1886 / 1933 Jamaica, and the Pedro Bank with parts of Cuba and Haiti
DESCRIPTION
This British Admiralty nautical chart, originally published in 1886 and reissued in 1933 with corrections through 1957, covers Jamaica, the Pedro Bank, and adjacent portions of Cuba and Haiti. Compiled from Admiralty surveys and U.S. Coast Survey sources, it provides a broad navigational overview of the central Caribbean region surrounding the Windward Passage, the Cayman Basin, and the shipping approaches to Jamaica.
Hydrographic Detail and Navigational Features
Depth soundings in fathoms fill the expanse of open water between the depicted landmasses, capturing the contours of deep ocean basins, steep submarine slopes, and shallow banks. The Pedro Bank, shown southwest of Jamaica, appears in notable detail with scattered reefs, shoals, coral heads, and irregular bottoms that pose hazards to navigation. Surrounding Jamaica, the chart records offshore banks, coastal soundings, and approaches to major ports such as Kingston and Montego Bay. Cuba’s southern coast and the northern coastline of Haiti, including Tortuga and the small islands off Cap-Haïtien, are depicted with extensive coastal features and soundings. Large compass roses positioned across the chart support bearing calculations through major navigation corridors. All corrections are integrated into the printed chart; no pasted-on amendment panels are present.
Topography and Coastal Geography
The islands are rendered in shaded relief, emphasizing the mountainous interior of Jamaica, the rugged Cuban coastline, and the steep terrain of northern Haiti. Headlands, bays, rivers, and settlements are labeled along all three coasts. Offshore island groups, reefs, and banks such as Grappler Bank, Morant Cays, and the southern Cuban archipelagos are included, illustrating the complex geography of the Windward Passage. The broad scale of the chart focuses on major landforms rather than small settlements, providing mariners with essential spatial context for long-range navigation.
Historical Context
Throughout the period covered by this chart’s editions and revisions, Jamaica was under British colonial administration, Cuba was emerging from Spanish rule and entering a U.S.-influenced era, and Haiti functioned as an independent republic with significant maritime trade. The region formed one of the busiest maritime routes in the Caribbean, linking the Panama Canal, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic via the Windward Passage. Accurate charting of the Pedro Bank was essential due to its extensive shoal areas, which had long been hazardous to vessels approaching Jamaica from the southwest. Continued corrections through 1957 reflect expanding postwar shipping, improved hydrographic data, and ongoing Admiralty efforts to maintain safe navigation through this strategic corridor.
CONDITION
1200 W. 35th Street #425 Chicago, IL 60609 | P: (312) 496 - 3622