Nicolaas Samuel Cruquius (1678 - 1754)

Field(s) of interest: Meteorology | hydraulics| carthography
Gender: male

02-12-1678
Died: Spaarndam, 05-02-1754

Biography:
Cartographer and hydraulic engineer. Cruquius was born in 1678, either on Vlieland or in Delft. His father was a mathematician and surveyor, who worked for the VOC chamber in Delft. In 1698, Nicolaas completed his education as a surveyor and started to make topographical maps, his most important work being a large wall map of Delfland in twenty-five parts. In 1716, he matriculated at Leiden University, where he worked with Herman Boerhaave. He was also active in meteorology. On 19 December 1705, he started to make meteorological measurements in Delft. First, he measured only atmospheric pressure, but soon he expanded his measurements to temperature and wind. From 1733 until his death in 1754, he continued these measurements as employee of the ‘Hoogheemraadschap van Rijnland’. His main task for this organization was to manage the hydrology of the polders. Cruquius used his meteorological measurements to persuade the policy makers. He submitted a plan to the States of Holland to establish a meteorological institute. In this he was supported by three professors from Leiden University: Wittichius, 's Gravesande and Lulofs. Although the plan was rejected, Cruquius still played an important role in Dutch meteorology, by being the first to make a sustained and consistent series of meteorological observations. Another novelty was that Cruquius presented his data in graphs. He was also the first one to use symbols to present weather phenomena, such as wind and rain. He also made scientific instruments, such as a standard foot measure (the ‘Rijnlandse voet’), made together with Jacob van Werven. In 1724 he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of London.

Occupations:
Inspector of Surveys for the Hoogheemraadschap Rijnland; Bailiff of Spaarndam; Examiner of Navigation for the East India Company: 1700 - 1754

Sources:
Postma, C., Kruikius' kaart van Delfland 1712 (Alphen a/d Rijn 1988).

Sneller, Z.W., ‘De landmeter N.S. Cruquius en zijn plan tot doorgraving van den Hoek van Holland anno 1731’, Bijdragen voor vaderlandsche geschiedenis en oudheidkunde 1:3/4 (1939), 257-284.

Engelen, A. van, Nicolaus Cruquius and his meteorological observations (De Bilt 1985).

Cruquius' kaart van Delfland 1712 (Alphen a/d/ Rijn 1977).

Brink, P. van den, In een opslag van het oog. De Hollandse rivierkartografie en waterstaatszorg in opkomst, 1725-1754 (Alphen a/d/ Rijn 1998).

Zuidervaart, H.J., Van 'Konstgenoten' en hemelse fenomenen. Nederlandse sterrenkunde in de achttiende eeuw (Rotterdam 1999), 615.

Brabander J.A. de, & Corn. J. van der Doef, Kruikius in Namen (Wateringen 1993).

Krogt, P. van der, 'Het verhoudingsgetal als schaal', Kartografisch tijdschrift 21:1 (1995), 3-5.

Rooseboom, M., Bijdrage tot de geschiedenis der instrumentmakerskunst in de noordelijke Nederlanden (Leiden 1950), 49.