Skip to content

Chapter III: Part 3

Text size

In France, in the meantime, an arc of the meridian had been measured (1669-1670) by Jean Picard, numerous longitudes had been observed between 1672 and 1680 by the same, and by Phil. de Lahire (d. 1719), and these were utilized in a _Carte de France_ "as corrected from the observations of the members of the Academy of Sciences" (1666-1699), in a map of the world (1694) by D. Cassini, as also in _Le Neptune François_ (1693) with contributions by Pene, D. Cassini and others. These corrected longitudes were not yet available for the maps produced by Nicolas Sanson of Abbeville, since 1627. The cartographical establishment founded by him in that year was carried on after his death in 1667 by his sons, his son-in-law, P. Duval (d. 1683) and his grandson Robert du Vaugondy (d. 1766). Among the cartographers whom he employed were M. Tavernier and Mariette, and in many instances he mentioned the authors whose maps he copied. By 1710 the maps published by the firm numbered 466. Nicolas de Fer, the great rival of Sanson, and his heirs, are stated to have published as many as 600 maps after 1700.

In no other country of Europe was there at the close of the 16th century a geographical establishment capable of competing with the Dutch towns or with Sanson, but the number of those who produced maps, in many instances based upon original surveys, was large. Germany is thus represented, among others, by C. Henneberger (map of Prussia, 1576), by M. Oeder, (survey of Saxony, 1586-1607), A. Rauh (fine hill features on a map of the environs of Wangen and Lindau, 1617), W. Schickhardt (survey of Württemberg, 1624-1635), and G. M. Vischer (map of Austria and Styrai, 1669-1786); Switzerland by H. C. Gyger (Canton of Zürich, a masterpiece, 1667); Italy by G. A. Magini (1558-1610), and V. Coronelli, appointed cosmographer of the Venetian Republic, 1685, and founder of the Ac. Cosmogr. dei Argonauti, the earliest geographical society, and Diogo Homem, a Portuguese settled at Venice (1558-1574); Denmark by J. Mejer of Husum (1650); Sweden by A. Buraeus, the "father of Swedish cartographers" (1650-1660); the British Islands by Ch. Saxton (County Atlas of England and Wales 1575), J. Speed (_Theatrum_ of Great Britain, 1610), Timothy Pont and Robert Gordon of Strathloch (map of Scotland, 1608), and A. Moll. A _Novus atlas sinensis_, based upon Chinese surveys, was published in 1655 by Martin Martini, S.J., a missionary recently returned from China. Isaac Voss, in his work _De Nili_ (1659), published a map of central Africa, in which he anticipated D'Anville by rejecting all the fanciful details which found a place upon Filippo Pigafetta's map of that continent.

The first maps illustrating the variation of the compass were published by Chris. Burrus (d. 1632) and Athanasius Kircher (_Magnes_, Rome, 1643), and maps of the ocean and tidal currents by the latter in his _Mundus subterraneus_ (1665). Edmund Halley, the astronomer, compiled the first variation chart of scientific value (1683), as also a chart of the winds (1686).

Globes manufactured for commercial purposes by Blaeu and others have already been mentioned, but several large globes, for show rather than for use, were produced in addition to these. Thus A. Busch, of Limburg (1656-1664), manufactured a globe for Duke Frederick of Holstein, formerly at Gottorp, but since 1713 at Tsarskoye Zelo. It has a diameter of 11 ft. (3.57 metres) and is hollow, the inner surface of the shell being covered with a star map, and the outer surface with a map of the world. Professor Erh. Weigel (1696) produced a hollow celestial globe in copper, having a small terrestrial globe in its centre. Its diameter is 3.25 metres. Lastly there is a pair of giant globes of artistic design, turned out by V. Coronelli (1623), and intended as presents to Louis XIV. Their diameter is nearly 5 metres. A pair of globes of 1592 by Emeric Molineux (diam. 610 mm.) is now in the Temple Library, and is referred to in Blundeville's _Exercises_ (1594).

_The Eighteenth Century._--It was no mere accident which enabled France to enjoy a pre-eminence in cartographic work during the greater part of the 18th century. Not only had French men of science and scientific travellers done excellent work as explorers in different parts of the world, but France could also boast of two men, Guillaume Delisle and J. B. Bourguignon d'Anville, able to utilize in the compilation of their maps the information they acquired.

Delisle (1675-1726) published 98 maps, and although as works of art they were inferior to the maps of certain contemporaries, they were far superior to them in scientific value. On one of his earliest maps compiled under advice of his father Claude (1700), he gave the Mediterranean its true longitudinal extension of 41°. It was Delisle who assumed the meridian of Ferro, which had been imposed upon French navigators by royal order (1634), to lie exactly 20° to the west of Paris. The work of reform was carried further by B. D'Anville (1697-1782). Altogether he published 211 maps, of which 66 are included in his _Atlas général_ (1737-1780); he swept away the fanciful lakes from off the face of Africa, thus forcibly bringing home to us the poverty of our knowledge (fig. 32), delineated the Chinese Empire in accordance with the map based on the surveys conducted during the reign of the emperor Kanghi, with the aid of Jesuit missionaries, and published in 1718; boldly refused to believe in the existence of an Antarctic continent covering half the southern hemisphere, and always brought a sound judgment to bear upon the materials which the ever-increasing number of travellers placed at his disposal. Among other French works of importance deserving notice are _Le Neptune oriental_ of Mannevillette (1745) and more especially the _Carte géometrique de la France_, which is based upon surveys carried on (1744-1783) by César François Cassini de Thury and his son Dominique de Cassini. It is on a transversal cylindrical (rectangular) projection devised by Jacques Cassini (d. 1746). The hills are shown in rough hachures.

England, which had entered upon a career of naval conquest and scientific exploration, had reason to be proud of J. F. W. Desbarres, _Atlantic Neptune_ (1774), a North-American Pilot (1779), which first made known the naval surveys of J. Cook and of others; and Tho. Jefferys's _West Indian_ and _American Atlases_ (1775, 1778). James Rennell (1742-1830), who was surveyor-general of India, published the _Bengal Atlas_ (1781), and sagaciously arranged the vast mass of information collected by British travellers and others in India and Africa, but it is chiefly with the name of Aaron Arrowsmith, who came to London in 1778, and his successors, with which the glory of the older school of cartographers is most intimately connected. His nephew John died in 1873. Among local cartographers may be mentioned H. Moll (d. 1732), J. Senex, whose atlas was published in 1725, and Dowet, whose atlas was brought out at the expense of the duke of Argyll.

