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This detailed and elegantly engraved sea chart presents the full extent of the Mediterranean basin, from Gibraltar and the Atlantic approaches to the Levant and a portion of the Black Sea, along with the Gulf of Venice and the Aegean Archipelago. It was prepared by Joseph Foss Dessiou, a master in the Royal Navy and experienced hydrographer, whose work bridged Admiralty service and commercial chartmaking. The present map is a reduction of a larger four-sheet Admiralty-style chart, here intended for Wyld's mid-century folio atlases.

The coastline is precisely rendered, with major ports and islands clearly identified. Political divisions are outlined in hand color. The southwestern corner features a finely engraved view of the Strait of Gibraltar.

Joseph Foss Dessiou (1769–1853) was born into a seafaring family in Dartmouth involved in the Newfoundland trade. Like his father, he pursued maritime service, first as a master in the merchant marine and later in the Royal Navy. He distinguished himself through his hydrographic surveys and ultimately became a prolific compiler of nautical charts and sailing directions for both the Admiralty and commercial publishers. In his later years, he contributed significantly to the Hydrographic Office’s efforts in tidal computation, reflecting a career that transitioned from practical navigation to technical chart production at the highest level.

This 1841 issue by James Wyld appears during a period of significant British naval presence in the Mediterranean, coinciding with shifting imperial and commercial interests following the Napoleonic Wars and during the decline of Ottoman power. Wyld, who inherited the Faden publishing line, was known for adapting official Admiralty work for broader distribution, with this chart being a prime example. Dessiou’s reputation ensured that such reductions maintained a high degree of accuracy and usability.