C1873
 (1880)

[AUSTRALIA-] A General Chart of the Indian and Part of the Pacific Oceans, Shewing the Various Passages to & from China, Australia, New Zealand, &c. Carefully Constructed & Compiled from the most approved Observations and Modern Surveys, by J.S. Hobbs, F.R.G.S. Hydrog

Magnificent 2m wide hydrographic wall chart of the sea routes for the eastern trade. Very detailed hydrographic chart on four sheets, first published in 1873, this edition 1880, showing the navigational routes in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. With … Read Full Description

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Full Title:

[AUSTRALIA-] A General Chart of the Indian and Part of the Pacific Oceans, Shewing the Various Passages to & from China, Australia, New Zealand, &c. Carefully Constructed & Compiled from the most approved Observations and Modern Surveys, by J.S. Hobbs, F.R.G.S. Hydrog

Date:

C1873
 (1880)

Condition:

In near fine original condition, with wide margins. Laid onto archival linen.

Technique:

Superbly hand coloured copper engraving.

Image Size: 

1840mm 
x 1085mm

Paper Size: 

1866mm 
x 1160mm
AUTHENTICITY
[AUSTRALIA-] A General Chart of the Indian and Part of the Pacific Oceans, Shewing the Various Passages to & from China, Australia, New Zealand, &c. Carefully Constructed & Compiled from the most approved Observations and Modern Surveys, by J.S. Hobbs, F.R.G.S. Hydrog - Antique Map from 1873

Genuine antique
dated:

1880

Description:

Magnificent 2m wide hydrographic wall chart of the sea routes for the eastern trade.

Very detailed hydrographic chart on four sheets, first published in 1873, this edition 1880, showing the navigational routes in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. With the importance of in the east it was crucial for British ships to be able navigate safely in the orient and Pacific. With the not only continual changes of depths in harbours with build up and movement of sand and silt, the Hydrographic Department regularly carried out new surveys to update their existing charts. Sometimes as in this chart they carried out a totally new survey with current discoveries, more accurate surveys of coastlines and noting new hazards such as wrecks etc.

There are are a number of insets and coastal profiles of the more important ports;
1. Hong Kong
2. Port Louis, Mauritius
3. Bombay (Mumbai)
4. Algoa Bay & Simon’s Bay
5. Port Phillip (view from the sea)
7. Cape Leeuwin Western Australia

Institutional collections:
National Library of Australia:
Bib ID1041134 (2 sheets only of four-1860)

Charts issued by the British Hydrographic Office were continually updated and as a consequence seafarers discarded earlier versions, making these charts, rare survivors. The Hydrographic Office first offered it’s chart for sale to the general public through a series of chart agents in 1821.

Hydrographic charting of Australia History ( - )

Naval policy dictated that Admiralty charts be destroyed when superseded to avoid navigational error. It was during Rear Admiral John Washington’s period as the Admiralty’s hydrographer, 1855-1863, that a series of agreements were drawn up with the Australian colonies. These agreements provided boats and crews for use by officers lent from the Royal Navy to chart the coasts and shoal waters in the approaches to the rapidly developing towns, communication with which was seriously hampered by the the frequency of shipwrecks. It had been the discovery of gold and the consequent rush of miners and emigrants from not only England but California that added greatly the numbers of ships sailing to Australia’s east coast. This led to numerous petitions being made to Her Majesty’s Government to chart the eastern approaches to Australia to make for safer passage for shipping.

View other items by Hydrographic charting of Australia History

John Stratton Hobbs (1813 - 1874)

John Stratton Hobbs (1813-1874) Born in London 27 September 1813, the son of William Henry Hobbs, a ship broker of Globe Street, St. George in the East and his wife Eleanor. Worked as an engraver at Mile End and on the retirement of John Wilson Norie, Hobbs became supervisor of the Hydrographic department of the Norie firm, which was then run by Charles Wilson.  He was elected to the Royal Geographical Society 9 November 1846.

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John William Norie (1772 - 1843)

John William Norie (1772-1843) Norie was a mathematician, hydrographer, chart maker and publisher of nautical books most famous for his Epitome of Practical Navigation (1805) which became a standard work on navigation and went through many editions as did many of Norie's works. He had begun his career working with William Heather, who had in 1765 taken over chart publishers Mount and Page and who ran the Naval Academy and Naval Warehouse in Leadenhall Street from 1795; the Naval Warehouse provided navigational instruments, charts, and books on navigation. Norie took over the Naval Warehouse after Heather's retirement and founded the company J.W. Norie and Company in 1813. After Norie's death the company became Norie and Wilson.

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