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1901 Davidson Map of Formosa / Taiwan
Formosa-davidson-1901$187.50
Title
Formosa from the Latest Japanese Government Surveys. With nomenclature showing Japanese and Chinese Pronunciation.
1901 (dated) 17.75 x 13.5 in (45.085 x 34.29 cm) 1 : 800000
1901 (dated) 17.75 x 13.5 in (45.085 x 34.29 cm) 1 : 800000
Description
This is a 1901 James Wheeler Davidson map of Formosa / Taiwan. The map depicts island of Taiwan from Fuki Point and Kelung (Keelung City) to Garambi, which is Kenting National Park today, and from the Pescadores Islands to the Pacific. The island itself is divided into prefectures, each of which is illustrated by a different color. Numerous cities and towns are labeled, as well as locations along the coast. Topography, railways, and roads are depicted. The Pescadores Islands are included on the left with numerous labeled locations. A legend is in the lower left corner. An inset map in the upper left corner places Taiwan regionally, and includes sea lanes and distances between China, Japan, and the Philippines.
This map was compiled by James Wheeler Davidson, with the outline drawn by T. Obanawa, an expert in the Formosa government. The map was engraved by N. Nagai and printed by A. Koshiba Lithography Company of Tokyo. It was published in Davidson's book The Island of Formosa Past and Present. History, People, Resources, and Commercial Prospects, which is recognized as one of the foremost monograph's on the history of Taiwan.
This map was compiled by James Wheeler Davidson, with the outline drawn by T. Obanawa, an expert in the Formosa government. The map was engraved by N. Nagai and printed by A. Koshiba Lithography Company of Tokyo. It was published in Davidson's book The Island of Formosa Past and Present. History, People, Resources, and Commercial Prospects, which is recognized as one of the foremost monograph's on the history of Taiwan.
Cartographer
James Wheeler Davidson (June 14, 1872 - July 18, 1933) was an explorer, writer, United States diplomat, businessman, and philanthropist. Davidson was a member of the Peary expedition to Greenland in 1893, with the stated goal of finding a route to the North Pole. He travelled to Taiwan in 1895 as a war correspondent to cover the transition from Qing rule to Japanese rule, where he witnessed the resistance to the Japanese takeover and the short-lived Republic of Formosa. For services rendered to the Japanese army in aiding the capture of the capital of Formosa, Davidson was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun in 1895. After the Japanese gained control of the island, Davidson took a job as a trader in the town of Tamsui.
President Grover Cleveland appointed him consular agent for Formosa in June 1897, a post he retained for nine years. During this time he wrote several books on Formosan affairs. Following eight exhaustive years of research, Davidson released his masterwork, The Island of Formosa, Past and Present. It remains one of the central works on the history of Taiwan and has been reprinted several times. One commentator stated that it is, ‘the major English language survey of Taiwan for its day and still the most frequently consulted English language source.’
In 1903 Davidson left Formosa, with the mission to complete a careful survey of the territory adjacent to the Asian section of the Trans-Siberian Railway. In 1904, he was appointed to a position in the consulate in Dalny, Manchuria. He later became consul at Andong, Manchuria. In 1905 Davidson was appointed consul general at Shanghai by President Theodore Roosevelt. He left the foreign service in 1905, and after a short convalescence in the United States, moved to Canada where he became a successful businessman. He was also a member of the Rotary club in Calgary, and went on to found international branches all over the world. He was a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a member of the Explorers Club. Davidson died in Vancouver on June 18, 1933 More by this mapmaker...
Source
Davidson, James W., The Island of Formosa Past and Present. History, People, Resources, and Commercial Prospects(New York: Macmillan and Co.) 1903.
The Island of Formosa Past and Present. History, People, Resources, and Commercial Prospects. Tea, Camphor, Sugar, Gold, Coal, Sulphur, Economical Plants, and Other Productions by James W. Davis, F.R.G.S. is viewed as the monograph on the history of Taiwan from this period and is still consulted today. Some say it is essential reading.
Condition
Very good. Wear along original fold lines. Verso repairs of fold separations. Closed margin tears professionally repaired on verso. Closed tear professionally repaired extending 1.5 inches into printed area. Blank on verso.
References
OCLC 21785186.