In Germany J. B. Homann (d. 1724) founded a geographical establishment in 1702, which depended at first upon copies of British and French maps, but in course of time published also original maps such as J. M. Hase's _Africa_ (1727) and Tobias Meyer's _Mappa critica_ of Germany (1780), J. T. Güssfeld's map of Brandenburg (1773), John Majer's Württemburg (1710), and J. C. Müller's Bavaria, both based on trigonometrical surveys. Colonel Schmettau's excellent survey of the country to the west of the Weser (1767-1787) was never published, as Frederick the Great feared it might prove of use to his military enemies. Switzerland is represented by J. J. Scheuchzer (1712), J. Gessner (d. 1790), G. Walser (_Atlas novus Helvetiae_, 1769), and W. R. Meyer, _Atlas der Schweiz_ (1786-1802). Of the Austrian Netherlands, Count Joseph de Ferrari published a chorographic map on the same scale as Cassini's _Carte de la France_ (1777). Of Denmark a fine map was published under the auspices of the Academy of Science of Copenhagen (1766-1825); of Spain and Portugal an atlas in 102 sheets by Thomas Lopez (1765-1802); of Russia a map by J. N. Delisle in 19 sheets (1730-1745); charts illustrating the variation of the compass and of magnetic "dip" by E. Dunn (1776), J. C. Wiffe (1768); a chart of the world by W. Dampier (1789). Map projections were dealt with by two eminent mathematicians, J. H. Lambert (1772) and Leonh. Euler (1777).

On the maps of Delisle and d'Anville the ground is still represented by "molehills." Hachures of a rude nature first made their appearance on David Vivier's map of the environs of Paris (1674), and on Cassini's _Carte de la France_. Contour lines (isobaths) were introduced for the first time on a chart of the Merwede by M. S. Cruquius (1728), and on a chart of the English Channel by Phil. Buache (1737). Dupain-Triel, acting on a suggestion of Du Carla, compiled a contoured map of France (1791), and it only needed the introduction of graduated tints between these contours to secure a graphic picture of the features of the ground. It was J. G. Lehmann (1783) who based his method of hill-shading or hachuring upon these horizontal contours. More than 80 methods of showing the hills have found advocates since that time, but all methods must be based upon contours to be scientifically satisfactory.

Two relief maps of Central Switzerland deserve to be mentioned, the one by R. L. Pfyffer in wax, now in Lucerne, the other by J. R. Meyer of Aarau and Müller of Engelberg in papier mâché, now in Zurich. Globes of the usual commercial type were manufactured in France by Delisle (1700), Forbin (1710-1731), R. and J. de Vaugondy (1752), Lalande (1771); in England by E. and G. Adams (1710-1766); Germany by Homann and Seutter (1750). A hollow celestial globe 18 ft. in diameter was set up by Dr Roger Long at Cambridge; the terrestrial globe which Count Ch. Gravie of Vergennes presented to Louis XVI. in 1787 had a diameter of 26 metres, or 85 ft.

_Modern Cartography._--The compiler of maps of the present day enjoys many advantages not enjoyed by men similarly occupied a hundred years ago. Topographical surveys are gradually extending, and explorers of recent years are better trained for their work than they were a generation ago, whilst technical processes of recent invention--such as lithography, photography and heliogravure--facilitate or expedite the completion of his task. This task, however, has grown more difficult and exacting. Mere outline maps, such as formerly satisfied the public, suffice no longer. He is called upon more especially to give a satisfactory delineation of the ground, he must meet the requirements of various classes of the public, and be prepared to record cartographically all the facts of physical or political geography which are capable of being recorded on his maps. The ingenuity of the compiler is frequently taxed when called upon to illustrate graphically the results of statistical information of every description.

Germany since the middle of the 19th century has become the headquarters of scientific cartography. This is due as much to the inspiriting teachings of Ritter and Humboldt as to the general culture and scientific training combined with technical skill commanded by the men who more especially devote themselves to this branch of geography, which elsewhere is too frequently allowed to fall into the hands of mere mechanics. Men like H. Berghaus (1797-1884), H. Kiepert (1818-1899), and A. Petermann (1822-1878) must always occupy a foremost place in the history of cartography. Among the geographical establishments of Germany, that founded by Justus Perthes (1785), at Gotha, occupies the highest rank. Among its publications are A. Stieler's _Hand-Atlas_ (1817-1832), K. von Spruner's _Historical Atlas_ (1438-1488), H. Berghaus' _Physical Atlas_ (1838-1842), E. von Sydow's _Wall Maps for Schools_ (1838-1840) and _School Atlas_ (1847). The titles of these atlases survive, though the authors of the original editions are long dead, and the maps have been repeatedly superseded by others bringing the information up to the date of publication. To the same firm we are indebted for Petermann's _Mitteilungen_, started in 1855 by A. Petermann, after whose death in 1902 they were successively edited by E. Behm, A. Supan and P. Langhans, as also the _Geographisches Jahrbuch_ (since 1866), at first edited by E. Behm, afterwards by Professor H. Wagner. Among other geographical institutes in Germany which deserve mention are the Weimar Institut, founded in 1791 by F. J. Bertuch, and directed in 1845-1852 by H. Kiepert; Paul Fleming at Glogau (K. Sohr's Handatlas, 1845), A. Ravenstein at Frankfort, D. Reimer at Berlin (H. Kiepert, _Handatlas_, 1860); R. Andree (_Hand-Atlas_, 1880), and E. Debes (_Hand-Atlas_, 1894) in Leipzig, and E. Hölzer in Vienna (Vincenz von Haardt's maps). France is represented by the publishing firms of Ch. Delagrave (Levaseur's maps), Hachette (Vivien de St Martin's _Atlas universel_, in progress since 1875, F. Schrader's _Atlas de géographie moderne_, 1880), and Armand Colin (Vidal de la Blache's _Atlas général_, 1894). In Great Britain A. Arrowsmith established himself in London in 1770 (_General Atlas_, 1817), but the cartographical business ceased on the death of John Arrowsmith in 1873. John Walker, to whose initiative the charts published by the admiralty are indebted for the perspicuous, firm and yet artistic execution, which facilitate their use by the mariner, was also the author of the maps published by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (1820-1840). Among more recent firms are W. and A. K. Johnston (founded 1825; _Royal Atlas_, 1855); J. Bartholomew & Co., now carried on by J. G. Bartholomew (Reduced Survey maps, _Atlas of the World's Commerce_, 1906); Philip & Sons (_Imperial Atlas_, 1890; _Systematic Atlas_ by E. G. Ravenstein, 1894; _Mercantile Marine Atlas_, 1904, globes), and E. Stanford (_London Atlas_).

