This is the French edition of arguably George Vancouver’s most important chart that of the island named after him. It includes three inset charts, that lower left detailing the mouth of the Columbia River. When the time came for a British voyage to the north west coast again it was Vancouver who was selected. Despite being only 34 years old he was an experienced sailor, navigator and surveyor. He had accompanied James Cook on the Second and Third voyages so was already familiar with the waters. Indeed he had already produced a manuscript map of Alaska in 1778. The purpose of the voyage was to formally receive back from Spain land which it had seized following the Nootka incident of 1789. He was also instructed to investigate all navigable waterways into the continent for the purpose of trade.

Landfall was achieved by the ‘Discovery’ and the ‘Chatham’ on 18 April 1792 in the region of Sir Francis Drake’s ‘New Albion’. Travelling north he was to make one mistake which was to miss the mouth of the Columbia River, a repeat of John Meare before him. Shortly after he met Robert Gray sailing the ‘Columbia’ who thirteen days later did enter the river and name it after his ship. Vancouver then passed through the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Through May and June he surveyed Puget Sound, named after one of his surveyor’s Peter Puget. On the 4 June 1792 he went ashore near present day Everett to claim the region of George III. A number of names which Vancouver gave to features survive to this day including Possession Sound. William Broughton in the ‘Chatham’ mapped the San Juan Islands. Sailing north Joseph Whidbey master of the ‘Chatham’ discovered Bellingham Bay. Eventually they passed back out into the Pacific proving the insular nature of Vancouver Island.

Vancouver went on to survey Alaska and the charts he produced were published in a detailed work in London in 1798. They are considered to be of remarkable accuracy and were still the best available some 90 years later for Alaskan waters. One author wrote “No other man under analogous conditions has given to the world a detailed survey of equal excellence of so many miles of intricate coast”. Falk (1983) p. 76; Hayes (1999) pp. 50, 85-93; Hayes (2001) pp. 119-24; Hayes (2002) Canada pp. 163-5; Howes (1962) V23; Kershaw (1993-98) 1194; Storm (1968) 4456; Wagner (1937) p. 209 & no. 853 (English edition); Streeter, T.W. 3497; Sabin, J. 98443.