HYDROGRAPIIKR's DKPARTMENT of lllK ADMIKALTV. 3/5 



America lo (auiya(|uil and the Galapagos, tinding the Spanish 

 charts nian\- miles ont in longitude. 



As another instance of the want of knowledge then i)revail- 

 ing. I may mention that, up to 1839. different charts showed no 

 less than six different positions for Rio Janeiro. 



During these years work was proceeding round the English 

 coast, in the Red Sea, and, by Captain Moresby, in the East 

 Indies. Vidal was continuing Boteler's work in the Bight of 

 Benin, and, from 1841 to 1845, ^^ ^^as engaged at the Azores. 



In 1840 the first complete survey of the East Coast of Eng- 

 land and the Shetlands was linished, and the survey of the Irish 

 Channel was commenced by Beechey. This year is typical of 

 many to come, for surveys were proceeding of the coasts of 

 Southern Arabia, Bay of Bengal, River St. Lawrence and New 

 Brunswick, New Jersey, Long Island, and Cape Cod, West 

 Indies, Mexico, Yucatan, Bass and Torres Straits ; and so the 

 work continued, year by year, in all parts of the world. About 

 ]0 ships, with 70 ofificers and over 500 men, were engaged. The 

 mere labour involved was stupendous. For instance, the survey 

 of the southern part of the North Sea was completed in 1844. 

 In this year alone, over 20,000 soundings were taken for this 

 single survey. 



In 1849 charts were published for the Mediterranean. West 

 Indies, Canaries. England, Ireland, Australia, North America, 

 New Guinea, West Coast of Africa, Moolmein River, Lal)rador. 

 and many others. Algoa Bay also was described. 



From 1847 to 1853, Evans was at work on the W^est Coast 

 of New Zealand and in the Archipelago. . Basil Hall charted the 

 Loochoo Islands. Foster, surveying in the West Indies, was 

 drowned in the Chagres River, while measuring the difference 

 of longitude between Chagres and Panama. CoUison was at 

 w^ork on the China coast, Blackwood on the Great Barrier Reef, 

 and many other surveys were in progress. 



In 1854 the South Coast of England vt'as completed as far as 

 Portland, and a chart from Hangklip to Agullias was ])ublished. 

 Up to this year the Nova Scotia coasts were so faultily expressed 

 that many charts could only be considered snares, instead of 

 guides. 



In 1855, 20 ships were engaged, and during the twelve 

 months 131,000 copies of plans and charts were published, for 

 whoever wanted them. In this year the West Coast of Cape 

 Colony was examined by Commander Nolloth, and an awkward 

 Bank off Port Elizabeth discovered and charted. 



In 1856 the survey of the terrible Irish coast south of the 

 Shannon was completed, and Commander Church, worn out by 

 the work, died immediately afterwards. In this year the coast of 

 Siam was found to be laid down 10 miles east of its true ]iositioh. 

 and Fanning Island 32 miles. 



In 1857 no less than 2^ surveying parties were at work, and 

 in this year Port Natal was surveyed. 



