Smits, H D A - SINGAPORE: The Seaman's Guide Through the Banka and Gaspar Straits Singapore, Straits Times Press by Thomas Baptist, 1847, 8vo., orig. prtd. wrappers. There is a large fldg. map of the strait. First English Edition. Rare. Unlocated and absent from Proudfoot. A very good copy; some spotting and ink stains to the frt. wrappers; light toning; small wear hole to a blank portion of the map.

A superb pilot guide printed in the far east and illustrated with a large fldg. map. Smits' pamphlet was the most up to date reference available for these dangerous waters. He cites his sources, among which were numerous private communications and refers to other local sources in his introduction that have proven to be incorrect and dangerous. The text also has a cautionary errata printed on yellow paper and mounted at page xii correcting the scale of distances. Smits provides sailing instructions for the entrance and through the Banka and Gaspar straits as well as notes on islands at the approaches. There is also an extensive index to the contents for ready reference. The map meas. 18 x 12 inches. It is a black and white lithograph produced at the Mission Press, Singapore. The Straits Times printing house - a hand press - was founded in 1845. The Straits Times began printing that year to fewer than 200 subscribers. Proudfoot cites 6 publications in Singapore for all of 1847 and does not mention the Smits pamphlet offered here.

$18,500.