1880 U.S. Coast Survey Nautical Chart or Map of Cape Cod (separate issue)

A scarce and attractive separately issued 1880 U.S. Coast Survey nautical chart or maritime map of Cape Cod Bay. Presented on a polyconic projection, this chart follows the Massachusetts coastline from Duxbury Bay to Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod and south as far as Nickerson's Neck. Exhibits the meticulous detail and accuracy typical of U.S. Coast Survey work of the late 19th century. Countless depth soundings are offered throughout. At the base of the map there are three land profile charts - intended to help navigators identify prominent features on distant shorelines. Locates towns and villages including Provincetown, Rock Harbor, Brewster, Barnstable, Sandwich and many more. A large number of lighthouses are shown, including Sandy Neck and the Cape Cod light on the Atlantic side. Unlike many nautical charts, this map also incorporates superb inland detail including masterful topography. The left hand quadrants of the map feature various tables, sailing instructions, notes on soundings and tides, and a wealth of other practical information for the mariner.

This chart was first published in 1872, the present example has been updated to 1880 edition under the supervision of C. P. Patterson, Superintendent of the Survey. The triangulation for this chart was completed by C. M Eakn and T. J. Cram. The topography is the work of H. L. Whiting, J. B. Gluck, S. A. Gilbert, A. M Harrison, P. C. F. West, H. Adams, C. H. Boyd, and C. t. Jardella. The Hydrography was accomplished by parties under the command of CH H. McBlair, M. Woodhull, H. S. Stellwagen, and H. Mitchell.

Cartographer

The Office of the Coast Survey (1807 - present), founded in 1807 by President Thomas Jefferson and Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin, is the oldest scientific organization in the U.S. Federal Government. Jefferson created the "Survey of the Coast," as it was then called, to produce accurate navigational charts of the new nation's coasts and harbors. The first two superintendents defined the spirit of the Coast Survey. The Coast Survey's first superintendent was Swiss immigrant and West Point mathematics professor Ferdinand Hassler. Under Hassler's direction, from 1816 to 1843, the Coast Survey established its ideological and scientific foundations. These included the use of the most advanced techniques and most sophisticated equipment, along with unstinting attention to detail. Hassler devised a labor-intensive triangulation system that divided the entire coast into a series of enormous triangles. These were then subdivided into smaller triangulation units, which were individually surveyed. No one had ever attempted this exacting technique on such a massive scale. As a result, Hassler and the Coast Survey under his leadership earned a reputation for uncompromising dedication to accuracy and excellence. Unfortunately, despite being a masterful surveyor, Hassler was abrasive and politically unpopular, and Congress cut funding for the Coast Survey twice. Nonetheless, Hassler led the Coast Survey until his death in 1843, when Alexander Dallas Bache, Benjamin Franklin's great-grandson, took the helm. Bache was fully dedicated to the principles established by Hassler, but proved more politically astute and successfully lobbied Congress to fund the endeavor generously. Under A. D. Bache's leadership, the Coast Survey completed its most important work. During his long tenure with the Coast Survey, from 1843 to 1865, Bache steadfastly advocated American science and navigation and, in fact, founded the American Academy of Sciences. Benjamin Pierce succeeded Bache and ran the Survey from 1867 to 1874. Pierce was succeeded by Carlile Pollock Patterson, Superintendent from 1874 to 1881. In 1878, under Patterson's superintendence, the U.S. Coast Survey was reorganized as the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (USCGS) to accommodate both topographic and nautical surveys. Today, the Coast Survey is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as the National Geodetic Survey.   Further Details...

Condition

Very good condition. Minor soiling on edges. Backed with linen.