China.- Yangtze Valley.- Anonymous Chinese cartographer (probably late 19th century) Three strip maps surveying the waterways and environs of Soohow [Suzhou], Shanghai, and Chin Kiang [Zhenjiang], detailed maps of the canals, waterways, and environs within the lower Yangtze Valley, each inscribed extensively in Chinese, some annotated in Romanized Chinese, pen and inks, blue wash, some [?]later additions in pencil, on thin buff paper, each map approx. 305 x 3000 mm (12 x 118 in), several sheets conjoined and mounted on linen, several fine splits and repaired tears visible, even browning and surface dirt, folding concertina-style into blue cloth decorative endpapers, with manuscript label to upper cover of each in Romanized Chinese, worn and scuffed, oblong 4to, [probably late 19th century or slightly later] (3)

⁂ Possibly related to the waterway surveys commissioned by the Imperial Maritime Customs from the Dutch cartographer Thomas Ferguson, who published two outline maps of waterways; one of the waterways surrounding Shanghai, the other of Suzhou. Ferguson invented the the 'hodograph', which mechanically collected data about the sailing direction and distance of a vessel, essentially allowing for automatic marine surveying.