A Chart of the Red Sea, from Jiddah, to the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb, Surveyed in the Years 1830, 31, 32, & 33, By Capt[ai]n T. Elwon & Lieu[tenan]t H. N. Pinching, and completed in 1833 and 1834 by Com[man]der R. Moresby, Indian Navy. T.G. Carless Lieu[tenan]t and Draughts[ma]n I.N.

ELWON, T. Captain; PINCHING, Lieutenant H. N.; MORESBY, Commander R[obert]; and CARLESS, Lieutenant T. G.

Published by London, John Walker, Geographer to the Honourable East India Company, August 1st 1836 [but 1850]., 1836

About this Item

Engraved sea chart on two sheets, numerous soundings and a few coastal profiles, tracks of the Ship Palinurus, many place names in Arabic and English, watermarked 'J. Watman 1850', a few minor tears to margins. Large and detailed chart of the southern part of the Red Sea. The survey was carried out by Commander Robert Moresby aboard the 'Palinurus' a ship of the newly formed Indian Navy (formerly the Bombay Marine). The chart was held in such great esteem at the time that Richard Burton mentions it in his work 'First Footsteps in East Africa' (1856), in which he quotes from the 'Quarterly Review' (No. cxxix. Dec. 1839): In five years, the admirable maps of that coral-bound gulf - the Red Sea - were complete: the terrors of the navigation had given place to the confidence inspired by excellent surveys. In 1829 the Thetis of ten guns, under Commander Robert Moresby, convoyed the first coal ship up the Red Sea, of the coasts of which this skilful and enterprising seaman made a cursory survey, from which emanated the subsequent trigonometrical operations which form our present maps. Two ships were employed, the 'Benares' and 'Palinurus', the former under Commander Elwon, the latter under Commander Moresby. It remained, however, for the latter officer to complete the work. Some idea may be formed of the perils these officers and men went through, when we state the 'Benares' was forty-two times aground. He goes on to quote: The beautiful maps of the Red Sea, drafted by the late Commodore Carless, then a lieutenant, will ever remain permanent monuments of Indian Naval Science, and the daring of its officers and men. Seller Inventory # 1111

Bibliographic Details

Title: A Chart of the Red Sea, from Jiddah, to the ...

Publisher: London, John Walker, Geographer to the Honourable East India Company, August 1st 1836 [but 1850].

Publication Date: 1836