The morning journal-courier., 1908-06-01
LIBRARIES AT SEA
Collection Presented by Roose- welt Forty Years Ago Lost
 in the Shuttle.
5000 ARE NOW AFLoAT
It Costs Only S.0 to Float n Ships Library and Receive Report
 of Its Travels.

New York, May Si.-No trace of the ships library which President Roose- welt presented for the American Sea- mems Friend society in his maiden speech forty years ago has been dis covered by the officers of that organ lzatlon today That this chest of books, which was launched on the clipper ship "Rival, by the president in his tenth year, may still be tossing on the high seas was proved possible by the return this week of a similar library which was sent on it's travels october r., 1866. two years before the "Roose- velt Athletic Class" sent out theirs Rec ords of the 25,742 book chests circulat- cd by the society since 1859 show. how ever, that a life of forty-two years for these volumes in the forecastle Is ex- ceptional
 Whether Captain Uriel Doane, who set sail for San Francisco on Decem- Der l9. 1868, with the books presented by young Roosevelt. is still alive or whether ship or crew survive to tell the tale of their fate cannot be determined here today, because of fire years ago which destroyed all chipping records, Ony one report. however, was received hy the society on the corresponding IT, brary shipped two years before for Gal weston and just now finally returned. on December IS, 1873, this book chest was reported transferred to the "Pisca taqua," a Gloucester fishing craft It's return by express from It's fortytw years of service, by Captain Israel Bartlett of this vessel brings the first tidngs of t for thirty-fve years.
 From 5000 captains mates and sea men the American Seamen's Friend se- clety has today exact records of it's loan libraries now known 10 be anoat These records show that 6lS,400 volumes have been read by ii2,230 seamen, while i2a,3l5 tackles of Uncle sam's service have read 394l5 books especially sent out in navy bottoms More than a hun dred and fifty of these chests of books have been reported as in use In T. S Life Saving stations where 1927 keep CTS and surfmen have read their G. 33G volumes Each library Is number ed and registered, and reports of its voyagings made to anyone who may launch and keep 1t afoat by paying twenty dollars.
 A weather beaten case of these books ! t. rasi,tpnanpt at cn cety's headquarters after having serv. cd for two years on board the Peary Arctic clubs steamer Roosevelt" 1T \ quest of the North Pole, During tho 1 long Arctic night from October l2th tc l March 9th, Lieut. Peary declared, ev cry book was read and re-read by ev. cry member of his crew. These libra ries, of which almost 300 have been sen l to sea this year, contain forty-thre' | volumes of travel and adventure, bi ography, reference and religion, 4 Bible, dictionary, atlas and Pilgrim ! Progress are included with many of th latest and most suitable works o poetry and fiction. Half a dozen O these books are in the Swedish, Ger man and Norwegian tongues. Record of the 100 libraries sent through the so ciety as a memorial to the heir O Aberdeen by the Dowager Duchess 0 Aberdeen In 1870 show that many of tn books dedicated to this wanderinl George Gordon, who left dukedon to follow the sea and be swept over hoard. still travel the seas thumbe hard In the focastle.