Map of the island of Curaçao

Title Leupe: Afteekening van het Eyland Curaçao.

This uncoloured, extensively annotated outline map of Curaçao dating from 1738 by naval Captain Cornelis Philipsz Schrijver was a supplement to his report to the Amsterdam Chamber of the WIC on 10 October 1738 and his preceeding memorandum dated 18 August 1737, in which he gave an account of his investigation into the condition of the fortifications on Curaçao. In 1737 Schrijver had been commissioned by the States-General to do this inspection, prompted in part by the threat of a new war in Europe arising from the succession to the Austrian throne. The main outlines of his recommendations concerned the construction of five new small forts to the west of Sint Anna Bay, namely at Sint Kruis Bay (Santa Cruz Bay), Porto Marie (Portomarí), Bullen Bay, Sint Michiel Bay and Piscadera Bay. Schrijver was doubtful about the feasibility of the Company plans to build new fortifications along the entire south coast and the reinforcement of the defences at Willemstad because of the lack of supply of potable water for the inhabitants and the soldiers. This can be read in the extensive explanatory note on this map. In 1739 this difference of opinions was a contributory factor in the disagreement between the WIC and the Admiralty of Amsterdam, as a result of which new project plans for the defence of Curaçao were drawn up by military engineers from the army of the States-General after 1741.

North is up.

Scale-bar of 3 Meijlen van 15 in een Graadt = [approximately 1 : 195,000].