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Published in the Wake of the Quasi War (1798-1800)

This large-scale nautical chart of the East Coast of North America, from the Massachusetts to the Florida Keys and the Bahamas, was dedicated to Thomas Jefferson, then Vice President of the United States, at a fascinating early moment in the history of British and American relations.

First issued in 1798, this remarkable chart of the east coast, while very rare, is known to survive in 3 variant forms.  The primary portion of the chart extended from the Delaware River to the Cape of Florida (just north of Key Biscayne and Miami), as published in 1798.  In 1800, the map coverage was extended to just beyond Boston Bay in the North, and to just south of the the Florida Keys.  The map was revised again in 1809.

The map was published in November 1800, shortly after the conclusion of the Quasi-War, an undeclared naval conflict between the United States and France, fought between 1798 and 1800. It arose due to diplomatic tensions following the XYZ Affair and French seizures of American merchant ships during the ongoing wars between France and Britain. The conflict primarily took place in the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean, where American naval forces and privateers engaged French vessels.  The war ended with the September 30, 1800, signing of the Convention of 1800 (Treaty of Mortefontaine), which restored peace and reestablished commercial relations between the two nations.

The dedication to Thomas Jefferson, then serving as Vice President during John Adams term as President (1798-1801), reflects a fascinating evolution in Jefferson's political views regarding France and Britain.  Between the end of the American Revolution and 1800, Thomas Jefferson’s views on France and Britain evolved significantly, shaped by his experiences as U.S. Minister to France, Secretary of State, Vice President, and leader of the Democratic-Republican Party. As Minister to France (1785–1789), he strongly favored France, viewing its revolution as an extension of America’s struggle for liberty, while distrusting Britain’s aristocratic system and mercantile policies. As Secretary of State (1790–1793), he opposed Washington’s Proclamation of Neutrality, arguing that the 1778 Franco-American Treaty of Alliance obligated the U.S. to aid France. He supported Citizen Genêt’s efforts to rally American support for France but distanced himself when Genêt openly defied Washington’s administration. By the mid-1790s, his disillusionment with France grew, particularly as the Reign of Terror intensified. However, he remained vehemently opposed to the 1794 Jay Treaty, which strengthened U.S.-British relations at France’s expense. This opposition fueled the emergence of the Democratic-Republican Party, which Jefferson led against the pro-British Federalists.

By 1797, as Vice President under John Adams, Jefferson’s pro-French stance became more cautious as relations between the U.S. and France deteriorated. The XYZ Affair (1797–1798), in which French agents demanded bribes from American diplomats, outraged the public and led to the Quasi-War (1798–1800), an undeclared naval conflict. While Federalists pushed for war with France, Jefferson opposed military escalation, fearing it would strengthen Federalist power and lead to domestic repression—a fear realized in the Alien and Sedition Acts (1798). By the time of the Convention of 1800, which ended hostilities with France, Jefferson had abandoned his earlier idealism and now prioritized American neutrality and independence from European conflicts. Though still deeply critical of Britain, by 1800, his foreign policy stance had shifted from strong Francophilia to pragmatism, laying the groundwork for his presidential foreign policy of avoiding entangling alliances.

The main chart meticulously depicts the eastern seaboard of North America, showing the coastal contours, inlets, islands, shoals, and soundings to assist sailors in safe passage. Rhumb lines, radiating from compass roses, illustrate primary maritime routes and the directional bearings used in navigation.  Two tables of principal courses and distances provide navigational reference points:

1. From Cape Cod to the Delaware River
2. From the Delaware River to Havana

These tables served as practical guides for ship captains, detailing sailing distances and recommended headings for safe transit along the busy trade routes of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. 

The chart includes six inset maps, offering detailed plans of critical harbors and river mouths along the southeastern seaboard:

• Plan of the Entrance and Harbour of St. Augustine (Florida)
• Plan of the Mouth of Nassau River (Florida)
• Plan of the Inlet of St. Mary's River (border of Georgia and Florida)
• Plan of the Harbour of Port Royal (South Carolina)
• Plan of the Bar and Harbour of Charleston (South Carolina)
• Plan of the Delaware Bay and River (by Joshua Fisher, covering the approach to Philadelphia)

These insets provided mariners with critical local knowledge, including the depth of channels, sandbars, anchorages, and fortifications, ensuring safe passage into these strategic harbors. 

This Laurie & Whittle chart reflects the expanding maritime trade and naval activity of the early United States and the broader Atlantic world. By 1800, American merchant vessels and naval ships relied on such charts for navigating the Eastern Seaboard and the Caribbean, crucial for trade with Europe, the West Indies, and South America. The dedication to Thomas Jefferson underscores his prominent role in American maritime policy, particularly in defending U.S. trade interests during an era of European conflicts and increasing tensions with Britain and France.

Joshua Fisher’s Delaware Bay and River plan, included as an inset, was particularly valuable to shipping destined for Philadelphia, one of the largest and most important ports in the United States at the time. 

This Laurie & Whittle nautical chart stands as an important document of early American navigation, providing a detailed and practical guide to the Atlantic coast from New England to Florida and Cuba. Its precise hydrographic detail, comprehensive inset harbor maps, and inclusion of sailing courses make it a remarkable example of early 19th-century British cartography, serving as a vital tool for sailors and merchants navigating the North American coast.

Rarity

All states of the map are extremely rare on the market.

We note only the following examples offered for sale:

• 1798 state, lacking northern and southern extensions (Brunk, October 2020, $19,680)
• 1808 state, lacking northern and southern extensions (Martayan Lan, Catalog 10, 1993. $6,500)