This is a rare large format costal chart depicting the full coast of the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the Bahamas, The Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Yucatan, Cuba and Jamaica.  It was issued in 1852 to accompany Israel D. Andrews’ report to the Senate.  Depicts coastal cities and ports, offshore shoals, knolls, reefs, banks and other nautical hazards and some inland details, especially in the important overland crossing from Atlantic to Pacific of Tehuantepec, Mexico. Contemporary hand color.  Andrews was the Consul of the United States for Canada and Trade and Commerce.   U.S.  Coastal Survey.  Prepared under A. D. Bache.  Publisher:  The Office of the Coast Survey, founded in 1807 by Secretary of Commerce Albert Gallatin and President Thomas Jefferson, is the oldest organization of its kind in the U.S. Federal Government.   The hard working and daring agents of the U.S. Coast Survey were the first explorers to accurately map the North American coast line, opening the ports of the west to trading vessels from Europe, America and Asia.  Gallatin chose Swiss immigrant and West Point mathematics professor Ferdinand Hassler to direct the Coast Survey. Under the direction of Hassler, the Coast Survey developed a reputation for uncompromising dedication to the principles of accuracy and excellence.  Hassler lead the Coast Survey until his death in 1843, at which time <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Dallas_Bache" class="extiw" title="w:Alexander Dallas Bache">Alexander Dallas Bache</a>, a great-grandson of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin" class="extiw" title="w:Benjamin Franklin">Benjamin Franklin</a>, took the helm.  Under the leadership A. D. Bache, the Coast Survey did most of its most important work.  During his Superintendence, Bache was steadfast advocate of American science and navigation and in fact founded the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Academy_of_Sciences" class="extiw" title="w:National Academy of Sciences">American Academy of Sciences</a>.   The techniques developed by the United States Coast Survey were later used by the U.S. Geological and Geodetic Survey in the late 19th and early 20th century.
<div class="fn value">
<a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Creator:Israel_de_Wolf_Andrews&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1" class="new" title="Creator:Israel de Wolf Andrews (page does not exist)">Creator:Israel de Wolf Andrews</a></div>
1852<div style="display: none;">date QS:P571,+1852-00-00T00:00:00Z/9</div>
This file was provided to Wikimedia Commons by <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.geographicus.com/">Geographicus Rare Antique Maps</a>, a specialist dealer in rare maps and other cartography of the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, as part of a <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Geographicus" title="Commons:Geographicus">cooperation project</a>.