WILLIAM MORRIS

As. this performance may be esteemed the only one of the kind ever published in Great-Britain, it may not be improper to give some account of the rise, progress, and nature of the undertaking. The melancholy accounts of shipwrecks and losses on the Coast of Wales, (chiefly occasioned by the very slender. knowledge-and-imperfect description of that coast) pointed out to the Lords of the Admiralty the necessity of an actual survey, and their Lordships were pleased to order my father, the late Lewis Morris, upon that service; but as his surveys extended only from Ormes Head, near Chester Bar, to Milford Haven, they were found inadequate to the desired end; I therefore undertook to extend them to Liverpool, and to Cardiff in the Briftol Channel, and to include the East Coast of Ireland from Dublin to Wexford, which now renders the survey of the Welsh and Irish Coasts in St. George’s and the Bristol Channels complete.

I cannot avoid observing in this place, that some of the English draughts of the Coasts of Wales and Ireland, which are now in the hands of sailors, and which pass for new and correct charts, (I mean such as have come within the compass of my observation,) are evidently no other than very imperfect eye draughts, or else very corrupt copies of ancient surveys; and are upon no account to be depended upon. I am far from censuring the performance of others, but I take it to be the duty of every man to make public a matter which is of so great consequence to the nation. The correctness necessary in undertakings of this kind, by sea and by land, demands extraordinary care and application; and the many observations proper for determining justly the situations and positions of places, time of tide, soundings, &c.require the utmost attention, and much labour and pains, which: ought not, an such cases, to be spared, where the lives and property of so many persons (the most valuable Part of his Majesty’s subjects) are concerned n this survey and publication, besides the close application and hard labour requisite, I found almost insuperable difficulties, and that it required a resolution not easily to be intimidated to go through with it as the chief part of the business was to search carefully for those dangers others have endeavoured as carefully to avoid; and I am firmly of opinion that nothing material hath escaped my observation, that relate to these surveys: this may be seen by comparing other draughts with the General Chart, which is also published from an actual survey, and on which every dependence may be placed.

One observation more I may venture to make as peculiar to this work; and that is, the names of places are inserted according to their orthography; whereas in other charts and maps of the coast they are generally so inaccurately spelt, as not to be known by either natives or inhabitants; and are, for the most part, the spurious productions of ignorant transcribers and careless engravers.

WILLIAM MORRIS

The last of subscribers listed on is pages at the end of the volume makes interesting reading. It is divided into the gentry followed by Offiers of His Majesty's Navy divided into Admirals, Captains and Lieutenants. Under the admirals there appears the name of Rt. Hon. Lord Nelson, K.B. amongst other famous names.