Maslen, T.J., the friend of Australia, or, a plan for Exploring…
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Maslen, T.J., the friend of Australia, or, a plan for Exploring the interior, and for carrying on a survey of the Whole Continent of Australia. By a Retired Officer of the Hon. East India Company's service. Illustrated with a map of Australia, and five plates. Pp. Xxiv+428+[2] (Supplemental note, verso blank), 5 double page plates (4 being hand-coloured aquatints), large folding map at end, appendix, [Hurst, Chance & Co., London, 1830], rebound preserving the upper and lower boards and the paper label to the spine. Ferguson 1379. Wantrup 117a., the supreme monument to the speculative geography of the 1820s and 1830s. His eccentric plan for the survey of the interior is a monument to the fascination exerted by the vast unknown interior on contemporary Europeans. He offers detailed and elaborate advice on the preparation and conduct of his proposed expedition, suggesting the importation of elephants and camels, the construction of special craft to navigate the inland sea and so on. As well, he devotes attention to other matters relating to the future of society in Australia. Everything from the planning of towns to the establishment of a bunyip aristocracy has a place on his broad canvas' [Wantrup, pp. 192-3]., the plates are titled 'The Expedition crossing a river in Australia', 'Carrying large Canoes with the Expedition in Australia', 'The Expedition in a Desert in Australia', 'Plan of a town for Australia' and a proposal for an 'Australian Flag'. Map is an imaginative depiction of the Australian continent, including a large inland sea and 'The supposed entrance of 'The great River'. While reasonably accurate as to the coastline, the map is rather fanciful as to the interior of the continent, the north of which is titled 'Australindia' and the south 'Anglicania'.

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  • East India Company - The British East India Company was a British trading company that was active from 1600 to 1858. It was one of the leading commercial enterprises of its time and played a key role in the development of British trade and commerce with India, China, and Southeast Asia.

    The British East India Company was granted a monopoly on trade with the East Indies by the English government, and it quickly established a network of trading posts and settlements throughout India and Southeast Asia. The company was involved in numerous wars and conflicts in India and Southeast Asia, and it gradually gained political influence over large parts of the region.

    In addition to its commercial activities, the British East India Company was also involved in the spread of British culture and influence in the regions it traded with. The company played a significant role in the introduction of British goods, ideas, and institutions in India and Southeast Asia, and it was instrumental in the establishment of the British Empire in India.
    The British East India Company was dissolved in 1858, following the Indian Rebellion of 1857.



    The Dutch East India Company, also known as the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC), was a Dutch trading company that was active from 1602 to 1798. It was one of the first multinational corporations in the world and one of the largest commercial enterprises in history.

    The Dutch East India Company was established with the goal of establishing a trade monopoly in the spice trade with the East Indies. The company was granted a 21-year monopoly on the Dutch spice trade, and it quickly became one of the most successful and powerful trading companies in the world.

    Over the course of the 17th and 18th centuries, the Dutch East India Company expanded its reach and influence throughout Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and the Far East. The company established a network of trading posts and colonies, and it played a major role in the commercial and political development of many regions in Asia.

    Despite its commercial success, the Dutch East India Company was also notorious for its ruthless treatment of local populations and its exploitation of resources. The company was involved in numerous conflicts and wars throughout its history, and it was accused of using slave labor and engaging in acts of piracy.

    The Dutch East India Company was dissolved in 1798.
  • Verso - Verso is the "back" side of a sheet of paper, art work, coin or medal. The front side is "recto".

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