An Exact Draught of the Bay and Harbour of Vigo 1759

Old map of Galicia, Spain, Vigo.

1725) was a French Huguenot whose experiences in the English army led him to write a history of events in England in order to explain them to other Europeans. His text was well received, in England and elsewhere, but it had only reached the late 17th century by his death. Nicholas Tindal's first translation from the French appeared between 1725 and 1731. Tindal then continued the history up to the accession of King George II in 1727. The Battle of Vigo, also called the Battle of Rande, occurred in the second year of the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14). The Anglo-Dutch fleet, commanded by Admiral Sir George Rooke, was about to return from a failed attempt to capture Cadiz when Rooke learned that the Spanish fleet carrying treasure from the Americas, with its escort of French warships, had harbored in Vigo Bay. The battle was a major success for the English and the Dutch. All the French and Spanish ships were captured, sank, ran aground, or set on fire by their crews, and despite the Spanish having already offloaded most of the silver bullion, the victors gained large amounts of treasure and merchandise. The victors began to tow the Santo Cristo de Maracaibo to England, but this largest of the Spanish galleons struck a rock and sank at the entrance to the harbor. The incident was adapted by Jules Verne in Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, in which he describes Captain Nemo and his crew finding treasure among the sunken wrecks. The map is oriented with north to the lower left and shows the forts that the British captured and the defensive boom of masts and chains that the attackers broke through. A decorative cartouche holds the explanatory key; scale is given in miles.
Created by James Basire, M. (Paul) Rapin De Thoyras, N. (Nicholas) Tindal in 1759.

• Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
• "Scale approximately 1:50,900"--Note extracted from World Digital Library.
• Original resource extent: 1 drawing : hand colored ; 36 x 47 centimeters.
• Original resource at: Library of Galicia.
• Content in English.
• Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Map Subjects

10-23

Forts And Fortifications

Galicia

Naval Battles

Sailing Ships

Ships

Ships Of The Line

Spain

Spanish Succession War Of

Vigo

Vigo Bay Battle Of Spain

James Basire

M. (Paul) Rapin De Thoyras

N. (Nicholas) Tindal

1759

Map Tags

10-23

1759

Forts And Fortifications

Galicia

James Basire

M. (Paul) Rapin De Thoyras

Map

N. (Nicholas) Tindal

Naval Battles

Sailing Ships

Ships

Ships Of The Line

Spain

Spanish Succession War Of

Vigo

Vigo Bay Battle Of Spain