THE NAVY RECORDS SOCIETY.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—As one interested in the prosperity of the Navy Records Society, I should like to have the opportunity of disposing of an erroneous belief that only naval men may join the Society. Obviously, in these days when the cost of paper and printing has risen 300 or 400 per cent., it is difficult for a Society which publishes rare or hitherto unpublished works of naval interest to do itself justice unless it has a large number of supporters. It is for this reason that I ask you to allow me to make it known that anybody can join this admirable Society. It was founded in 1893 in order to make the sources of naval history more accessible and to elucidate questions of naval administra- tion, naval life and archaeology. More than fifty volmee hairs already been published. In the first prospectus of the Society it was pointed out under what great disadvantages early his- torians of the Navy laboured owing to the lack of trustworthy accessible information.
" It is hoped," said the prospectus, "that the N.R.S. may be able to remedy this great defect in the story of our national life by printing and publishing such authentic accounts of past events as were recorded at the time either by veritable actors in them or by others who were in a position to have exact information."
What a strange people we are! We are the foremost naval nation in the world, and our history touches the sea at every point. And yet the volumes of this Society have not been run after as one would have expected. A glance at the list of works published by the Society shows how excellently the Society's ideals have been fulfilled. For example, the famous Barham Papers were published by this Society; also five invaluable volumes dealing with the first Dutch War; also the deeply interesting papers of the second Lord Spencer. I note that the Life of Admiral Sir John Leake and the Life of Sir Henry Mainwaring are in preparation. Other intended publications are further volumes on the first Dutch War, more Spencer Papers, and the Letters of Lord St. Vincent. The annual subscription to the Society ie one guinea, and this entitles the member to receive free one copy of each work issued by the Society for the year. The publications are not offered for general sale. A new member can still obtain a complete set of the first fifty volumes for £25, but the existing stock is small and may soon be exhausted. The subscription surely brings very good value for the money! For a list of works and all informa- tion application may be made to the Secretary, Mr. W. G. Perrin, Admiralty Library, Whitehall, S.W.—I am, Sir, &c.,
STUDENT.
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