Edward Parker Bedwell Comps (1 results)
More imagesPublished by London: printed for the Hydrographic Office, Admiralty, 1864, 1864
- First Edition
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United KingdomPeter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB.
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£ 7,000.00
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Add to basketSecond and much expanded edition of this rich source of Pacific North coastal geography, compiled just before Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867. This extensive work belonged to James S. Lawson, who used it to map the area for the United States Coast Survey during the end of his service from 1848-78. This work is ra…re: we have traced two copies in commerce in the last century. The pilot, made from surveys by George Henry Richards (1820-1896), is "valuable for early descriptions; includes coastal place names" (Lowther & Laing). It covers the entire coast of Vancouver Island and the shores of British Columbia as far as 51N, containing data on approximately 1,450 locations such as Juan de Fuca Strait, Puget Sound, Discovery Passage, and Vancouver Bay. This second edition is enlarged with 150 pages; the first was published three years earlier. Richards entered the Royal Navy in 1832 and was quickly appointed midshipman on the survey ship HMS Sulphur, serving in the Pacific under Captain Edward Belcher, and later off the Falkland Islands, along the coast of South America, and New Zealand. Richards was back under Belcher's command in 1852, this time on a voyage to the Arctic in search of the Franklin expedition. "Belcher proved more overbearing and unreasonable than ever on this mission and Richards's tact and judgment were critical in holding the operation together. He was promoted captain in 1854" (ODNB). Between 1856 and 1862 he surveyed the Pacific Northwest on HMS Plumper and HMS Hecate. The former ship was assigned to mapping unknown parts of the British crown colonies. Her crew and officers transferred to HMS Hecate, commanded by Richards from 1860-63. The Hecate Strait, between the British Columbia mainland and the islands of Haida Gwaii, is named for her, while HMS Plumper got Plumper Sound as a namesake. In 1863 Richards was appointed hydrographer to the Royal Navy, where he made charts readily available for general use, not just for captains. "Under Richards hydrographic activity concentrated on areas of strategic importance, such as Canada when the USA was expanding into Alaska, or the newly opened Suez Canal in 1870" (ODNB). Edward Parker Bedwell (d. 1919) served as assistant on HMS Hecate and compiled the remainder of the work after Richards's departure. Provenance: pencil signature on the title page of "Jas. S. Lawson Assist. USCS." James S. Lawson (b. 1828) served as an assistant in the United States Coast Survey for 30 years beginning in 1848. Richards's rutter was used during his service as it carries his detailed pencil notes and corrections throughout. He notes an inner shoal bay with a narrow opening at New Dungeness Bay: "The mouth of this stream is now at least half a mile eastward from this". Lowther & Laing 229; not in Howes, Lada-Mocarski, Sabin, or Wickersham. Octavo. With 3 tables in the text. Original blue pebbled cloth, rebacked with the original spine laid down, spine and front cover lettered in gilt. Pencil note on rear pastedown "Eberstadt cat. 164 #58". Scuffed, creasing to lower edge of front cover affecting a few text leaves, scattered foxing, minor dampstaining to lower edge. A very good copy.
