Fortress and City of Gwalior and Cantonment of Morar with surrounding country. by [Map. India. Gwalior] - 1871

Calcutta: published under the direction of Colonel H.L. Thuillier, Surveyor-General of India, 1871. Large folding coloured map, 115 x 143 cm. Scale: 6 inches = 1 mile. Dissected and mounted on linen. Bound into a contemporary red morocco portfolio, gilt. Portfolio's upper board detached but present. Damp stains along edges of dissected panels; some discolouration of map, but mostly affecting linen backing. This exceptionally large and detailed map shows the mile-long fortress occupied by barracks, magazine stores and officers' quarters surrounding a Jain temple. The Lushkur section to the south contains the Maharaja's palace with his gardens a short walk to the east. A new smaller palace is neighbour to more officers' quarters and protected by artillery. The cantonment is neatly set out on the facing hill, with its race course below on the valley floor. The detail is such that shade trees along the roads are individually depicted. Infantry and cavalry lines abound. Jacob's Residency is shown near the Post Office; Colonel Jacob Petrus (1755-1850) was an Armenian officer who served with distinction in the Maharaja's army. At his death he left an estate of 6 lakhs of rupees in cash and government securities, and his palatial house in Gwalior. The map was compiled in the office of the Surveyor General of India from Captain G.H. Basevi's Survey of the Fort of Gwalior and country three miles around, executed in February 1863, and Captain A.B. Melville's Survey of the cantonment of Morar executed in 1866-67, together with various sheets of the Gwalior Topographical Survey. George Henry Basevi was one of two sons of George Basevi who served in India. Their father was a second cousin of Benjamin Disraeli. The Jewish family hailed from Venice, and adopted Christianity when they emigrated to Britain. Alexander Brodie Melville (1835-1871) studied at the Thomason College in Roorkee and was appointed to the Survey of Kashmir where he gained a reputation as an excellent map-maker and photographer.