The Malaspina Expedition, 1789-1794: The Journal of the Voyage by Alejandro Malaspina (Works issued by the Hakluyt Society, Third Series, vols. 8, 11, and 13) by Alessandro Malaspina; Andrew David (editor); Felipe Fernandez-Armesto (editor); Carlos Novi (editor); Glyndwr Williams (editor) - 2002: Three Volume Set: Volume I: Cadiz to Panama / Volume II: Panama to the Philippines / Volume III: Manila to Cadiz

London: Hakluyt Society in Association with the Museo Naval, Madrid. Complete three volume set. Works issued by the Hakluyt Society, Third Series, vols. 8, 11, and 13. First Edition. Hardcover. Blue cloth over boards with gilt titles to spine and vignette of sailing ship Victoria on front board. As New books in Fine jackets. Jacket spines slightly faded. Not from a library. Heavy item (8.5 lbs/3.9kg); extra charge for Expedited, Express or International shipping.

Malaspina's journals of his expedition from July 1789 to September 1794, newly translated from Spanish into English, with substantial introduction and commentary.

Vol I / Cadiz to Panama. March 2002. pp. xcviii + 338. color frontispiece, 39 color and monochrome plates, 9 maps. ISBN 978-0-904180-72-5.
Vol. II / Panama to the Philippines. March 2004. pp. xx + 511. color frontispiece, 44 color and monochrome plates, 7 maps. ISBN 978-0-904180-81-7.
Vol. III / Manila to Cadiz. May 2005, pp. xxi + 487, color frontispiece, 4 color half-tones, 13 sepia half-tones, 41 black and white half-tones, 6 maps. ISBN 978-0-904180-84-8.

Among the voyages of exploration and surveying in the late 18th century, that of Alejandro Malaspina best represents the high ideals and scientific interests of the Enlightenment. Italian-born Malaspina entered the Spanish navy in 1774. In September 1788 he and fellow-officer José Bustamante submitted a plan to the Ministry of Marine for a voyage of survey and inspection to Spanish territories in the Americas and Philippines. The expedition was to produce hydrographic charts for the use of Spanish merchantmen and warships and to report on the political, economic and defensive state of Spain's overseas possessions. The plan was approved and in July 1789 Malaspina and Bustamante sailed from Cadiz in the purpose-built corvettes, Descubierta and Atrevida. On board the vessels were scientists and artists and an array of the latest surveying and astronomical instruments.

The voyage lasted more than five years. On his return Malaspina was promoted Brigadier de la Real Armada, and began work on an account of the voyage in seven volumes. Among much else, it would contain sweeping recommendations for reform in the governance of Spain's overseas empire. But Malaspina became involved in political intrigue. In November 1795 he was arrested, stripped of his rank and sentenced to life imprisonment. Although released in 1803, Malaspina spent the last seven years of his life in obscure retirement in Italy. He never resumed work on the great edition, and his journal was not published in Spain until 1885.

The first volume of this set contains Malaspina's journals from 31 July 1789 to 14 December 1790, covering his travels round South America. Among the places visited and described are Montevideo, Puerto Deseado, Port Egmont, Puerto San Carlos, Valparaiso, Callao, Guayaquil and Panama. Other texts include an introduction by Donald C. Cutter, Malaspina's introduction to his intended edition, and his correspondence with the Minister of the Marine before and during the voyage.

The second volume contains Malaspina's journals from 15 December 1790 to 15 November 1792 covering his visits to the Pacific coasts of Central and North America, as far north as Alaska, before crossing the ocean to the Philippines. Other texts include the apocryphal voyage of Ferrer Maldonaldo through the Strait of Anian, which led to a major diversion of the Malaspina expedition in 1791.

The final volume presents Malaspina's journals from 15 November 1792 to 21 September 1794, covering the expedition's return voyage from Manila to New Zealand, Australia, the Tonga Islands, across the South Pacific to South America, the Falklands and home to Cádiz. Appendices contain Bustamante's survey of East Falkland Island, his visit to Puerto de la Soledad and his search for Islas Auroras, an account of Malaspina's arrest and the suppression of his report, and details of the two corvettes with lists of their complement and of the scientific instruments and books taken on the expedition.