement at Port Phillip Bay and regrets not having received Flinders' charts and journals which will be needed by the ship being fitted out to found the new settlement.
Item 23(1) - 23(6) Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Six letters, 1803-1815.
Item 24 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Manuscript copy of letter to Capt. H. Waterhouse, relating to the introduction of Spanish sheep in New South Wales. Soho Square, London, 8 July 1806.
Copy of draft reply endorsed as being in Waterhouse's hand follows the letter. Published in Historical records of N.S.W., Vol.6. p.109-10.
Item 25 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Letter concerning botanical specimens, Soho Square, London, 1 March 1819.
Thanks the addressee for specimens received and congratulates him on his activity. Banks will derive credit for having recommended so useful a superintendant to the specimen garden. Looking forward to receiving more specimens in future.
Item 26 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Manuscript copy of three letters sent from Lord Howe at the Admiralty, on behalf of George III, accompanying presentation copies of the history of Captain Cook's last voyage, to the King of France, the Empress of Russia, and Dr. Benjamin Franklin [1784].
3 letters on one sheet. In the letters to the King of France and Dr. Franklin, appreciative reference is made to the fact that, although these countries were at war with England, they forbade all molestation of Captain Cook. In the letter to the Empress of Russia, acknowledgement is made of the assistance rendered by the Russian settlements in Alaska.
Item 27 - 27e Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Documents relating to the publication and distribution of Captain Cook's voyages, between December 1783 and July 1787.
Includes handwritten notes on views dated 11th December 1783 and 21st July 1787; 'List of views of headlands seen on the coasts of America and Asia' which mentions the coast of Van Diemen's Land and New Holland, undated; list of 'Presents made by order of the Admiralty', undated.
Item 28 - 28e Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Documents concerning engravings for the publication of the account of Cook's 3rd voyage.
Includes a document recording the titles of the plates, the names of the engravers and the prices paid to them; "List of charts for Mr Bayly and Mr Cook"; a list of engravers, some with addresses; a list of plates, etc. entitled "Names agreed upon by Lord Sandwich, Mr. Dalrymple, Capt. King ... to be adopted in the publication of Cook's Voyage". All the documents are undated.
Item 29 - 29j Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Documents concerning publication of plates and plans for Captain Cook's journal.
Includes estimates, costs and lists of illustrations
Item 30 - 30f Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Statements of expenses in connection with the publication of Captain Cook's third voyage, undated.
Item 31 Banks, Joseph, Sir, 1743-1820. Letter to an unknown person regarding a voyage to New Zealand and the harsh treatment of Lord Camelford by Captain George Vancouver on the Discovery.
Camelford was flogged on Vancouver's orders. As the Hon. Thomas Pitt, he was a midshipman aboard the Discovery and inherited the title while at sea. The letter was possibly written in 1796 or thereabouts, since Lady Camelford was seeking information about the treatment of her son at this time. -cf. Dawson, Warren R. The Banks Letters . London: British Museum, 1958. p.607
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