In 1890 Professor A. Penck proposed to prepare a map of the world, including the oceans, on a scale of 1:1,000,000, and his scheme was promised the support of a committee which met in London in 1909, and upon which were represented the leading powers of the world. Maps on that scale of a great part of Africa, Asia and America have been published by British, French, German and United States authorities. A bathymetrical chart of the oceans, by Professor J. Thoulet was published in 1904 at the expense of Prince Albert of Monaco.

Reliefs from printed maps were first produced by Bauerkeller of Darmstadt and Dondorf at Frankfort, from originals furnished by A. Ravenstein (1838-1844). The exaggeration in altitude, on these maps and on those of a later date and on a larger scale, was very considerable. No such exaggeration exists in the case of reliefs of parts of the Alps, on a large scale, by P. Keil and Pelikan (1890), X. Imfeld (1891), P. Oberlerchner (1891-1895), C. Perron (1893-1900), F. Becker (1900), A. Heim (1904) and others. A relief globe was first suggested in a letter of M. Maestlin to J. Kepler (1596). The first globe of this description for the use of the blind, was made by A. Zeune in 1810. H. Erben is the author of a rough relief on a convex surface (1842), but the finest example of this description is a relief of Italy, by César Pomba and H. Fritsche, on a scale of 1:1,000,000 and without exaggeration of heights (1880-1884). A map of Italy in the baptistery of St Peter at Rome has occasionally been described as a relief, though it is merely a rude outline map of Italy, by Carlo Fontana (1698), carved into a convex surface.

Several globes of unusual dimensions were produced in the course of last century. That which Colonel Langlois erected in the Champs Elysées (1824) had a diameter of 39 metres. James Wyld's hollow globe, or "Georama," diam. 18 metres, occupied Leicester Square until swept away as a nuisance. The giant globe proposed by Elisée Reclus in 1895 has never been erected; he has, however, produced maps on a concave surface, as suggested by J. D. Hauber in 1742.

AUTHORITIES.--The history of maps is dealt with ably in Vivien de
Saint Martin's _Histoire de la géographie_ (Paris, 1875), and in
Peschel's _Geschichte der Erdkunde_ (2nd ed. by Sophus Ruge, Berlin,
1877), as also by W. Wollkenhauer (_Leitfaden zur Geschichte der
Kartographie_, Breslau, 1895), and H. Zondervan (_Allgemeine
Kartenkunde_, Leipzig, 1901). J. Lelewel's _Geographie du moyen âge_,
with an atlas (Brussels, 1850-1857), has in part been superseded by
more recent researches. There are, however, a number of works,
beautifully illustrated, which deal fully with particular periods of
the subject. Among these may be mentioned Konrad Miller's _Die
ältesten Weltkarten_ (Stuttgart, 1895-1897), which only deals with
maps not influenced by the ideas of Ptolemy. The contents of the
following collections are more varied in their nature, viz. E. F.
Jomard's _Monuments de la géographie_ (Paris, 1862), Santarem's _Atlas
composé de mappemondes et de portulans_, &c. (Paris, 1842-1853, 78
plates). A. E. Nordenskiöld's _Facsimile Atlas_ (Stockholm, 1889),
Gabriel Marcell, _Choix de cartes et de mappemondes XIV^e et XV^e
siècles_ (Paris, 1896). C. H. Coote's _Remarkable Maps of the XVth,
XVIth and XVIIth Centuries reproduced in their Original Size_
(Amsterdam, 1894-1897), and _Bibliotheca lindesiana_ (London, 1898)
with facsimiles of the Harleian and other Dieppese maps of the 16th
century. Nautical charts are dealt with in A. E. Nordenskiöld's
_Periplus_ (Stockholm, 1869), and Th. Fischer's _Sammlung
mittelälterlicher Welt- und Seekarten_ (Vienna, 1886). The discovery
and mapping of America are illustrated by F. Kunstmann's _Entdeckung
Amerikas_ (Munich, 1859), K. Kretschmer's _Atlas zur Entdeckung
Amerikas_ (Berlin, 1892), G. Marcel's _Reproductions de cartes et de
globes relatives à la découverte de l'Amérique du XVI^e au XVIII^e
siècle_ (Paris, 1893) and E. L. Stevenson's _Maps Illustrating the
early Discovery and Exploration of America, 1502-1530_ (New Brunswick,
N.J., 1906). In addition to these collections, numerous single maps
have been published in geographical periodicals or separately. See
also V. Hantzsch and L. Schmidt, _Kartog. Denkmäler zur
Entdeckungsgeschichte von Amerika, Asien, Australien und Afrika aus
der k. Bibliothek zu Dresden_ (Leipzig, 1903), and the Crown
Collection of photographs of American maps (1600-1800), selected and
edited by A. B. Hulbert (Cleveland, 1904-1909).

For reports on the progress of cartography, see _Geographisches
Jahrbuch_ (Gotha, since 1866); for announcements of new publications,
_Bibliotheca geographica_, published annually by the Berlin
Geographical Society, and to the _geographical Journal_ (London).

_Topographical Surveys._

United Kingdom.

