- WITH IMPRESSIVE LARGE SCALE COLOUR MAPS - INCLUDING 14 SHEETS OF LARGE LOOSE FOLD-OUTS - AND MANY FOLD-OUT PHOTO PLATES -

SOUTH PATAGONIA BORDER DISPUTE BETWEEN CHILE AND ARGENTINA.

Argentine-Chilian boundary : A short reply to the Chilian statement : presented to the tribunal appointed by his Britannic Majesty's government 'to consider and report upon the differences which have arisen with regard to the frontier between the Argentine and Chilian republics' to further justify the Argentine claims for the boundary along the summit of the Cordillera de los Andes according to the treaties of 1881 & 1893.

(London): 'Printed for the Government of the Argentine Republic by William Clowes and Sons, Limited', 1902. First edition. 67, [1], pp. Maroon cloth binding, gilt lettering to spine. Illustrated with four very large loose maps, in their own labelled pockets, in 14 separate lithographic colour sheets. which are laid loosely inside pouches at either end of volume (labelled General Map, Map XVII and Map XVIII, Map XIX), together with a further 21 fold-out maps (monochrome and colour) and photo plates (b/w), bound in. Size: 4to (33.2cm x 26cm).

Very Good to Good condition. Rubbing to cloth binding - and at head and foot of spine - and some bumping to outer corners. Inner hinges just starting. Light wear to edges of pages and plates. Minor mis-folding to a few plates. Loose maps bright and well-preserved, with just a couple of a few closed apertures where the folds meet. Please ask if you require a more detailed condition report, or view gallery images closely.

Illustrations as follows:

[1] Four loose maps, on 14 sheets, contained within labelled pouches, and slipped into pockets at rear: 

    - General map - 3 colour sheets, each approx. 78cm x 59cm; 

    - Map XVII - 2 colour sheets, each approx. 89cm x 57cm;

    - XVIII - 8 colour sheets - various sizes, e.g. 102cm x 88cm / 88cm x 66cm / 115cm x 96cm;

    - XIX - 1 colour sheet, approx. 106cm x 88cm.

[2] Bound inside, a total of 21 numbered fold-out maps (in colour and monochrome) and b/w fold-out photo plates. 

The South Patagonia border between Chile and Argentina was first defined by treaty in 1898, but the terms were ambiguous and in 1902 the British government intervened as an arbiter to attempt to solve the on-running terrirorial dispute. This well-illustrated report, which contains numerous fold-out maps of the region, printed by Clowes in London, was commssioned by the Argentine government to present its own arguments in the case.

"The Argentine government argued that the boundary should essentially be an orographic boundary along the highest peaks of the Andes Mountains and the Chilean government argued for a continental watershed. The tribunal considered that the language of the 1881 treaty and the 1893 protocol was ambiguous and susceptible to various interpretations, the two positions being irreconcilable. On May 20, 1902 King Edward VII issued the sentence which divided the territories of the four disputed sections within the boundaries defined by the extreme claims on both sides and appointed a British officer to demarcate each section in the summer of 1903." [Wikipedia]

A complex diplomatic boundary dispute, which we won't try to explain further but there is much information on-line to fill in the gaps!

The loose colour maps, on 14 large sheets, are impressive in their scale and quality.

Scarce - Copac cites just four copies (BL, LSE, National Library of Wales, University of Edinburgh).