What is it about?
British warships operating on the Iberian coast to support Wellington's army during the Peninsular campaign needed improved charts to ensure safe navigation. This was achieved through front-line surveys by officers and masters which were promptly rendered to the Hydrographical Office, where the information was speedily exploited to produce new charts. This paper uses a case study to examine the whole process from survey observations to publication.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
The source documents for this study have not hitherto been studied in detail. The author of the article is a retired Royal Naval hydrographic surveyor who brings professional understanding and sea experience to bear to help the reader to understand the importance of the work that is desribed.
Perspectives
My account of the emergence of the hydrographic specialisation of the Royal Navy during the wars of 1793-1815 and their aftermath will be published in 2024. It could not include detailed case studies of this type. This article will be amongst the references that will be highlighted for further in-depth study.
Captain RN Michael Kenneth Barritt
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The Charting of Arousa Bay: A Case Study in British Naval Pathfinding in the Peninsular War (1807–1814), Imago Mundi, December 2023, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/03085694.2023.2280406.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