The year 1784 marks the beginning of the ordnance survey, for in that year Major-General Roy measured a base line of 27,404 ft. on Hounslow Heath. Six additional base lines were measured up to 1849, including the Lough Foyle, in 1827-1828, and that on Salisbury Plain, in 1849. The primary triangulation was only completed in 1858, but in the meantime, in 1791, the detail survey had begun. At first it was merely intended to produce a map sufficiently accurate on a scale of 1 in. to a mile (1:63,360). Ireland having been surveyed (1824-1842) on a scale of 6 in. to a mile (1:10,560), it was determined in 1840, after the whole of England and Wales, with the exception of Lancashire and Yorkshire, had been completed on one-inch scales, to adopt that scale for the whole of the United Kingdom. Finally, in 1854, a cadastral survey of the whole of the United Kingdom, only excepting uncultivated districts, was resolved upon, on a scale of 1:2500, still larger scales (1:500 or 1:1000) being adopted for town plans. Parish boundaries are laid down with the help of local meresmen appointed by justices at quarter sessions. The horizontal contours are based upon instrumental measurement, and as a whole these ordnance maps were undoubtedly superior in accuracy, with rare exceptions, to similar maps published by foreign governments. Even though the hill hachures on the older one-inch maps are not quite satisfactory, this deficiency is in a large measure compensated for by the presence of absolutely trustworthy contours. Originally the maps were engraved on copper, and the progress of publication was slow; but since the introduction of modern processes, such as electrotyping (in 1840), photography (in 1855) and zincography (in 1859), it has been rapid. A plan, the engraving of which formerly took two years, can now be produced in two days.

The one-inch map for the whole of the United Kingdom was completed in 1890. It covers 697 sheets (or 488 of a "new series" in large sheets), and is published in three editions, viz. (a) in outline, with contours in black, (b) with hills hachured in brown or black, and (c) printed in five colours. Carefully revised editions of these and of the other maps are brought out at intervals of 15 years at most. Since 1898 the department has also published maps on a smaller scale, viz. a map of England and Wales, on a scale of 2 m. to 1 in., in two editions, both printed in colour, the one with hills stippled in brown, the other coloured on the "layer system" as a strata-relief map; a map of the United Kingdom on a scale of 4 m. to 1 in., also in two editions, the one in outline, showing five classes of roads and parish boundaries, the other in colours, with stippled hills; a map on a scale of 10 m. to 1 in., also in two editions, and finally a map of the United Kingdom on a scale of 1:1,000,000.

The geological surveys of Great Britain and Ireland were connected from 1832 to 1853 with the ordnance survey, but are now carried on independently. The ordnance survey, too, no longer depends on the war office but upon the board of agriculture and fisheries. A _Bathymetrical Survey of the Freshwater Lochs of Scotland_, under the direction of Sir John Murray and L. Pullar, was completed in 1908, and the results published by the Royal Geographical Society.

France.

Proposals for a new map of France, to replace the famous Cassini map of 1744-1793 were made in 1802 and again by R. Bonne in 1808, but owing to the wars then devastating Europe no steps were taken until 1817, and the _Carte de France de l'état major_ on a scale of 1:80,000 was only completed in 1880. It is engraved on copper. The hachured hills are based upon contours, and are of admirable commensurability. It has served as a basis for a _Carte de la France_, published by the Service Vicinal on a scale of 1:100,000, in 596 sheets, and of a general map prepared by the ministère des travaux publics on a scale of 1:200,000 in 80 sheets. On both these maps the hills are printed in grey chalk. A third topographical map of France is being published in accordance with the recommendation of a committee presided over by General de la Noix in 1897. The surveys for this map were begun in 1905. The maps are based upon the cadastral plans (1:1000), thoroughly revised and connected with the triangulation of France and furnished with contours at intervals of 5 m. by precise measurement. These _minutes_ are published on a scale of 1:10,000 or 1:20,000 for mountain districts, while the scale of the general map is 1:50,000. Each sheet is bounded by parallels and meridians. The hills are shown in brown contours at intervals of 10 m. and grey shading in chalk (Berthaut, _La Carte de France, 1750-1898_; Paris, 1899). A geological map of France on a scale of 1:80,000 is nearly completed, there are also a map (1:500,000) by Carez and Vasseur, and an official _Carte géologique_ (1:1,000,000; 1906).

Germany.

By the middle of the 19th century topographical maps of the various German states had been completed, and in several instances surveys of a more exact nature had been completed or begun, when in 1878 the governments of Prussia, Saxony, Bavaria and Württemberg agreed to supersede local maps by publishing a map of the empire (_Reichskarte_) in 674 sheets on a scale of 1:100,000. The earlier sheets of this excellent map were lithographed, but these are gradually being superseded by maps engraved on copper. Colour-printing is employed since 1901. The hills are hachured and in some instances contours at intervals of 50 metres are introduced. The map was completed in 1909, but is continually undergoing renewal. The _Messtischblätter_, called _Positionsblätter_ in Bavaria, are on a scale of 1:25,000. The older among them leave much to be desired, but those of a later date are satisfactory. This applies more especially to the maps of Saxony (since 1879) and Württemberg (since 1893). The features of the ground on most of these maps are shown by contours at intervals of 10 metres. The map produced on this large scale numbers over 5000 sheets, and is used as a basis for the geological surveys carried on in several of the states of Germany. A general map of the German Empire (_Uebersichtskarte_) on a scale of 1:200,000, in 196 sheets, is in progress since 1893. It is printed in three colours, and gives contours at intervals of 10 metres. In addition to these maps there are D. G. Reymann's well-known _Specialkarte von Mittel Europa_ (1:200,000), acquired by the Prussian government in 1874 (it will ultimately consist of 796 sheets), a government and Liebenow's map of central Europe (1:300,000) and C. Vogel's beautiful map of Germany (1:500,000).

Austria-Hungary.

The _Specialkarte_ of Austria-Hungary on a scale of 1:75,000 (765 sheets), based upon a triangulation and cadastral surveys (1816-1867), was completed in 1889, and published in heliogravure. This map was repeatedly revised, but as it no longer met modern requirements as to accuracy the director of the military geographical establishment at Vienna, Field Marshal Chr. von Steeb, in 1896, organized what practically amounts to a re-survey of the entire monarchy, to be completed in 75 years. At the same time the cadastral plans, reduced to a scale of 1:25,000, are being published in photo-lithography. A general map of central Europe in 283 sheets published by the Austrian government (1:200,000) includes nearly the whole of the Balkan Peninsula.

Switzerland.

