Beschreibung:

A New Chart of the River St. Laurence from the Island of Anticosta to the Falls of Richelieu...taken by Order of Charles Saunders, Esqr, Vice-Admiral of the Blue and Commander in Chief...in Expedition against Quebec in 1759. Pall Mall, London: Published by Command of..the Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty, engraved by Thomas Jefferys, May 1st 1760.. A large engraved navigational chart of the St Lawrence River on 12 sheets, dissected into 48 sections and backed on linen, and folded as issued. 830 x 2300 mm. Some minor offsetting, light dust soiling on the surface and along the folds, some light fraying of the linen backing at the edges. Contained in a modern marbled-papered slipcase, with red morocco title label. THE VERY RARE FIRST STATE of the British Admiralty's important survey of the Gulf of St Lawrence and River, drawn up in preparation for the British attack on Quebec in 1759, part of the Seven Years War (French and Indian Wars) against the French in North America. Auction records list just one copy of this map appearing at auction, over the past 50 years, possibly this copy. Cook was given the command of his first ship, HMS Pembroke in October 1757, and in February 1758 they sailed for Canada, with instructions to survey, with 3 other vessels, the waterways up to Quebec and beyond, in preparation for the British assault on the French at Quebec. In November of 1758 the Pembroke was in winter quarters in Halifax, and Cook spent the dark months compiling charts of the St. Lawrence River from known French surveys, and in the summer season of 1759, the Pembroke and two other vessels set off to re-chart and re-buoy the St. Lawrence River approaches to Quebec. It took several weeks as they were working under the range of French guns. They often had to work at night, and replace buoys that the French had cut away. By June the job was completed and the British Armada of over 200 ships, using their charts, safely made the passage through the Traverse, downstream of Quebec. Cook was now referred to as a "Master Surveyor", and his standing rose with the Naval High Command after the successful siege and capture of Quebec. This chart was the most accurate 18th century chart of the St. Lawrence River, but the survey involved work by a team of land surveyors, including famous British Land Surveyors, Samuel Holland, and Joseph des Barres. Had it not been for the accurate hydrographical survey work on this chart, which brought the young Captain James Cook to the attention of the Admiralty, he would never have had his distinguished career. He continued his surveying career in North America with a Survey of Newfoundland and the eastern parts of Canada, and was then appointed to command a series of Scientific and Exploratory Expeditions to the Pacific, which changed the map of the world. Cf. Beaglehole The Life of Captain James Cook pp 51-52; Kershaw 647; Stevens & Tree 74(a).