DÉPÔT GÉNÉRAL DE LA MARINE. - Carte des cotes du Golfe du Mexique..

Detailed and important early chart of the Gulf Coast and Florida and dated 1800.
First French edition of "the first printed [map] to show and name Galveston Bay" and "the first large-scale printed chart of Texas and the Gulf Coast based on actual soundings and explorations" (Martin & Martin); the first printing of this handsome chart appeared in Madrid in 1799; the present French version quickly followed, appearing in J. N. Bellin et al., "Hydrographie Françoise"; all versions of this chart are exceedingly rare. Lowery 721n. Phillips, Atlases 590.

The chart was issued one year after the Spanish Carta Esferica and draws extensively from this map.
The chart is based in large part on the landmark survey of the coast commissioned by Bernardo de Galvez and conducted by Jose de Evia. The most significant milestone of the survey was the discovery of Galveston Bay in 1785, which had never before appeared on a printed map. Baie de Calvesion (Galveston) is shown on the present map exactly as laid down in the manuscript maps from Evia's Survey.
The coastline configuration in established the prototype for the mapping of Texas and the U.S. Gulf Coast, which would dominate printed maps for the next 2 decades. The map remained as one of the most significant charts of the region for several decades. Both Humboldt and Arrowsmith copied the information outlined in this map for their important maps.

For the first time, the Texas coast was mapped from an actual survey, and the chart was the first in print to show and name Galveston Bay.... Later map makers who made use of the chart in one fashion or another included Alexander von Humboldt and John Melish, and it was not until the publication of Austin's map in 1830 that the configuration introduced on the Carta esférica was superseded. Both the Spanish and French editions are very scarce. Streeter located just eight copies of the [various issues] of the Spanish edition and four copies of the French among seventy-six important institutional collections that he surveyed. Streeter locates no copies of the French edition in Texas.
On the map it is noted Grave par E. Collin, et Ecrit par Besançon, Etienne Collin is also noted as being an engraver for 'Depot de la Marine'. It is probable that Collin engraved the map after originals by Besançon.