Fig. 130. Terrestrial Globe of George Adams, 1782.
In addition to the above, a pair of Adams globes may be found in the Osservatorio Astronomico of Naples and a pair in the Biblioteca Classense of Ravenna. A copy of the terrestrial may be found in the Seminario Vescovile of Padua. A copy of the terrestrial dated 1785 may be found in the Biblioteca Real of Madrid, agreeing in general with the preceding except in the mounting. The author and date legend appears in a neat cartouch in the North Pacific, reading: “Britanniarum Rigi Augustissimo Georgio Tertio Scientiarum Cultori pariter et praefidio Globum hunc Terrestrem. Omnes hactenus exploratios terrarum tractus. Ad Observationes Navigantium Itinerantium et Astronomorum recentiores, accuratissime descriptos exhibentem Grati animi et pietatis monumentum D. D. Q. Omni cultu et officio devinctissimus. G. Adams. Londini apud G. Adams artificem regium in vico (?) Fleet Street, 1785.”
The American Geographical Society possesses a pair of the Adams globes, the gift of Mrs. Thomas F. Byrnes, dated 1797, and made by “Dudley Adams Globe Maker to the King, Inst. Maker to his Majesty & Optician to H. R. H. the Prince of Wales. No. 60 Fleet Street, London.” They are in a fair state of preservation, the celestial, however, being somewhat damaged through attempts to turn the sphere, which does not move freely on its axis within the meridian and the horizon circle. These are mounted on a high tripod base and are movable right or left, just as they are movable for elevation or depression of the pole in the usual manner. It does not appear that additions or corrections were made for this issue.
Nathaniel Hill of London, active as a map engraver about the middle of the eighteenth century, likewise turned his attention to the construction of globes.[175] Those of his make now known, however, are very small, consequently they present but meager geographical details. Like certain productions of James Ferguson, the Hill globes might be referred to as pocket globes.
The New York Public Library possesses a fine example of his work (Fig. [130a]), bearing the title and author legend placed in the North Pacific, “A New Terrestrial Globe by Nath. Hill 1754.” This globe has a diameter of 7 cm. It is furnished with a graduated meridian circle, surmounted at the north pole with an hour circle and pointer. The graduation is somewhat unusual, beginning as it does with 0 degrees at either pole and marked by tens on the right half of the circle through 90 degrees or to the equator, and with 90 degrees at either pole and marked by tens on the left to 0 degrees at the equator. The horizon circle of wood has represented on its surface the names of the zodiacal constellations, the names of the months, and the thirty-two compass directions, and rests upon a base of four branching arms or quadrants, which in turn are supported by three widely spreading feet, this base being fashioned and carved in the Chippendale style. The sphere is covered with the usual twelve gores truncated in latitude both north and south at about 68 degrees and has the polar spaces covered by circular discs. The entire piece, including the map, is remarkably well preserved. The Pacific is called “The Great South Sea,” while just off the coast of “S. America” we read “Pacific Sea.” Between “N. America” and “Asia” is a great open sea, Alaska being omitted. We find such names given as “Florida,” “Virginia,” “Carolina,” “Maryla”: the Missouri River is called the “Long R.” The meridian on which the graduation in latitude is represented is 150 degrees west, passing through the Pacific slightly to the west of California. In “S. America” there are numerous regional names given, including “Brazil,” “Peru,” “Terra firma,” “Chili.” In the East Indies we find “New Holland,” “New Zeeland,” neither with completed coast line. An attached card tells us that this globe was “Presented to the New York Public Library by Mrs. Henry Draper, Oct. 9, 1908.”
There likewise may be found in the British Museum a copy, presumably of this same globe, dated 1754, and a copy in the Bibliothèque Nationale of Paris, signed and dated. This Paris copy is furnished with a cover opening along the line of the equator and having on its inner surface a representation of the celestial sphere which is neither signed nor dated, but which is in a good state of preservation.
Fig. 130a. Terrestrial Globe of Nathaniel Hill, 1754.