America's West Coast Diego Bay to Cape Mendocino was prepared by the British Admiralty from its original surveys done in 1855, and in this edition updated to Sept. 1865. The large scale, finely detailed representation of the California coast and islands is done by fine lined engraving, light beacons are hand colored with red with yellow flashes, and the coast is brought to life with scenic vignettes showing the coastline with pictorial perspective that include views from a ship at sea, harbor profiles and island profiles and terrain. These vignettes are each by themselves artwork, and rely on the skilled use of gray tones by engraver E. Radclyffe to suggest three dimensionality of this rugged landscape as seen from a ship traveling from the southernmost point of Diego Bay northward beyond San Francisco to Cape Mendocino. Sea gulls are drawn swooping and hovering above the sea and give scale to the steep cliffs and challenging shoreline. The varied and dramatic geology and geography of California is presented as it appeared six years after the beginning of the Gold Rush. This edition of the popular nautical chart is updated to assist navigators at sea to safely navigate the shore or islands or rock outcrops. Soundings are given in fathoms. Revolving, fixed and flashing light beacons are smartly indicated in a bright red and yellow. Magnetic variation is updated to 1865. Topography on shore and vegetation are also indicated by the fine engraving.The California coast was heavily traveled for trade and military purposes, for disembarking expeditions and for tourism. This chart title with pictorial vignettes was updated as a working nautical chart into the late 19th century.
San Francisco Bay and its entrance are shown in great detail although no buildings are outlined in plan on shore. The British Admiralty survey work for this chart captures California's s coast cities and harbors in very early stages of settlement and Diego Bay is still unsettled as a town. Interestingly, U.S. Navy Yards in San Pablo Bay are indicated and shown in simple plan.
The chart focuses on California, but is also international. Point Arena is shown with shore birds aloft. Pt. Reyes, just north of San Francisco, still a wild place, is drawn with its headlands dropping to the narrow beach below. The entrance to San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz is shown in a fine two toned engraving. Point Sur is shown, with a long reflection of the promontory in the quiet waves of the Pacific Ocean. At the American West Coast's southernmost limit, the boundary between America and Mexico is also shown with an off shore pictorial view. We see a large masted ship atilt in Catalina Harbour. More than one artist contributed to these scenes. Capt. T. Harvey, R.N. is the artist whose vignette shows the Farallon Lighthouse atop an atoll.
The American West Coast is presented on this historic 19th c. chart for navigational and economic purposes. The original Admiralty survey work along the California coast was done during a period of heavy American and international maritime business to Asia and the South Pacific. The updates to the chart occurred during the American Civil War when domestic trade and supply lines were critical. Yet the vignettes also suggest the leisure of travel and exploration of California's mountainous coastal landscape, small islands and bays. Today this 19th c. chart of the California coast still provides a dramatic and recognizable portrait of America's West Coast and its iconic landscape.