May 25, 1857.] FRANCE— SPAIN. 423 



of all tracts, coasts, and bays to whicli the influence of France 

 extends. 



Through the obliging communication of Eear-Admiral Mathieu, 

 the Director of the Charts and Plans of the Imperial Navy, a cata- 

 logue has been transmitted to us of all the works of that nature 

 which have been published, or are in the course of execution, during 

 the years 1856-57. Referring you to this list which will be pub- 

 lished in the Appendix to our Volume, I may now simply state, 

 that it comprises four charts of the rivers Gironde, Loire, and 

 Seine, in France ; seven of the coasts of Italy, from Genoa to the 

 Tiber ; three of the Black Sea and environs, one of which is a 

 detailed plan of the Bosphorus, in three sheets ; and no less than 

 fifteen charts and plans relating to various parts of the Mediter- 

 ranean, both on the African and Spanish shores, even up to Ceuta, 

 Algesiras, and the Straits of Gibraltar. In the sequel, and in 

 speaking of the absence of good maps of Southern Italy, it will 

 appear that in her occupation of the Papal States, France has 

 effectually supplied that desideratum. 



If we turn to the far west, we perceive that our active allies 

 have been vigorously surveying the coasts of that central region 

 of America which now justly occupies public attention, and that 

 Haiti, Bahia, and New Grenada have also come in for their share 

 of exploration ; whilst of Newfoundland, not less than ten plans of 

 bays, havens, and islands have been completed. From Iceland on 

 the north to China and New Caledonia on the south-east, we have 

 numerous examples of that zeal and precision of geographical 

 survey which has characterized the French geographers from the 

 days of d'Anville and Cassini. 



To five new plans of the ports and bays of New Caledonia, a chart 

 of the Archipelago of Pomatou, and six charts and plans of portions 

 of the coast of China, are to be added numerous works included 

 under the head of "Nautical Instructions," which are of great 

 value to all seamen. In the present list we meet with Illustrations 

 of the Sea of Azov, Nautical Description of the North Coast of 

 Morocco, Instructions for entering the Port of Alexandria, Manual 

 of the Navigation of La Plata, Description of Passages between 

 Lu^on and the Main Islands of Japan, together with General Con- 

 siderations on the Pacific, &c. 



Spain. — This ancient kingdom, so renowned in history, has hitherto 

 remained without a Trigonometrical Survey, though its surface is, 



