Egyptian and Syrian Campaign, 1798-1801
Plan of the operations of the British & Ottoman Forces in Egypt
Geographer: Arrowsmith, Aaron
Date: 1802
Unlike the three manuscript maps by Bryce in the Egyptian-Syrian collection, this map was printed from a copper plate by Aaron Arrowsmith, the prominent London cartographer, engraver and publisher. In earlier days Arrowsmith had worked under William Faden who published, ‘A new map of Spain and Portugal’ (RMC 4384, in this exhibit) and John Cary, who requested Clifford’s military opinions and advice when producing his, ‘Sketch of the Russian Campaign in 1812.’
McMaster University Library
Lloyd Reeds Map Collection
Rare Map Collection no. 9294
http://digitalarchive.mcmaster.ca/islandora/object/macrepo%3A81399
Plan of the environs of Alexandria
Geographer: Bryce, Alexander
Date: circa 1801
As the true north and magnetic north arrows confirm, this map of the Egyptian Theatre of War is oriented with south at the top. Although today, the standard convention is to have north at the top of a map, this has only been the practice since the invention of the magnetic compass and is not a hard-and-fast rule.
Islamic and Chinese maps placed south at the top of maps while early European Christian ones placed east at the top (the direction of Jerusalem—the center of the Christian world). In fact, the very word ‘orient’ means east and this is how the term came into usage when we try to determine our direction of travel.
Many maps of harbours and approaches to land drawn in the 18th and 19th centuries simply placed the land at the top and the water at the bottom, no matter where that placed north on the map, as this would more closely replicate the view of the shore that a person would have from the deck of an approaching ship. Or, as another map (RMC no.9294) from the Egyptian and Syrian Campaign collection demonstrates, orientation could simply be determined based on the most efficient and economical use of the paper that the map is printed on.
McMaster University Library
Lloyd Reeds Map Collection
Rare Map Collection no. 9296
http://digitalarchive.mcmaster.ca/islandora/object/macrepo%3A81400
Plan of the Isthmus of Alexandria from Aboukir to Marabout
Geographer: Bryce, Alexander
Date: circa 1801
Major Alexander Bryce was the Commanding Engineer with the British army sent to Egypt under Sir Ralph Abercromby. He was present at the landing at Aboukir, the battles before Alexandria, and the surrender of Cairo. He directed the sieges at both Aboukir and Fort Marabout. Three of the Egyptian and Syrian Campaign maps in this exhibit were drawn up under his supervision.
For his services in Egypt he received permission to wear the insignia of the Ottoman order of the Crescent. He also served as Commanding Engineer in the expedition to the bay of Naples in 1809 and in the defence of Sicily against Murat, the French Marshal and King of Naples.
In 1814 he received the rank of brigadier-general, and was appointed president of a commission to report on the restoration of the fortresses in the Netherlands.
McMaster University Library
Lloyd Reeds Map Collection
Rare Map Collection no. 9298
http://digitalarchive.mcmaster.ca/islandora/object/macrepo%3A81053
Plan of the landing at Aboukir on the 8th of March, 1801
Geographer: Bryce, Alexander
Date: circa 1801
The goal of Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt in 1798 was to sever Britain’s communications with the East, destroy her trade, and loosen her grip on India. The landing of the British expeditionary force in 1801 was intended to defeat or drive out the estimated 21,000 French troops stationed in Egypt. The British fleet included seven ships-of-the-line, five frigates and a dozen armed corvettes.
During the landing the French field guns, located in high positions (visible on the map), took a heavy toll on the British soldiers disembarking on the beach. Despite this, they still managed to rush and overwhelm the French defenders with fixed bayonets. With the position secured, the remaining British force numbering some 17,500 troops was able to make an orderly landing with their equipment intact. This action was a prelude to the Battle of Alexandria.
McMaster University Library
Lloyd Reeds Map Collection
Rare Map Collection no. 9297
http://digitalarchive.mcmaster.ca/islandora/object/macrepo%3A81401