[AUSTRALIA-SA] Gulf of St.Vincent Backst…

Scarce chart of Backstairs Passage, South Australia from the new Hydrographic survey  first issued 6th July, 1881 . The chart extends from the eastern end of Kangaroo Island, Backstairs Passage and Fleurieu Peninsula  and from Rapid Bay to Tunkalilla Beach by Captain J. Hutchinson, R.N., assisted by Nav. Lieuts. F. Howard and M.S. Guy, R.N.  Without major corrections but with minor corrections to 1927.

The regular updating of Hydrographic charts by the Hydrographic Office was to ensure that commanders of ships, pilots and other mariners were able to have the most to up to date information available to safely navigate foreign waters and ports as new information of changes to sea depths, sand bars, wrecks or other any other pertinent nautical information that could hinder passage became available. As updated charts were offered for sale, the earlier outdated charts in the hands of mariners, pilots, ships owners and sailors were invariably discarded, subsequently making all British Admiralty issued hydrographic charts of the period rare.