CO129-094 - Acting Governor Mercer - 1863 [11-10] — Page 353

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PROPOSALS by the Trustees of the MORRISON EDUCATION SOCIETY for the formation of a PUBLIC LIBRARY in Hongkong.

The Morrison Education Society has at present under its charge two distinct Libraries. The smaller one, collected by the China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, contains about 400 volumes in fair external condition, chiefly comprising hooks of reference, Parliamentary Reports, Works on Science and Oriental Literature. This Branch of the Asiatic Society being now defunct, there are no funds available for the maintenance of its Library. The Mor- rison Education Society merely accepted the custody of the books as a temporary trust, and the few remaining members of the other body are willing that their collection should be incorporated in the Public Library now pro- jected.

The larger collection, which has been generally known as the "Morrison Library," was formed in connection with the Morrison Education Society. Before the end of 1837 upwards of two thousand volumes had been presented to it, chiefly by gentlemen who had belonged to the Honourable East India Company's factory; and this number was more than doubled after the death of the Hon. John Morrison, in 1843, when his library (which embraced likewise a few members of the foreign community, what had been his father's) was purchased and given to the Society by When the Society ceased to possess premises of its own, the Library was unavoidably removed from place to place to its great detriment. Its last location was Canton, whence, having fallen into a state of complete neglect, it was recently brought down to Hongkong. It is a miscellaneous collection of about 3,800 volumes, including many works of great interest and value. Of these perhaps 3000 volumes might be worth rebinding, to do which would cost fully $3,000, the whole being at present in a lamentably dilapidated state, though quite capable of renovation. The Morrison Educa- tion Society has not the means of spending a teath part of this sum for the purpose of restoring its Library, its funds being fully absorbed the Missionary and Educational objects to which it continues to be directed. Moreover, even if the books were in good condition, it has no suitable apartments in which to display them and render them ac- cessible to the student. The temporary quarters in which they are at present placed, at some expense to the Society, are altogether unfitted to answer in any way the purpose of a Public Reading Room.

It will be seen then that in the two collections above mentioned Hongkong possesses the nucleus of a valuable Public Library of reference. It is no less evident that unless some immediate steps be taken to preserve this posses- sion and turn it to practical account, the Morrison Education Society must reluctantly resolve upon the final dispersion of the books, or silently acquiesce in their falling into a state of hopeless and irremediable decay.

Under these circumstances the Trustees have determined to offer their collections in free gift to the community of Hongkong (as a centre of reference for all foreigners in China), subject only to the necessary conditions for maintain- ing them in order, and making them available to all who would find them useful. They propose that a Public Library should be founded, of which these books would constitute the beginning, and which under judicious management What is required might undoubtedly become within a few years a very valuable, as it is a much-needed, institution.

is not a circulating library, of which there are aleady several, more or less flourishing, in Hongkong and the other

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