The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-26

they ce.e ftsn An Over she Werss' s.s
NIGER N sstyae fbr Each Country.

lection Of the Brooklyn Institute OF Arts ana
Sciences. now on free exhibition at tho Arsena'
building. Central Park. many things ABOUT tne
maps will strike you rs particularly interes'-
ing. You will observe for instance. that some
of the German map m ak ers, instead OF employ
ing different colors. use various shados Oh
brown in their wall educational maps 70 indi-
cate elevations. The effect is pleasing 70 the
eye. and the deepening shades OF brown give .
vivid impression OF height This skiliui use
OF shades OF ono color for elevations Is simpler.
more striking and more artistic than the use
OF various colors for the same purpose on
somo OF tho English maps. You will notice
that the Germans are sparing in their use OF
colors, that each color or shade has definite
meaning. and that the color scheme In the cor
ner Of the map enables you readily to grasp
the meaning Of this symbolism.
How different are the French maps. What
lavish use OF color. much OF 1t wasted. for 1t
means nothing that need be 80 glaringly de-
picted. But France Is progressing IN tho
photographic art, and these products are finer
speclmens OF school wall maps than that
country turned out six or seven years ago.
and one Of the most exquisite things In the
collection is little French map OF France. In
which delicate tints are most skilfully used to
show topography.
The Dutch maps. scattered through the ex-
hibition. are very interesting series. because
OF their excellence and the unusual class OF
facts which some Of them present The most
OF Holland having no topographic irregulari-
ties, the map makers give far more attention
than those OF other nations to showing. in
rather vivid colors. the varieties OF
soil. tho areas OF reclaimed lands. the
wooded districts. and various cultural
features. The Dutch photographers compare
we'll with other hrst-rate map makers In
the more difficult matter Of representing
mountain regions with clear and accurate de-
tail. The beautiful Dutch maps Of Java and
the Dutch East Indies are worth study because
they are not only excellent. but they are also
novel In ooloring and In some OF their cor
toRraphic methods
The coarse and almost meaningless coloring
found on wall maps. still used to q very con-
siderable extent in this country. England. and
France are behind the times. Many foreign
maps in this collection show that maps may be
things OF beauty. objects which give pleasure
for their general artistic effect Their colors
are delicate and 80 we'll chosen and associated
that they mako o pleasing impression
upon the aesthetic sense. You will OBJ
serve that in many OF the finest maps
colors are used almost wholly to show
Topographic features. There are maps Of
this country which use great blotches Of
color to show the various States. the
whole bearing strong resemblance to crazy
patchwork quilt They are an offenee to the
eye. and should be relocated to the garrett
Every purpose is served II political coloring
on maps IL confined to boundary lines. There
is then opportunity on the same map to show
o large variety Of other facts By the use OF va
rious colors and tints.
ha mn Of npta, nv fnokr ~ ha IN
and Austrian school maps is the subordina-
ton Of all minor information to give vivid
impression OF Topographic detail. sea depths.
and important aspects OF the earth's surface.
You will observe another novelty in many Of
these foreign maps. Perhaps most OF our
school children are accustomed to only one
map OF O continent or country. chiefly DO
litical. the Topographic aspects being slight
ed and otherwise ANONYMOUSLY treated. In
some OF the German series. on the other hand.
We see that each country or continent has two
maps one political. the other physical. The
chief physical features are also shown on the
political MAPS but not SO prominently as to
render tho political and cultural detail indis-
tinct. Some physical maps also have in one
corner inset political maps OF the same region.
Some Of these maps throw strong light on
the idea. uppermost in the mind Of the make err.
as to the most important function OF geo.
graphic teaching. Compare. for instance tho
English and German dumb maps. Dumb maps
are without names. and are used with Ques-
tons. On the English maps We see hundreds
Of big dots to represent towns. There is hardly
any effort to show topographic features, except
rivers Those map makers seem to think the
chief purpose Of geographic instruction 10 to
cram little heads full OF place names. The
German dumb maps. on the contrary. show
only the most important towns. but they
clearly and boldly present the chief topo-
graphic features. They give teachers an
opportunity to find what their pupils know
about the boundaries extent. and comparative
importance Of drainage basins gradual OF
rapid slopes to the sea level. the effect Of
mountain ranges upon precipitation as shown
by the comparative Importance OF the rivers on
either side. and manifold other facts pertain.
ing to the essence OF geography which should
properly give the study high place in school
courses as a means Of cultivating the habit oil
observation and Of intellectual discipline.
The italian maps are we'll worthy attention
not that they equal the German. Austrian. and
Swiss products. though they are very good
specimens. but because they illustrate Italy't
progress In such manufactures. 1t is not very
long since Italy was chiefly dependent upon
Germany for most Of her school maps. Just Of
some OF the maps In this collection were made
in Germany for South American schools. To
day Italy is making her own school maps. and
though they are not so refined as many others
they avoid tho use Of excessive political color
ing. omit minor detail, and present topography
clearly. It Is an interesting fact that while
Italy Is a little behind the best standards O.
European map making. she beats the world IL
Topographic models for school use. Seven O
these models are In this collection. They are
plaster on wire, and some Of them. having tn.
same vertical and horizontal scale. do not ex
aggerate heights The models are an approx
iInation OF Nature herself
For some OF the very finest specimens O
map making you will Of course examine sucl
| exhibits as the little geological maps OF b
varia and the maps In sheets by the Austrian
Military Institute. All these mans are amons
the finest specimens Of the detailed topog
| raphic survey maps Of Europe As ], G
Bartholomew. tho well-known Scottish carto
grapher. says. such maps as these may b,
called the Mother Maps. because where tho,
can be obtained thoy are tho basis upon which
| all other maps are made. 1t will DO observe.
That the Information on these maps IL exceed
| ingly detailed. Many Of them show even BIT
| Of woodland only few acres or square mile