1816 Dirección de Hidrografía Chart, Coasts of Cumana, Venezuela, Trinidad, Tobago

This is a rare 1816 Dirección de Hidrografía chart of what is now northern Venezuela and the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the product of an effort by the Spanish to better understand the coasts of their empire at the end of the 18th century, resulting in charts such as the present one which were a marked improvement on their predecessors.

A Closer Look

Coverage includes the coastline of the Provincia de Cumaná, an administrative unit of the Capitanía General de Venezuela, and surrounding islands, including Trinadad, Tobago, and Margarita. Soundings are provided in fathoms, set as 6 Burgos feet (despite standardization efforts around this time, there was still widespread local variation in Spanish units of measurement, requiring such clarification). Sand banks, islets, placers, and other hazards are indicated in great detail, including a system of letters corresponding to a variety of types and mixtures of sand, mud, gravel, and silt. Mountains and hills on land are also recorded. It is worth noting the use of the Cadiz Meridian, which became a popular measurement in the 18th century, particularly for use in travel to and about the New World.

These waters were charted by Cosme Damian Churruca and Joaquin Fidalgo (not to be confused with his contemporary, Salvador Fidalgo, who explored the Pacific Coast from Vancouver to Alaska for Spain). Throughout the early 1790s, Fidalgo and Churruca travelled around the Caribbean, trading, exploring, and preparing much-improved charts of the coastlines. By the time this chart was printed, Fidalgo had risen to be the director of the Dirección de Hidrografía, while Churruca had been killed at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

Historical Context

The surveys that contributed to this chart were undertaken during the French Revolutionary Wars of the 1790s and its publication was likely delayed due to the subsequent Napoleonic Wars, including the occupation of Spain and the removal of the Bourbon monarchy. Although Spain was not quite the unrivalled global superpower that it had been two centuries earlier, it was still a major player on the world stage and regularly sparred with rival powers, especially the British, across the 18th century. In such a struggle, accurate nautical charts of potential sites for naval warfare were a significant advantage over one's opponent.

The collapse of the Spanish Empire in the early 19th century obscures the reforms and accomplishments of the late 18th century, including a range of scientific expeditions and voyages of exploration. The New World was especially fertile ground for these developments, and a distinct late 18th century Spanish American Enlightenment is sometimes educed by historians, an important precursor to the struggles for independence in the 19th century.

Publication History and Census

This chart was produced by the Dirección de Hidrografía in Madrid in 1816, based on original drafts by C. Noguera and M. Moreno, members of Joaquin Fidalgo's crew. It was then drawn by J. Morata and engraved by F. Cardano. There are at least two states of this chart, one with the 'Nota' under the title and the present state with the 'Nota' moved to bottom-left. Only four institutions are cataloged in the OCLC as holding this chart and it is scarce to the market.