The famous map of Switzerland, with which is associated the name of General H. Dufour (d. 1875), is based upon a triangulation (1809-1833) and surveys on a scale of 1:25,000 for the lowlands, 1:50,000 for the alpine districts, and was published (1842-1865) on a scale of 1:100,000. The hills are hachured, the light, in the case of the loftier regions, being supposed to fall obliquely. The original surveys, carefully revised, have been published since 1870 as a _Topographical Atlas of Switzerland_--the so-called _Siegfried Atlas_, in 552 sheets. They are printed in three colours, contours at intervals of 10 and 20 metres being in brown, incidental features (ravines, cliffs, glaciers) in black or blue. To mountain-climbers these contour maps are invaluable, but for ordinary purposes "strata maps," such as J. M. Ziegler's hypsometric maps (1856) or so-called "relief maps," which attempt to delineate the ground so as to give the impression of a relief, are generally preferred.

Belgium.

The new survey of Belgium was completed in 1872 and there have been published 527 plane-table sections or _planchettes_ on a scale of 1:20,000 (1866-1880), a "Carte topographique de la Belgique," in 72 sheets, on a scale of 1:40,000 (1861-1883), and a more recent map in 26 sheets on a scale of 1:100,000 (1903-1912). The last is printed in five colours, the ground is shown in contours of 10 metres interval and grey stippling.

Holland.

The new survey of the Netherlands, based upon General Krayenhoff's primary triangulation (1802-1811) was completed in 1855. The results have been published on a scale of 1:25,000 (776 sheets, since 1866), 1:50,000 (Topographic and Military Map, 62 sheets, 1850-1864, and a Waterstaatskaart, 1864-1892), and 1:200,000 (Topographical Atlas, 21 sheets, 1868-1871).

Denmark.

In Denmark, on the proposal of the Academy of Science, a survey was carried out in 1766-1825, but the maps issued by the Danish general staff depend upon more recent surveys. These include plane-table sections (_Maalebordsblade_), 1209 sheets on a scale of 1:20,000, with contours at intervals of 5 to 10 ft., published since 1830; _Atlasblade_ of Jutland and of _De Danske Öer_, on a scale of 1:40,000, the former in 131 sheets, since 1870, the latter, on the same scale, in 94 sheets, since 1890, and still in progress, and a general staff map on a scale of 1:100,000, in 68 sheets, since 1890. Maps of the Faroer and of Iceland have likewise been issued.

Scandinavia.

Modern surveys in Sweden date from the organization of a corps of "Landemätare," known since 1874 as a topographical department of the general staff. The maps issued by this authority include one of southern Sweden, 1:100,000, another of northern Sweden, 1:200,000, and a general map on a scale of 1:1,000,000. In Norway a geographical survey (_Opmaaling_) has been in progress since 1783, but the topographical map of the kingdom on a scale of 1:100,000 in 340 sheets, has not yet been completed.

Russia.

Of Russia in Europe only the more densely peopled governments have been surveyed, since 1816, in the manner of other European countries, while for most regions there are only so-called "military surveys." The most readily available map of the whole country is the 10-verst map (1:420,000), known as General J. A. Strelbitzki's, and published 1865-1880. A topographic map (1:126,000) embracing the whole of western Russia, with Poland and the country of the Don Cossacks, is designed to be extended over the whole empire. Certain governments--Moscow, Kief, Volhynia, Bessarabia, the Crimea, &c.--have been published on a scale of 1:24,000, while Finland, as far as 61° N., was re-surveyed in 1870-1895, and a map on a scale of 1:42,000 is approaching completion.

Surveys in Asiatic Russia are conducted by the topographical departments organized at Orenburg, Tashkent, Omsk, Irkutsk and Tiflis. To the latter we are indebted for a valuable map of Caucasia, 1:210,000, which since the first publication (1863-1885) has undergone careful revision. The Siberian departments have published a number of maps on a scale of 1:420,000. In addition to these the survey for the Trans-Siberian railway has been published on a scale of 1:630,000, as also maps of the Russo-Chinese frontier districts, 1:210,000 and 1:1,168,000. A map of Asiatic Russia, 1:420,000, by Bolshef, in 192 sheets, is in course of publication.

Portugal and Spain.

Passing to southern Europe we find that Portugal has completed a _Charta chorographica_ (1:100,000) since 1856. In Spain a plane-table survey on a scale of 1:20,000 has been in progress since 1870, but of the map of Spain in 1078 sheets on a scale of 1:50,000 only 150 had been issued by the depósito de la guerra up to 1910. Meanwhile reference may be made to B. F. Coello's _Atlas de la España_ (1848-1890), the maps of which are on a scale of 1:200,000.

Italy.

In Italy _Tavulette rilevata_ on a scale of 1:25,000 or 1:50,000, with contours, based on surveys made 1862-1890, are being published, and a _Carta del regno d'Italia_, 1:100,000, is practically complete. There are a _Carta idrologica_ and a _Carta geologica_ on the same scale, and a _Carta orografica_ on a scale of 1:500,000.

Greece.

Greece is still dependent upon foreigners for its maps, among which the _Carte de Grèce_ (1:200,000) from rapid surveys made by General Palet in 1828, was published in a new edition in 1880. A similar map, mainly based upon surveys made by Austrian officers and revised by H. Kiepert (1:300,000), was published by the Military Geographical Institute of Vienna in 1885. Far superior to these maps is the _Karte von Attika_ (1:100,000 and 1:25,000) based upon careful surveys made by Prussian officers and published by E. Curtius and J. H. Kaupert on behalf of the German Archaeological Institute in Athens (1878), or A. Philippson's map of the Peloponnese (1:300,000; 1901).

Balkan States.

For maps of the Balkan Peninsula we are still largely indebted to the rapid surveys carried on by Austrian and Russian officers. The Austrian map of central Europe embraces the whole of the Balkan Peninsula on a scale of 1:200,000; the Russian surveys (1877-1879) are embodied in a map of the eastern part of the Balkan on a scale 1:126,000, and a map of Bulgaria and southern Rumelia, on a scale 1:200,000, both published in 1883. A map of Turkey in Europe, scale 1:210,000, was published by the Turkish general staff (1899), and another map, scale 1:250,000, by the intelligence division of the British war office is in progress since 1906. Bosnia and Herzegovina are now included with the surveys of the Austrian Empire, the kingdom of Servia has been surveyed (1880-1891) and the results published on a scale of 1:75,000; in eastern Rumania surveys have been in progress since 1874 and the results have been published on a scale of 1:50,000; a general map of the entire kingdom, scale 1:200,000, was published in 1906-1907; a map of Montenegro (1:75,000), based on surveys by Austrian and Russian officers, was published at Vienna in 1894.

