Existing comment:
John Mitchell (1711–1768)
A Map of the British and French Dominions in North America
London, 1755
First impression of third edition, 1773, with hand-drawn red lines
Engraving, hand-colored
New-York Historical Society Library
First published in 1755, Mitchell's map was the most impressive and accurate cartographic description of Britain's territorial holdings in North America at the time. During the 18th century it was reprinted and updated numerous times; other mapmakers studied it and borrowed from it.
The historical significance of the map increased exponentially when it was used to demarcate potential boundaries during the negotiations of the Treaty of Paris, 1782–1783.
Representatives from Britain, the American colonies, and Spain each brought a copy of the Mitchell map to the negotiations. An accurate and detailed map of the geographic areas in question was fundamental to their discussions.
Only three copies of the red-lined Mitchell map are known to exist. John Jay's copy of the red-lined Mitchell map, seen here, was donated to the New-York Historical Society by his son, Peter Augustus Jay, during his tenure as president of the New-York Historical Society, 1840-1842. |