[Chart of the Harbour of Boston]/ Nautical Remarks and Observations for the Chart of the Harbour of Boston. Composed from different Surveys; but principally from that taken in 1769, by George Callendar, Late Master of His Majesty's Ship the Romney.

FIRST STATE. ACQUIRED BY HUGH PERCY, THE SAVIOUR OF THE BRITISH AT LEXINGTON AND CONCORD. 705 x 1040 mm., in 2 sheets joined, large aquatint and etched engraving, UNFOLDED AND UNCUT, with the LVG watermark. With pamphlet, quarto (280 x 230 mm.), original blue wrappers, typographic title, pp. 5-(12), there are no pages 3-4 which agrees with the John Carter Brown example. The Earl Percy example of the FIRST STATE of one of the most important Revolutionary War illustrations of Boston and its approaches. Accompanied by the VERY RARE twelve page PAMPHLET by George Callender entitled 'Nautical remarks and observations for the chart of the harbour of Boston. Composed from different surveys; but principally from that taken in 1769'. Callendar was the Master of His Majesty's Ship the Romney. Commissioned in 1762 she served extensively in North America arriving in Boston 17 May 1768 to support the British during the enforcement of the Townsend Acts. Short of men it was the pressing of local men into service which increased tension in the town to a level which broke out in the Boston Massacre of 1770.Hugh Percy, later 2nd Duke of Northumberland (1742-1817), famously served at Concord and Lexington in 1775. He had been the Member of Parliament for Westminster from 1763 and had opposed policies that led to the American War of Independence. He was however, sent to Boston in May 1774 as brigadier-general, colonel of the Fifth Regiment of Foot. His regular communication with his father offers a fascinating incite into the situation. His letter of 12 September 1774 records that the colonies were 'now in as open state of Rebellion as Scotland was in the year 45' (ODNB).Percy was commander of the British relief force at Lexington and Concord, on 19 April 1775, and son of the Duke of Northumberland. He is largely credited with avoiding a complete disaster for the British. It was this retreat that led Percy to record respect for the resolve for American forces (Fischer). In July 1775 he was made major-general. It is believed he had returned to London during that summer. It is believed that it was Percy who carried over the manuscript map of Boston by Richard Williams to London. The printed version by Andrew Dury was published on 12 March 1776 and states 'sent over by the Son of a Nobleman to his Father in Town, by Whose Permission it is Published'. This fist state of the Des Barres was published 5 August 1775 when he was likely in London. He would most certainly have had an interest in acquiring a copy and indeed returned to America later taking part in the campaigns in and around New York the following year. He became the second Duke of Northumberland on the death of his father in 1786.This chart is part of a very large body of work known as the 'Atlantic Neptune' undertaken by Des Barres It is one of the greatest hydrographic achievements of the eighteenth century. The French and Indian War highlighted the lack of accurate mapping of the vast territories now under British control in North America. Samuel Holland was entrusted with the task of accurately mapping the northern portion of these territories. He proposed using the latest accurate methods which included astronomical readings and triangulation. In 1769 he personally was still working in Canadian waters but had instructed Callendar to undertake the survey of Boston. In England Des Barres was in charge of undertaking the detailed engraving. He set about providing the British government with more accurate mapping of the entire coastline of America and Canada. They proved to be of just as much use to the American Rebel forces. Their quality and accuracy are well known and deserved. This particular chart is notable for recording Boston as it was at the outbreak of hostilities. It illustrates the British defences before the siege. The second state in particular out of the four later ones would record the progress of the sie.…