Asia.

In Asiatic Turkey several districts of historical interest have been surveyed, and surveys have likewise been made in the interest of railways, or by boundary commissions, but there is no such thing as a general survey carried on under the direction of government. We are thus, to a large extent, still dependent upon compilations, such as R. Kiepert's _Asia Minor_ (1:400,000; 1904-1908), a map of eastern Turkey in Asia, Syria and western Persia (1:2,000,000; 1910), published by the Royal Geographical Society, or a Russian general map (1:630,000, published 1880-1885). Among maps based upon actual surveys those of Palestine, by Lieutenant G. R. Conder and H. H. (afterwards Lord) Kitchener (1:63,360, 1880), of the Sinai Peninsula by Sir C. W. Wilson and H. S. Palmer (1:126,730, 1870), of Arabia Petraea by Dr A. Musil (1:300,000, 1907) or of the Aden territory (1905) are among the more interesting. Of Cyprus an excellent map from surveys by Major (Lord) H. H. Kitchener was published in 1884 (1:63,360).

In the case of Persia and Afghanistan we are still dependent upon compilations such as a Russian staff map (1:840,000, published in 1886), Colonel Sir T. H. Holdich's map of Persia (1:1,014,000, Simla, 1897-1899), or a smaller map (1:2,028,000 and 1:4,056,000), published by the geographical division of the general staff. The settlement of boundaries in northern Afghanistan (1883) and in Seistan (1870) has necessitated surveys of some interest.

A trigonometrical survey of British India was begun in 1800 and the country can now boast of a survey which in most respects is equal to those of most European states. The surveys are made on scales varying according to the necessities of the case or the nature of the country, and they have been extended since 1862 beyond the boundaries of India proper. Revenue surveys for land settlement are published on a scale of 1:4000, but the usual scale for topographical maps is 1:63,360. An _Indian Atlas_, on a scale of 1:255,660, includes also Ceylon and the Malay Peninsula, but although begun so long ago as 1827 many of its sheets are unpublished. There are in addition an official map of India (1:1,000,000), the first edition of which was published in 1903, as also maps of the great provinces of India, including Burma, all on a scale of 1:2,827,520, and a variety of physical and statistical maps. Ceylon and the Straits Settlements, with the Federal Malay States, have their own surveyors-general. The British North Borneo Company published a _Map of British North Borneo_, on a scale of 1:633,600 (1905).

In Siam a regular survey was organized by Mr J. McCarthy (1881-1883), a former official of the Indian survey, which did good work in connexion with the determination of the Franco-Siamese frontier (1906). The surveys are made on the scales of 1:4000, 1:31,680 and 1:63,360.

In French Indo-China surveys have been in progress since 1881. The Bureau of the Indo-Chinese general staff, has published a map of Indo-China, including Cambodia, in 45 sheets (1:200,000, 1895), while to the service géographique de l'Indo-Chine, organized in 1899, we owe a _Carte de l'Indo-Chine_ (1:500,000).

For China we are still largely dependent upon careful compilations like Baron F. von Richthofen's _Atlas von China_ (1:750,000, Berlin, 1885-1890) or Bretschneider's _Map of China_ (1:4,600,000) a new edition of which appeared at St Petersburg in 1900. There are good survey maps of the British colony of Hong-Kong, of Wei-hai-Wei and of the country around Kiao-chou, and the establishment of topographical offices at Peking and Ngan-king holds out some promise of native surveys. In the meantime large scale maps prepared by European authorities are to be welcomed, such as maps of Chih-li and Shan-tung (1:200,000), from surveys by Prussian officers, 1901-1905, maps on East China (1:1,000,000) and of Yun-nan by British, German and Indian officers, of the Indo-Chinese frontier (1:200,000, Paris 1908), and of the upper Yangtsze-kiang by S. Chevalier (Shanghai, 1900).

Japan has a regular survey department originated by Europeans and successfully carried on by natives. The primary triangulation was completed in 1880, a topographical map coloured geologically (1:200,000) was published 1889-1897, and in addition to this there are being published an agronomical map on a scale of 1:100,000 (since 1887) and others. The Japanese government has likewise published a map of Korea (1:1,000,000; 1898).

The Philippine Islands are represented in a carefully compiled map by C. W. Hodgson (1:1,115,000, New York, 1908). Of Java we possess an excellent topographical map based upon surveys made 1850-1887 (1:100,000). A similar map has been in progress for Sumatra since 1883, while the maps for the remaining Dutch Indies are still based, almost exclusively, upon flying surveys. For general purposes the _Atlas der Nederlandsche Bezittingen in Oost-Indie_ by J. N. Stemfoort and J. J. Ten Siethoff, of which a new edition has been published since 1900, may be consulted with confidence.

Africa.

In Africa nearly all the international boundaries have been carefully surveyed and marked on the ground, since 1880, and yield a good basis as a guide for the map compiler. A general map of Africa, by Colonel Lannoy de Bissy, on a scale of 1:2,000,000 was first published in 1882-1888, but is carefully revised from time to time. The geographical section of the British general staff is publishing maps of all Africa on scales of 1:250,000 and 1:1,000,000. In Egypt excellent work has been done by a survey department organized and directed by Captain H. G. Lyons up to 1909. It has published a topographical map of the Nile valley (1:50,000), an irrigation map (1:100,000), a general map (1:250,000), numerous cadastral plans, &c. Work on similar lines is carried on in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. Algeria has been in course of survey since 1868, Tunis since 1878, and the results have been published on scales of 1:50,000 and 1:250,000. Of Morocco there are many maps, among which several compiled by the French service géographique de l'armée, including a _Carte du Maroc_ (1:200,000), in progress since 1909. In the British colonies of tropical and of South Africa[26] surveys for the most part are carried on actively. Of the Gambia Colony there is a map by Major E. L. Cowie (1:250,000, 1904-1905); the survey of the Gold Coast Colony is being published by Major F. G. Guggisberg since 1907 (1:125,000 and 1:200,000); southern and northern Nigeria are adequately represented on the maps of the general staff (1:250,000). The states of British South Africa have each their surveyor-general, and a reconnaissance survey has been in progress since 1903. It is based upon a careful triangulation, superintended by Sir D. Gill, and carried in 1907 within 70 m. of Lake Tanganyika. This survey is rapidly superseding other maps, such as the surveyor-general's map of Cape Colony (1:127,000); A. Duncan's map of the Orange River State (1:148,705; 1902-1904) and Jeppe's map of the Transvaal (1:476,000; 1899). The results of a survey of southern Rhodesia are given on the map of the British general staff (1:500,000; 1909), while of north-eastern Rhodesia we have an excellent map compiled by C. L. Beringer in 1907 (1:1,000,000). Surveys in British Central Africa were taken up in 1894; a survey of Lake Nyasa, by Lieut. E. L. Rhoades and W. B. Phillips, was published in 1902. As regards British East Africa and Uganda, the surveys in the latter (on scales of 1:10,000 and 1:125,000) have made considerable progress. The Victoria Nyanza was surveyed by Captain B. Whitehouse (1898-1900), and the results have been published on a scale of 1:292,000. These British possessions, together with the whole of Somaliland and southern Abyssinia, are satisfactorily represented on the maps of the British general staff.

