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C1841
Trigonometrical Survey of part of the Country between Melbourne and the River Glenelg by C.J.Tyers Survr. & T.S.Townsend Asst. Survr.
Mapmaker:
Rare and important early c.19th map showing Charles Tyers survey to fix the position of the Victorian and South Australian border. In 1839 Tyers was transferred from the Royal Navy to the Colonial Service and given the title of ‘Commissioner … Read Full Description
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Details
Full Title:
Trigonometrical Survey of part of the Country between Melbourne and the River Glenelg by C.J.Tyers Survr. & T.S.Townsend Asst. Survr.
Date:
C1841
Mapmaker:
Condition:
Minor spotting to outer margins, lined with Japanese paper, folds as issued, small areas of minor loss at folds as often found, otherwise in good condition.
Technique:
Copper engraving with original hand colouring
Image Size:
435mm
x 325mm
Paper Size:
510mm
x 432mm
AUTHENTICITY
Genuine antique
dated:
1841
Description:
Rare and important early c.19th map showing Charles Tyers survey to fix the position of the Victorian and South Australian border.
In 1839 Tyers was transferred from the Royal Navy to the Colonial Service and given the title of ‘Commissioner for Crown Lands for Portland’ and instructed by Governor Sir George Gipps to fix the 141st meridian east longitude, the declared boundary between Port Phillip and South Australia, to ascertain in which colony the mouth of the Glenelg River was situated.
On 1 October 1839 Tyers arrived in Melbourne from Sydney on the ‘Pyramus’ and set about assembling a party which was to include Thomas Townsend, Assistant Surveyor. The party set out westwards for Portland on 13 October 1840, crossed the Moorabool River north of Geelong near Buckley’s Falls then proceeded to cross the Nuriwillum or Lea River. He then went north of Lake Corangamite and Lake Colac, unable to directly go to Portland because of swampy country, he continued northwest towards the Grampians. On the 29th he ascended Mount Shadwell and a day later Mount Rouse. The found party were faced with more by swampy land so headed north to Mount Abrupt finally arriving at Portland on 14 November 1840.
Tyers had made a triangulation and a chain traverse to Portland from Melbourne, thus fixing the longitude of Portland at 141° 35′ 52″, and made chronometer readings from Sydney and lunar observations. Taking a mean from these three calculations he fixed the meridian, but because of differing opinions on the longitude of Sydney, Captain Lort Stokes placed it 57 chains (1147 m) west and Captain Owen Stanley and Sir Thomas Mitchell at positions farther west again. Thus Tyers’s position was most favourable to South Australia. Governor Gipps wrote to the Colonial Office: ‘I have to explain that I have caused Mr Tyers’ report to be printed in order that by being circulated amongst the officers of the departments it might stimulate them to exertion, and serve as a model in future operations of this nature’. However, after long disputes the boundary was not finally settled until 1914 when documents had to be sought from Tyers’s descendants.
Collections:
University Library Melbourne: Call No. 820 a 1840
National Library Australia: Bib ID 1942431
State Library Victoria: FACSIMILE 1976 /MAPS 825 BJ 1840 TYERS:
University Library Melbourne: Call No. 820 a 1840
National Library Australia: Bib ID 1942431
State Library Victoria: FACSIMILE 1976 /MAPS 825 BJ 1840 TYERS:
John Arrowsmith (1790 - 1873)
Arrowsmith was an important English cartographer who flourished at a time of rapid British colonial expansion. Arrowsmith was born at Winston, County Durham. In 1810 he moved to London and worked his uncle Aaron Arrowsmith in his mapmaking business in London. After his uncle died in 1823 he set up on his own account. A founding member of the Royal Geographical Society 4th August 1830 and became unofficial cartographer for the society for forty three years. He took over the old Arrowsmith premises at 10 Soho Square after the death of his cousin Samuel Arrowsmith in 1839, buying the old Arrowsmith plates, manuscripts and copyrights at auction.
