President.

• SIR RODERICK IMPEY MURCHISON, G.C.St.S., F.R.S., Corr. Mem. Inst. Fr., Hon. Mem. Imp. Acad. Sc. St. Petersburg, &c., &c.

Vice-Presidents.

• Vice-Admiral SIR CHARLES MALCOLM, Kt.
• The Rev. H. H. MILMAN, M.A.

Council.

• CHARLES T. BEKE, Esq., Phil. D., F.S.A.
• Capt. C. R. D. BETHUNE, R.N., C.B.
• Capt. F. P. BLACKWOOD, R.N.
• Maj.-Gen. J. BRIGGS, F.R.S.
• BOLTON CORNEY, Esq., M.R.S.L.
• Sir HENRY ELLIS, K.H., F.R.S.
• JOHN FORSTER, Esq.
• J. E. GRAY, Esq., F.R.S.
• JOHN WINTER JONES, Esq.
• R. H. MAJOR, Esq.
• R. MONCKTON MILNES, Esq., M.P.
• CHARLES NEWTON, Esq.
• Rev. G. C. RENOUARD, M.A.
• W. B. RYE, Esq.
• Sir ROBERT SCHOMBURGK.
• ANDREW SMITH, Esq., M.D.
• Sir GEORGE T. STAUNTON, Bart, M.P., F.R.S.

Honorary Secretary.

• WILLIAM DESBOROUGH COOLEY, F.R.G.S.

Bankers.

• Messrs. BOUVERIE and Co., 11, Haymarket.

THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY, which is established for the purpose of printing rare or unpublished Voyages and Travels, aims at opening by this means an easier access to the sources of a branch of knowledge, which yields to none in importance, and is superior to most in agreeable variety. The narratives of travellers and navigators make us acquainted with the earth, its inhabitants and productions; they exhibit the growth of intercourse among mankind, with its effects on civilization, and, while instructing, they at the same time awaken attention, by recounting the toils and adventures of those who first explored unknown and distant regions.

The advantage of an Association of this kind, consists not merely in its system of literary co-operation, but also in its economy. The acquirements, taste, and discrimination of a number of individuals, who feel an interest in the same pursuit, are thus brought to act in voluntary combination, and the ordinary charges of publication are also avoided, so that the volumes produced, are distributed among the Members (who can alone obtain them) at little more than the cost of printing and paper. The Society expends nearly the whole of its funds in printing works for the Members; and since the cost of each copy varies inversely as the whole number of copies printed, it is obvious that the Members are gainers individually by the prosperity of the Society, and the consequent vigour of its operations.

The Members are requested to bear in mind that the power of the Council to make advantageous arrangements, will depend, in a great measure, on the prompt payment of the subscriptions, which are payable in advance on the 1st January, and are received by

The Secretary, William Desborough Cooley, 33, King-street, Bloomsbury; or at the London Library, 12, St. James’s-square; and by T. Rodd, 9, Great Newport-street, Leicester-square, who is the Society’s Agent for the delivery of its volumes.

Already Published.

The Observations of Sir Richard Hawkins, Knt.

In his Voyage into the South Sea in 1593. Reprinted from the edition of 1622, and edited by Capt. C. R. Drinkwater Bethune, R.N., C.B.

SELECT LETTERS OF COLUMBUS,

With Original Documents relating to the Discovery of the New World. Translated and Edited by R. H. Major, Esq.

THE DISCOVERIE OF THE EMPIRE OF GUIANA,

By Sir Walter Ralegh, Knt. Edited, with Copious Explanatory Notes, and a Biographical Memoir, by Sir Robert H. Schomburgk, Phil. D., &c.

SIR FRANCIS DRAKE HIS VOYAGE, 1595,

By Thomas Maynarde, together with the Spanish Account of Drake’s Attack on Puerto Rico, edited from the Original MSS. by W. D. Cooley.

Works in Progress.

Narratives of Voyages made for the Discovery of a Passage by the Northwest to Cathaia and India, from A.D. 1490 to A.D. 1631, with Illustrations from unpublished MSS. by Thomas Rundall.

Rerum Moscoviticarum Commentarii. The earliest Account of Russia, by Sigismund von Herberstein, to be translated from the rare editions of 1549 and 1556, by R. H. Major, Esq.

The East India Voyage of Sir Henry Middleton, in 1604-5. From the rare edition of 1606, edited by Bolton Corney, Esq.

Works Suggested to the Council for Publication.

Tradescant the Elder in Russia, 1618.—A Review of the early Voyages in the North, and of the origin of the Commercial Intercourse between England and Russia, by Dr. J. Hamel, 1847, to be translated from the German.

