drography, and
that a cordial interchange of the results unfettered by any conditions
is steadily being pursued.

With this preface I would lay before you the following statements,
observing that the shores of the whole navigable parts of the globe
are embraced in the series of Admiralty charts referred to:

The number of copper chart plates in constant use is between 2,850 and
2,900. This number keeps up steadily. About 60 new plates are added
every year.

Average number of copper plates annually receiving correction amount
to 2,700.

Total number of charts annually printed for the daily use of the ships
of Her Majesty's fleet in commission, and for sale to the general
public, has for some years ranged between 180,000 and 230,000.

The sale of Admiralty charts to the public through an authorized
agent, both in London and at other commercial ports in the kingdom,
has been for the last seven years as follows:

1877................................104,562
1878................................109,881
1879................................103,943
1880................................114,430
1881................................118,542
1882................................131,801
1883................................157,325

Of these numbers, about one-fifth have been purchased by the
governments or agents of Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Russia,
Turkey, and the United States. The appended list, which was furnished
to me by the Admiralty Chart agent during the present year, gives the
more precise particulars.

+-------+-------+------+-------+------+-------+-------+--------+-------+
| | |Ger- |United | | | | | |
|Years. |France.|many. |States.|Italy.|Russia.|Turkey.|Austria.|Total. |
+-------+-------+------+-------+------+-------+-------+--------+-------+
|1877 ..| 2,039 | 5,184| 2,067 | 1,518| 11,763| | | 22,561|
|1878 ..| 5,741 | 3,381| 2,641 | 2,645| 5,651| | 600 | 20,529|
|1879 ..| 3,340 | 6,425| 5,185 | 802| 9,354| | 641 | 25,747|
|1880 ..| 5,793 | 5,280| 1,879 | 797| 10,145| 519 | 376 | 24,788|
|1881 ..| 4,418 | 3,640| 1,273 | 2,694| 3,406| 1,160 | 996 | 17,587|
|1882 ..| 7,454 | 5,656| 1,716 | 2,569| 4,245| 115 | 1,197 | 22,952|
|1888 ..| 5,592 | 7,882| 6,174 | 2,607| 6,280| 2,368 | 2,158 | 32,961|
|1884 | | | | | | | | |
|(1st | | | |