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Trevor-
 
 An Admiralty historian might very well have access to the letters authorizing 
the surveys and explaining them.

But considering the great amount of military action in the colonies in those 
times, the actions which drove the Dutch out of New York, and the obvious 
need to protect the new colonies from France and the Indian wars (not to 
mention the insurrection of 1776), it would not require a crystal ball for 
the Admiralty to foresee the need for good charts in those areas.

British warships were doing plenty of action in the Colonies, one can only 
imagine that at some point the Admiralty said "Damnit, we're going to have 
those waters charted if we're going to keep sailing there." As you point out, 
in their home waters they would at least have local knowledge available, and 
the chance of rescue rather than shipwreck in a hostile foreign land.

   

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