Engraved blue-backed chart. 64x141 cm (25¼x55½").
Chart of the West Coast from the harbor of San Blas in Mexico to north of San Francisco Bay, with the Gulf of California and the Baja peninsula. There are six insets and eight coastal views. The insets include: "Entrance of San Francisco Harbour"; "Harbour of San Francisco By Capn. F.W. Beechey R.N. F.R.S."; and "Bay of Monterey By M. de Tessan of the French Navy." Also, Magdalen Bay, Mazatlan, and Guaymas. There are a few manuscript additions of ship's course approaching San Francisco Bay with dates 30 Apl 1854 and 1 May. Large label on verso of Benj. Loring & Co., chart and book seller, of Boston, Mass. Warren Heckrotte asserts that "This was probably the best chart of the West Coast available in 1849." OCLC/WorldCat locates only four copies of the 1849 edition of the chart.
Further Notes from the Files of Warren Heckrotte
Full title: Chart of the Coast of California from San Blas to San Francisco Drawn Chiefly from the Spanish Surveys, The Charts of Vancouver, etc. The Whole Much Improved by Recent Observations made by English and French Naval Officiers London Published by James Inray Chart and Nautical Book Publisher 102, Minories 1849 | No. 8 | Part 8 being the continuation of a series of charts for the navigation of the East and West Coast of America No.1 The Coast of Columbia and Carribean Sea No.2 The North Coast of Brazil No.3 The Coast of Brazil, from the Equator to Rio Janeiro No.4 The Coast of Brazil, from Cape Frio to the River Plate No.5 River Plate to Valparaiso No.6 Valparaiso to Lima and Panama No. 7 Western Coast of North America, from Nicoya to San Blas.| [8 views] | [insets:] Entrance of San Francisco Harbour; Harbour of San Francisco By Capn. F.W. Beechey R.N. F.R.S.; Bay of Montery By M. de Tessan of the French Navy; Guaymus By M. de Fresquat of the French Navy; Magdalen Bay By M.de Tessan of the French Navy; Matzatlan By Capn. F.W. Beechey R.N.F.R.S.
Provenance: Randall House, 12/80
References: King, Western Hist. Quarterly X, pp 283-302. This map listed by Lieut. Warren on his map as one of his authorities. UC-B has an 1851 edition. Orozco y Berra lists an 1854 edition; no. 1289.
Condition:
Faint dampstain at right-hand side a little more evident near edge, minor creasing and wear, but very good.