254 M. Klaprotli on ifie ArcMpehgo of John PoiocM. 
vernment In the year 1818. The map of each of tlie fifteen 
provinces of China, forms, as in the atlas of D'^Anvilie, a sepa- 
rate slieet, whereas Tartary is divided into twelve sheets, which 
form a single chart. In examining these last, I remarked that 
they went no farther south than the 40th degree of north lati- 
tude, so that they wanted the southern point of the Chinese 
province of Liao-touifg exactly as in the first sheet of the Tar- 
tary of D’Anville (See Duhalde, tom. iv, p. 64). This illus- 
trious geographer, however, had filled up the blank, but pro- 
bably from conjecture. In order to obtain information on this 
point, I consulted the original Chinese and Mandchouc of the 
charts in my possession, and I found not only the point of Liao- 
toung * represented otherwise than in the charts of D’Anville ; 
but they shewed me that to the south of the southern coast qf 
this province there is a group of eighteen islands y which are 
not indicated in any qf our charts^ and which were not dis- 
covered in 1816 by Captain Maxwell and Captain Hall, who 
Were a degree too far south to perceive this new Archipelago.’’ 
“ I may therefore say, without too much vanity, that 1 
am the first European who discovered these Islands, shut 
up in my cabinet, and without exposing myself to the fury of 
the storms which so frequently rage in the Chinese seas. As 
these islands have no general name in the Chinese charts, I 
liave given them that of the late Count John Pofochiy whom I 
had the honour of accompanying on the voyage of the Russian 
embassy destined for China. 
The Archipelago of John Potocki is situated between the 
39th and the 40th degree of north latitude, and the 124th and 
125th degree of longitude east from Greenwich. It belongs 
to the Tartaro-Chinese province of Liao-toung and to the dis- 
trict of Fung-thian-fou, better known in Europe under the 
name of Moukden. It is dependent on the city of Ning-hai- 
hian situated to the north of the promontory called the Regenfs 
Sword, 
The great system of Chinese geography, published in 
1744, under the title of Thai-thsing-y-thoung-tchy, gives only 
* The promontory which terminates in this point, was called by Captain 
Mnxn'ell the Regent's Sword, from its resemblance to a, sabre;. See Macleod’s 
Voyage (yf the Aleesle, p. 34.— E». 
