Subject: Eastern China
Period: 1796 (dated)
Publication: An Authentic Account of an Embassy from the King … to the Emperor of China
Color: Black & White
Size:
17.9 x 25.2 inches
45.5 x 64 cm
This map covers the embassy's route from Hangzhou to Canton and presents an incredible amount of information, including many notes describing the landscape and the region's agriculture. Cities, towns, villages, bridges, sluices around canals, and halting places are located. This map appeared in the account of George Macartney's travels to China, published by George Nicol. Macartney was Britain's first envoy to China, and was tasked with convincing Emperor Qianlong to ease restrictions on trade between Great Britain and China by allowing the British to have a permanent embassy in the country. All three were drawn from information supplied by John Barrow, who was the private secretary to Lord Macartney. He was later Secretary to the Admiralty and was a vice-president and founding member of the Royal Geographical Society. Published in London by George Nicol and engraved by B. Baker.
References: Shirley (BL Atlases) G.BARR-1a #10.
Condition: B+
A bright sheet with a hint of offsetting, a few spots of foxing along the centerfold, and minor toning along the edges of the sheet.