This general repository of maps, charts, plans, journals, and
archives of the Navy and the Colonies, is under the direction of a
flag-officer. It is situated in the _Rue de la Place Vendôme_; but
the archives are still kept in an office at Versailles. To this
_Dépôt_ are attached the Hydrographer and Astronomer of the Navy,
both members of the National Institute and of the Board of Longitude,
and also a number of engineers and draughtsmen proportioned to the
works which the government orders to be executed.
The title of this _Dépôt_ sufficiently indicates what it contains. To
it has been lately added a library, composed of all the works
relative to navigation, hydrography, naval architecture, and to the
navy in general, as well as of all the voyages published in the
different dead or living languages. The collection of maps, charts,
plans, &c. belonging to it, is composed of originals in manuscript,
ancient and modern, of French or foreign sea-charts, published at
different times, and of maps of the possessions beyond the seas
belonging to the maritime states of Europe and to the United-States
of America.
All the commanders of vessels belonging to the State are bound, on
their return to port, to address to the Minister of the Naval
Department, in order to be deposited in the archives, the journals of
their voyage, and the astronomical or other observations which they
have been enabled to make, and the charts and plans which they have
had an opportunity of constructing.
One of the apartments of the _Dépôt_ contains models of ships of war
and other vessels, the series of which shews the progress of naval
architecture for two centuries past, and the models of the different
machines employed in the ports for the various operations relative to
building, equipping, repairing, and keeping in order ships and
vessels of war.
The _Dépôt de la Marine_ publishes new sea-charts in proportion as
new observations or discoveries indicate the necessity of suppressing
or rectifying the old ones.
When the service requires it, the engineers belonging to the _Dépôt_
are detached to verify parts of the coasts of the French territory in
Europe, or in any other part of the world, where experience has
proved that time has introduced changes with which it is important to
be acquainted, or to rectify the charts of other parts that had not
yet been surveyed with the degree of exactness of which the methods
now known and practised have rendered such works susceptible.
In the French navy, commanders of ships and vessels are supplied with
useful charts and atlases of every description, at the expense of the
nation. These are delivered into their care previously to the ship
leaving port. When a captain is superseded in his command, he
transfers them to his successor; and when the ship is put out of
commission, they are returned to the proper office. Why does not the
British government follow an example so justly deserving of
imitation?