Jacques-Nicolas Bellin

Jacques-Nicolas Bellin (1703 – 21 March 1772) was a French hydrographer and cartographer.

Bellin was born in Paris. In 1721 Bellin was appointed hydrographer (chief cartographer) to the French Navy upon the creation of France's hydrographic office, the "Dépôt des cartes et plans de la Marine". Appointed "ingénieur hydrographe" in August 1741. Member of the "Académie de Marine" and of the Royal Society of London. Over a 50 year career, he produced a large number of maps of particular interest to the "Ministère de la Marine". His maps of Canada and of French territories in North America (New France, Acadia, Louisiana) are particularly valuable. He died at Versailles.

Published during his lifetime were:
* "Hydrographie française" (1753)
* [http://www.collectionscanada.ca/05/0509/050950/05095092_e.html "Carte de l'Amerique septentrionale"] ("Map of Northern America") (1755)
* "Petit Atlas Maritime" (1764)
* "Nouvelle méthode pour apprendre la géographie" (1769)

References

* E. Taillemite. "Dictionnaire des marins français". Paris, 1982.
* "Jean-Marc Garant. Jacques-Nicolas Bellin (1703-1722), cartographe, hydrographe, ingénieur du ministère de la Marine: sa vie, son oeuvre, sa valeur historique." Thèse (M.A., Histoire), Montréal: 1973

* [http://www.collectionscanada.ca/explorers/h24-230.3-f.html Library and Archives Canada – The Mapmakers: an essay in four parts] ( [http://www.collectionscanada.ca/explorateurs/h24-230.3-f.html French] )

External links

*See a 1754 map by Jacque-Nicolas Bellin, [http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-2456 "Karte von der Erdenge Panama und den Provinzen Veragua, Terra Firma und Darien / zur allgemeinen Historie der Reisen, von dem Hrn Bellin ; Ing. de la Marine."] , hosted by the [http://texashistory.unt.edu/ Portal to Texas History] .