Description
Rare Dutch issue of Lieutenant James Grant’s important chart of the Victorian coast and Bass Strait printed in 1805.
Lieutenant James Grant was given command of the Lady Nelson with the instructions to sail her to Sydney and hand her over to Matthew Flinders. He left Portsmouth on 17 March 1800 and while at Cape Town Grant received additional orders to search and sail through the recently discovered Bass Strait from the west. He made landfall on the Victorian coast near present day Mount Schank and Mount Gambier which he named and proceeded to chart the coast to Wilson’s Promontory. He sailed through Bass Strait becoming the first to do so from west to east and confirming a new route for shipping to the east coast and avoiding having to sailing south around Van Diemen’s Land. He also gave names to, Cape Banks, Cape Bridgewater, Cape Nelson, Cape Sir William Grant, Lawrence Islands, Lady Julia Percy Island, Portland Bay, Cape Otway, Cape Patton, Cape Danger, Governor King’s Bay, Cape Liptrap, King George’s Sound and Glennies Island.
From: Grant, J. Verhaal van eene ontdekkingsreize na Nieuw-Zuid-Wales / door den Luitenant James Grant, met zijner Majesteits Schip de Lady Nelson, in de jaren 1800, 1801 en 1802 Haarlem 1805
