XN000022-1976-10-18 — Page 8

MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1976

RESTORATION OF OLD MAP

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ONE OF THE OLDEST AND MOST METICULOUS MAPS OF VICTORIA IS BEING GIVEN A NEW LEASE OF LIFE BY TECHNICIANS OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE.

THE MAP, DRAWN IN 1867 AND MEASURING SOME NINE FEET BY FOUR FEET, COVERS THE NOTHERN PART OF HONG KONG ISLAND BETWEEN THE HAPPY VALLEY RACE COURSE AND KENNEDY TOWN.

IT WAS PREVIOUSLY HELD BY THE LANDS OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT, AND WAS RECENTLY HANDED OVER TO THE PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE SO THAT RESTORATION WORK CAN BEGIN.

MR. A. I. DIAMOND, ARCHIVIST OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OFFICE, SAID TODAY THAT THE MAP, DRAWN IN THE SCALE OF 160 FEET TO AN INCH, WAS A DETAILED AND IMPORTANT RECORD OF AN AGE GONE BY.

+ IT WAS DRAWN UP IN 1867 AND SUBSEQUENTLY UPDATED FOR SOME 20 YEARS AND, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, IS THE ONLY REMAINING MASTER MAP OF VICTORIA OF THAT PERIOD, HE SAID.

+WE DO NOT KNOW FOR SURE WHO DREW THE MAP BUT IS WAS PROBABLY THE ROYAL ENGINEERS OF THE BRITISH FORCES,+ HE ADDED.

THE MAP WAS DRAWN ON TRACING PAPER, HAND-COLOURED, MOUNTED ON CARTRIDGE PAPER AND LINEN AND AT SOME LATER DATE VARNISHED ON THE SURFACE. IT IS NOW IN QUITE A TATTERED STATE BECAUSE OF

ITS OLD AGE.

MR. DIAMOND EXPLAINED THAT TO RESTORE AND PRESERVE THE MAP, THE FLIMSY PAPER ON WHICH IT WAS DRAWN WOULD HAVE TO BE CAREFULLY REMOVED FROM ITS MOUNT. +ALL OTHER PATCHES, TISSUES AND GLUE WHICH ARE NOT PART OF THE ORIGINAL PIECE OF PAPER WILL ALSO HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO AVOID AIR POCKETS FORMING INSIDE. +

+THIS PART OF THE JOB IS MADE EVEN MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF SOME CLUMSY REPAIRS WHICH HAVE BEEN DONE LONG AGO, RESULTING IN ALL SORTS OF GLUE AND TISSUE PAPER STICKING ON TO THE ORIGINAL DRAWING, HE SAID.

+ THE REMOVED DRAWING WILL THEN BE PATCHED UP WITH SPECIALLY HAND-MADE PAPER AND MOUNTED AGAINST A LINEN BACKING, HE SAID. +ITS SURFACE WILL BE MOUNTED WITH SPECIAL TRANSPARENT SILK TO PREVENT CRACKING OR FLAKING.+

IN VIEW OF THE LARGE SIZE OF THE MAP, IT HAS BEEN CUT UP INTO FOUR PIECES TO FACILITATE RESTORATION WORK. THE FINISHED PRODUCT WILL BE RE-MOUNTED AND USED FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION.

+BECAUSE OF THE GREAT DEAL OF CRAFTSMANSHIP AND DELICATE WORK INVOLVED, THE WHOLE JOB IS EXPECTED TO TAKE ABOUT THREE MONTHS TO COMPLETE, MR. DIAMOND SAID.

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