Carpini and Rubruquis.—The Travels of John de Plano Carpini, and of Guillaume de Rubruquis, to the Great Khan of Tartary, in 1245 and 1253 respectively. Translated from the text published by the SociÉtÉ de GÉographie of Paris.

Frescobaldi.—The Travels of Frescobaldi in Egypt and Syria, in 1384. Translated from the Italian text as edited by Manzi.

BÉthencourt.—A History of the Discovery and Conquest of the Canary Islands, made by Jean de BÉthencourt, in 1402-25. From the French Narrative of his Chaplains, Pierre Bontier and Jean le Verrier.

Ca da Mosto.—The Voyages of Ca da Mosto along the Western Coast of Africa, in 1454. Translated from the Italian text of 1507.

Varthema.—The Travels of Ludovico de Varthema, in Egypt, Syria, Arabia, Persia, India, and Ethiopia, in 1503-8. Translated from the Italian text of 1510.

Drake.—The world encompassed by Sir Francis Drake, 1577-80. Written by Francis Fletcher, preacher, &c. Collated with a MS.

Hakluyt.—Divers Voyages touching the Discovery of America and the Islands adjacent to the same. From the rare edition of 1582.

Virginia.—Virginia in the years 1584-1600; comprising the Narratives of Arthur Barlowe, Ralf Lane, Thomas Harriot, &c.

Russia.—Of the Russe Commonwealth. By Giles Fletcher, D.C.L. From the suppressed edition of 1591.

Cadiz.—A Brief and True Report of the Honourable Voyage to Cadiz, 1596. From the suppressed edition of 1598, with additions.

Treswell.—The journey of the Earl of Nottingham to Spain, in 1604. By R. Treswell, Somerset Herald, with additions.

Sofalah.—The History of Eastern Ethiopia, by J. dos Santos, 1607. Translated, with Notes.

Colonization.—Pamphlets on Colonization. By Sir William Alexander (afterwards Earl of Sterline), and James Hagthorpe.

Laws of the Hakluyt Society.

I. The object of this Society shall be to print, for distribution among its members, rare and valuable Voyages, Travels, Naval Expeditions, and other geographical records, from an early period to the beginning of the eighteenth century.

II. The Annual Subscription shall be One Guinea, payable in advance on the 1st January; but Subscribers shall be at liberty to compound at any time for future years by the payment of ten guineas, and they shall incur no further liability.

III. Each member of the Society, having paid his subscription, shall be entitled to a copy of every work produced by the Society, and to vote at the general meetings within the period subscribed for; and if he do not signify, before the close of a year, his wish to resign, he shall be considered as a member for the succeeding year.

IV. The management of the Society’s affairs shall be vested in a Council consisting of twenty-one members, namely, a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, and seventeen ordinary members, to be elected annually; but vacancies occurring between the general meetings shall be filled up by the Council.

V. A General Meeting of the Subscribers shall be held annually, on the first Thursday in March, when two gentlemen shall be appointed to audit the Society’s accounts. The Secretary’s Report on the condition and proceedings of the Society shall be then read, and, along with the Auditor’s Report, be submitted for approval; and finally, the Meeting shall proceed to elect the Council for the ensuing year.

VI. At each Annual Election six of the old Council shall retire; and a list of the proposed new Council shall be printed for the subscribers previous to the general meeting.

VII. The Council shall meet ordinarily on the 3rd Tuesday in every month, excepting August, September and October, for the despatch of business, three forming a quorum, and the Chairman having a casting vote.

VIII. Gentlemen preparing and editing works for the Society shall receive twenty-five copies of such works respectively.

IX. The number of copies printed of the Society’s productions shall not exceed the estimated number of Subscribers; so that after the second year, when the Society may be supposed to have reached its full growth, there shall be no extra copies.

X. The Society shall appoint Local Secretaries throughout the kingdom, empowered to enrol members, transmit subscriptions, and otherwise forward the Society’s interests; and it shall make such arrangements with its correspondents in the chief provincial towns as will insure to Subscribers residing in the country the regular delivery of their volumes at moderate charges.

Rules for the Delivery of the Society’s Volumes.

I. The Society’s productions will be delivered without any charge, within three miles of the General Post Office.

II. They will be forwarded to any place beyond that limit, the Society paying the cost of booking, but not of carriage; nor will it be answerable in this case for any loss or damage.

III. They will be delivered by the Society’s agent, T. Rodd, Great Newport-street, to persons having the written authority of subscribers to receive them.

IV. They will be sent to the Society’s correspondents or agents in the principal towns throughout the kingdom; and care shall be taken that the charge for carriage be as moderate as possible.