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Signed By the Captain of the USS Congress
Rare English Sea chart, published in London by John Hamilton Moore, which delineates a strategically vital maritime corridor in Northern Europe, extending from the Skaw (Skagen) at the northern tip of Jutland to the island of Rügen in the south. The chart encompasses the Kattegat and Øresund (The Sound), key passages linking the North Sea to the Baltic Sea, and includes detailed insets of important ports and harbors such as Gothenburg, Marstrand, Malmö, and the Sound itself.
Historically, this region was central to maritime commerce and naval power during the 18th century, with Denmark and Sweden closely controlling access to the Baltic through tolls and fortifications. The Øresund in particular served as a chokepoint for trade, and its accurate charting was critical for navigation. Moore’s chart, compiled from Danish and Swedish surveys, reflects contemporary British interests in securing safe passage for commercial and naval vessels, as well as asserting influence in the geopolitically sensitive waters of Scandinavia.
John Hamilton Moore (1738-1807) was a well-known teacher of navigation. He was born in Edinburgh, educated in Ireland, and subsequently joined the Royal Navy at Plymouth. In about 1770, Moore established a Nautical Academy in Brentford, Middlesex, and in 1772 he published The New Practical Navigator and Daily Assistant. Later he established himself at 127 Minories, near Tower Hill, where he taught navigation and carried on his business of selling maps and nautical instruments.
Provenance: Captain James N. Sever (1761-1845), Captain USS Congress; by descent in family.
Rarity
John Hamilton Moore charts are extremely rare. We note only 2 institutional examples (Bibliotheque National de France and Spanish National Archives).