Maps of the French Africa Colonies have been published by the service géographique de l'Afrique occidental and the service géographique des colonies. A map of Senegal (1:100,000) is in progress since 1905. The official maps of the other colonies have been compiled by A. Meunier between 1902 and 1909. They include French West Africa, (1:2,000,000; 2nd ed., 1908), French Guinea (1:500,000; 1902) and the Ivory Coast and Dahomey (1:1,500,000; 1907-1908). A map of the French Congo by J. Hansen (1:1,500,000), was published in 1907. In Madagascar a topographical bureau was established by General J. S. Gallieni in 1896, and the surveys are being published since 1900 on a scale of 1:100,000.

As regards the German colonies we are dependent upon compilations by R. Kiepert, P. Sprigade and M. Moisel. Good maps of the Portuguese colonies are to be found in an _Atlas colonial Portugues_, a second edition of which was published by the Commissão de Cartographia in 1909. Of the Congo State we have an official map on a scale of 1:1,000,000, published in 1907. Of Italian Eritrea we have excellent maps on various scales of 1:100,000, 1:200,000 and 1:500,000, based upon surveys made between 1888 and 1900.

Australia.

In the states of Australia cadastral surveys conducted by surveyors-general have been in progress for many years, as also trigonometrical surveys (Western Australia excepted), and the publication of parish and township or county maps keeps pace with the settlement of the country; but with the exception of Victoria none of these states is in possession of a topographical map equal in accuracy to similar maps published in Europe. In Victoria the so-called geodetic survey was begun in 1858; the maps are published on a scale of 1:126,730. There exists also a general map, on a scale of 1:506,930. Maps on the same scale are available of New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania, on a scale of 1:560,000 for Western Australia, on a scale of 1:253,460 for Queensland. There are likewise maps on smaller scales, which undergo frequent revision. The map of British New Guinea is on a scale of 1:330,200 (1898). New Zealand has a good general map on a scale of 1:633,700. A trigonometrical survey was given up and only details of immediate practical use are required. The "Lands Department" of the Fiji Islands has published a map on a scale of 1:380,000 (1908).

North America.

The cadastral surveys in Canada are carried on by a commission of Crown-lands in the old provinces and by a Dominion land office, which lays out townships as in the United States, but with greater accuracy. A surveyor-general is attached to the department of the interior, at Ottawa. He publishes the topographical maps (1:63,366) since 1906. They are based upon theodolite traverses 15 m. apart, and connected with the United States lake and coast surveys, the details being filled in by plane-table surveys on a scale of 1:31,680. The contours, 25 ft. apart, depend upon spirit-levelling. In the Rocky Mountains surveys photographic apparatus is successfully employed. The surveyor-general issues also "sectional maps" (1:190,000 and 1:40,000) and so-called "Standard" topographical maps for the thinly peopled west, on scales of 1:250,000 and 1:500,000. He is responsible likewise for maps of Yukon and of Labrador, supplied by the geological survey, the former on a scale of 1:380,200, the latter of 1:1,584,000. The intelligence branch of the Canadian department of military defence is publishing since 1904 topographical maps on scales of 1:63,366 and 1:126,730, with contours. A geodetic survey department, under Dr. W. F. King, chief astronomer of the Dominion, was established in 1909.

Maps of Newfoundland, orographical as well as geological, scale 1:1,584,200, have been published.

In the United States a "geological survey" was organized in 1879, under Clarence King as director, whose successor, Major J. W. Powell, rightly conceived that it was necessary to produce good topographical maps before a geological survey could be pursued with advantage. It is under his wise guidance that the survey has attained its present efficiency. It is based upon a triangulation by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. The maps of the more densely peopled parts of the Union are published on a scale of 1:62,500, and those of the remainder of the country on half or a quarter of that scale. The hills are shown by contours at intervals of 10 or 100 ft. The details given are considered sufficient to admit of the selection of general routes for railways or other public works. The survey progresses at the rate of about 40,000 sq. m. annually, and in course of time it will supersede the map of the separate states, based on older surveys. A "reconnaissance" map of Alaska (on a scale of 1:250,000) was published in 1908.

Central America.

In Mexico the surveys are in charge of a comision geografica-exploradora attached to the secretaria de Fomento, but only about 140 sheets of a _Carta general_ on a scale of 1:100,000 have been published. There are also a map of the state of S. Luis Potosi (1:250,000), of the environs of Puebla (1:50,000) and a _Carta general de la republica mexicana_ (1:250,000).

A useful map of Central America has been published by the topographical section of the British general staff on a scale of 1:170,300. Of great value for cartographical work is a careful survey, carried out by American engineers (1897-1898), for a continental railway running along the west coast from Mexico to Chile. In South America, in proportion to the area of the country, only few surveys of a thoroughly scientific nature have been made, and it is therefore satisfactory that the service géographique of the French army should be publishing, since 1900, a map of the entire continent on a scale of 1:1,000,000.

