To Capt. W. F. W. Owen R.N. This chart of the Maldiva Islands, exhibiting the safe channels between the southern atollons, having been constructed from valuable materials furnished chiefly by him, is inscribed by his obliged and obedient servant, James Horsburgh'. An important and scarce early nineteenth-century chart of the Maldives, compiled chiefly from hydrographic materials supplied by Captain William Fitzwilliam Owen, R.N., and engraved under the direction of James Horsburgh, Hydrographer to the East India Company. Dedicated to Owen in an engraved inscription, the chart delineates the safe channels, reefs and passages between the southern atollons with a level of precision previously unavailable to navigators. The accompanying Explanatory Remarks highlight the long-standing loss of reliable European knowledge of the Maldives—particularly of the Cardiva (Kaashidhoo) Channel, known more than two centuries earlier but since forgotten—warning that many northern channels should not be attempted until their latitudes are securely determined. They emphasise that only the One and a Half Degree Channel and the Equatorial Channel, both recently resurveyed, could be used with confidence and were generally preferable to vessels approaching from the south-west bound for Ceylon or the Coromandel Coast. A scarcely found map, with its extensive textual sailing directions, this chart represents a significant contribution to the hydrography of the Indian Ocean and is a desirable example of Horsburgh’s authoritative mapping for the East India Company. Horsburgh had been shipwrecked on Diego Garcia in 1786, an event which he attributed to inaccurate maps, and which led him to devote himself to producing accurate charts and improving navigation skills. . Engraved by John Bateman. Published by James Horsburgh. Published 26th March 1814 [dated]. Antique early 19th English century sea chart. Size 58 x 27 cm | 23.0 x 10.5 inches. Condition: Good; suitable for framing. Please check the scan for any blemishes prior to making your purchase. Please contact us if you would like to arrange to view this map. There is nothing printed on the reverse side, which is plain. Tags: 1814, Horsburgh James, Indian Ocean, James Horsburgh, Maldives, Map, Nautical charts

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