 The Literary and Scientific Institution of Nelson, was founded May 1841 in the Bay of Biscay amongst the officers of the preliminary Expedition of the Second Colony, on board the New Zealand Company's ships "Whitby" and Will-Watch.Prior to the expedition reaching Tenerife, a sum of money was subscribed amongst the officers.It was transmitted back to England with directions for the selection of a number of books "of a useful character", which would form the basis of the library of the Institution.