Colombia is but inadequately represented by rough maps. For Colombia we have F. L. Vergara y Velasco's _Atlas de geografia colombiana_ (1906-1908); Ecuador is fairly well represented by Th. Wolf (1892) and Hans Meier (1907); in the case of Peru we still largely depend upon Paz Soldan's _Atlas geografica_ (1865-1867) and A. Raimondi's _Mapa del Peru_ (1:500,000) based upon surveys made before 1869. Sir Martin Conway's "Map of the Andes of La Paz" (1:600,000; 1900) as well as Major P. H. Fawcett's survey of the Brazilian boundary (1906-1907) are welcome additions to our knowledge of Bolivia. In Chile a comision topografica was appointed as long ago as 1848, but the map produced under its auspices by Professor F. Pissis (1:250,000, 1870-1877), leaves much to be desired. Since that time, however, valuable maps have been published by an _Oficina de mensura de tierras_, by a _seccion de geografia y minas_ connected with the department of public works, by the _Oficina hidrografica_, and more especially in connexion with surveys necessitated by the boundary disputes with Argentina, which were settled by arbitration in 1899 and 1902. The surveys which led to the latter were conducted by Sir Thomas Holdich.

In Venezuela a commission for producing a _plano militar_ or military map of the country was appointed by General Castro in 1904, but little progress seems to have been made, and meantime we are dependent upon a revised edition of A. Codazzi's map of 1840 which was published in 1884. In Brazil little or nothing is done by the central government, but the progressive states of São Paulo and Mines Gerães have commissãos geographicos e geologicos engaged in the production of topographical maps. Valuable materials have likewise been acquired by several river surveys including those of the Amazonas by Azevedo and Pinto (1862-1864) and W. Chandless (1862-1869) and of the Rio Madeira by Colonel G. Earl Church and Keller-Leuzinger (1860-1875). The proposal of a committee presided over by the Marshal H. de Beaurepaire-Rohan (1876) to prepare a map of Brazil on a scale of 1:200,000 has never been acted upon, and in the meantime we are dependent upon works like the _Atlas do imperio do Brazil_ by Mendes de Almeida (1868) or the maps in our general atlases.

In Argentina an official geographical institute was established in 1879, but neither A. Seelstrang's _Atlas_ (1886-1892) nor H. Hoskold's _Mapa topografica_ (1:2,000,000; London, 1895), which were published by it, nor any of the numerous provincial maps are based upon scientific surveys.

It need hardly be said that hydrographic surveys have been of great
service to compilers of maps. There are few coast-lines, frequented by
shipping, which have not yet been surveyed in a definite manner. In
this work the British hydrographic office may justly claim the credit
of having contributed the chief share. Great Britain has likewise
taken the lead in those deep-sea explorations which reveal to us the
configuration of the sea-bottom, and enable us to construct charts of
the ocean bed corresponding to the contoured maps of dry land yielded
by topographical surveys. (E. G. R.)

MAP PROJECTIONS

In the construction of maps, one has to consider how a portion of spherical surface, or a configuration traced on a sphere, can be represented on a plane. If the area to be represented bear a very small ratio to the whole surface of the sphere, the matter is easy: thus, for instance, there is no difficulty in making a map of a parish, for in such cases the curvature of the surface does not make itself evident. If the district is larger and reaches the size of a county, as Yorkshire for instance, then the curvature begins to be sensible, and one requires to consider how it is to be dealt with. The sphere cannot be opened out into a plane like the cone or cylinder; consequently in a plane representation of configurations on a sphere it is impossible to retain the desired proportions of lines or areas or equality of angles. But though one cannot fulfil all the requirements of the case, we may fulfil some by sacrificing others; we may, for instance, have in the representation exact similarity to all very small portions of the original, but at the expense of the areas, which will be quite misrepresented. Or we may retain equality of areas if we give up the idea of similarity. It is therefore usual, excepting in special cases, to steer a middle course, and, by making compromises, endeavour to obtain a representation which shall not involve large errors of scale.

A globe gives a perfect representation of the surface of the earth; but, practically, the necessary limits to its size make it impossible to represent in this manner the details of countries. A globe of the ordinary dimensions serves scarcely any other purpose than to convey a clear conception of the earth's surface as a whole, exhibiting the figure, extent, position and general features of the continents and islands, with the intervening oceans and seas; and for this purpose it is indeed absolutely essential and cannot be replaced by any kind of map.

The construction of a map virtually resolves itself into the drawing of two sets of lines, one set to represent meridians, the other to represent parallels. These being drawn, the filling in of the outlines of countries presents no difficulty. The first and most natural idea that occurs to one as to the manner of drawing the circles of latitude and longitude is to draw them according to the laws of perspective. Perhaps the next idea which would occur would be to derive the meridians and parallels in some other simple geometrical way.

_Cylindrical Equal Area Projection._--Let us suppose a model of the earth to be enveloped by a cylinder in such a way that the cylinder touches the equator, and let the plane of each parallel such as PR be prolonged to intersect the cylinder in the circle pr. Now unroll the cylinder and the projection will appear as in fig. 2. The whole world is now represented as a rectangle, each parallel is a straight line, and its total length is the same as that of the equator, the distance of each parallel from the equator is sin l (where l is the latitude and the radius of the model earth is taken as unity). The meridians are parallel straight lines spaced at equal distances.

This projection possesses an important property. From the elementary geometry of sphere and cylinder it is clear that each strip of the projection is _equal in area_ to the zone on the model which it represents, and that each portion of a strip is equal in area to the corresponding portion of a zone. Thus, each small four-sided figure (on the model) bounded by meridians and parallels [symbol] is represented on the projection by a rectangle [symbol] which is of exactly the same area, and this applies to any such figure however small. It therefore follows that any figure, of any shape on the model, is correctly represented as regards area by its corresponding figure on the projection. Projections having this property are said to be _equal-area projections_ or _equivalent projections_; the name of the projection just described is "the cylindrical equal-area projection." This projection will serve to exemplify the remark made in the first paragraph that it is possible to select certain qualities of the model which shall be represented truthfully, but only at the expense of other qualities. For instance, it is clear that in this case all meridian lengths are too small and all lengths along the parallels, except the equator, are too large. Thus although the areas are preserved the shapes are, especially away from the equator, much distorted.

Comments

Log in to leave a comment.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, "Map" to "Mars"Chapter III: Part 3

0%37 min left in chapter