New-York tribune., 1867-02-06
rHE LIBRARY or MIR PETER FORCE


thorough examination of the historical library belonging
10 Peter Force esq., Of Washington and has the honor
to submit the following report;
In prosecuting investigation into the character OF o.
extensive and important collection Of books; -
view to form intelligent judgment Of :. 0e.',
value 1t necessary to enter cA' labor 70 .ne a
n davotr ruch ta and from two to three hours per
The undersignnfJI about two months IN tno oA''uil
day fan'every book In the library has paSseu VfOus
uGhands The result Is that ne Is In possession OF
virtually complete inventory Of the ooDecoh' IN a S'
varied departments which must hOweverDe greay oon
densed for the purposes Of this report 80 "' W
only the moro important facts ana ngures'
Eor the purDose of moro convenient and accurate CON
saeraton the contents the library win be referred 10
under the following distinct classes
4 Printed books relating to America
a Early American newspapers
ssPamphlots relating TO America.
4. Maps. - -,
q ipcunsbula. or books printed during the Infancy OF
he art
a. Manuscripts and autographs
7. Ms piatcralsfor the American Archives or Docu-
meutary History Of America. A.
Uhrarv embraces the largest private collection ever
brought together having been formed by MT Force VIII"
rpeoal reference to assembling the fuuest naVeIi' "
editing his American Archives The plan OF this WORK en-
braoed nothing less than complete publication ot all 'o
mora important original State papers, letters narratives
aDa other documents relating TO the settlement ana ms
to NJ the United States from the discovery OF America
In 1872 10 the establishment OF the present Government III
1872 His library embraces an Immense cOhecuo vi 'o
sarly American voyages, in Latin, French Italian,
snaniah German, Dutch and English wlie ID DOCKS ana
namphefs relating TO the politics and government OF the
American colonies, it stands unrivaled In tins country
In the field Of early printed American BOOKS so muon
sought for by collectors and which are becoming "l-
auay more scarce and costly this library possesses more
hmm ten times the number TO be found In the library Oh
d,va
mentioned that there a perfect copy Of Eiots Indian
,he the last COPY OF which offered at auction brought
. and wss last year resod a 81 OOO fortyone different
works % 0I crse'S o om s TO- 75 large number Of still
earer books and pamphlets by Norton COTTON, anu
Puritan diyines; and very complete ~ , U
hhe numerous and much sought for publications. OF ts
presses Of Franklin and the Bradfords Inthe Laws ana
Sournals OF the early Colonial Assemblies, from new
Hampshire Georgia. thore are over 2oO Vouhe W & te
utmost as showing me 6es S5d as bn few Of these
have been reprinted in any Of the modern cOhecuOhS
'' a. IN tae department Of early printed American
newspapers. there are unusually cOmpe'S IlSs u
Pennsylvania Virginia, and other states, dating from
ITSs 70 1900 and covering with much inhesS sS
war and the establishment Of the present Constitution
Library Of % S1 It or
Cary newspaper the earliest AIecas IT 4i OS s Force m @
Gbrary has no less than bound volumes OF American
newspapers printed prior TO 1900 besides aDos IUO ,oo
mes and unbound of Journals printed from lSOO
s. Pamplets relating to America The number variety,
and value OF the pamphlets embraced In this library are
entirely unTvaed in any American collection public or
private unless may be by the sh stores Vi o e UsU @
BS0 while Of pamphlets printed between lSOO ana ths
na e ssSeTSy admitted that the pamphlet
literature especially Of the last century, is full OF the
SSx Eo 20 neWspers IN tie light they shed the
S SsS SSs and s present influence
Importance and frequency OF publication the Paphiet
etrkngy recctng the political and social spirit which
bore sway at the epoch OF their publication The whole
number OF pamphletsin this noble collection Is nearly
10000 and as Mr. Force fortunate as to secure
many years since five great and gs6roSen SSeetU1s S
arranged bound for convenient reference all the
SSPSS Sa & at 'is @ S S for COM
petess Indeed there are few either OF books or pam
phets published iii America or in Great Britain upon ou
affairs which not to be found here The library
Congress at present possesses less than 5000 pamphlets
Without Them The great use made Of pamphlets by tn
aS Ss Ddo6ea Dd o oss on
lrifes for the most invaluable materials Of history
America the Force library embraces collection not only
early aliases Of Dcs Jefferys Des Barros Faden and
other geographers WITH complete COPY OF the scarce
assemblsge OF detached maps 900 in number and
chiefly illustrative Of America, are here found Among
tary maps aud plans IN manuscript covering the period
OF the French war and tho & war Of the These
pr Officers Of the British army stationed in America
Plan Of the Rebel works at West Point "a pen draw
lnga dato iT7S. -. -. nan
Winter Hil and Bunker Ii several distinct maps, date
l776
The number Of these original maps many OF which are
unpublished and therefore presumed to be unique, is
ever Oo covering the whole country from Cauada to the
s. OF books known inctpoG,ld or specimens Of the
earliest development OF the art OF printing the collection
Is large and valuable. 1t embraces complete series of
npris by the most distinguished of the early printers
representing every year from 1867 to 1902 besides laTge
II s s GS%Rg Gsn5 m ThS snS npS e
pre- $50 printed prior 10 1000 This collection
WAS formed with special reference illustrating the
progress Of the art Of printing from its infancy and is
bno OF tho best, If not the best, in America.
t AusosrSpns q, n a., Us Aong 20 tg tns manu- a.
historical autographs OF great rarity and interest
Shcys military and political and III Of uDqncstenSb
authenticity. It need only he added that the National
Library now possesses not solitary specimen OF original
lutionary generals and statesmen TO show how greatly
This department Of the collection would add to the value
nmos OF an original military journal OF Major-Gen.
Greene covering tho years 1871 and 1885 private jour
40 orderly hooks Of the Revolution ~ or more mill
tary journals of British officers during the period
published II folio volumes Of the papers of Paul Jones,
while commanding American cruisers in 1910 to l77S
volume OF records OF the Virginia Company from 1921 10
1882 mostly unpublished; two autograph journals OF
George Washington dated 1865, during BTaddocks
expedition, and in 1881, At Mount Vernon; beside
multitude of others There also an unpublished man
rscrpt OF Los Casas in four folio volumes entitled His
Historic Antigua de Nueva Espaia" In three volumes
The whole number Of volumes in manuscript reaches
49, and their yaue 70 tie Library OF Congress- wcbfs
wholly destitute OF MSS as unpublished materials for
history, would be very great.
ton remains yet TO be alluded TO- 1t Is the materials n
manuscripts which form the collection made by Mr. Force
FOR the great work OF his 6ethe American Archives
documentary History OF the United States It consss OF
Tho whole unpublished lnaterals for that work. including
couDfless variety Of documents transcribed with the
utmost from the originals in the archives OF all the
pld - Colonies as wen as many early and unpubhshed