Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-10-25
GOVERNMENT WAR MAPS.
A Diagram Which Will Show at a Glance the
Worlds Fighting Attitude.

~ DidSfdti WHICH VIII ShOW al a UIdnCe tne
Worlds Fighting Attitude.
The most remarkable map of the
world and in the world, is shortly to
be installed in that unique sanctum,
the war room Of the White House. 1t
is twenty feet long by eight teet wide,
and it has required four months of
hard work to make it. Upon this
colossal chart the President and his
successors will study all future wars
and diplomatic conflicts exciting the
world. Over its face, as though it
were great chess board, miniature
representations of the armies and
fleets Of the world will be moved,
while skilled geographers and carto-
graphs will continually alter it to
represent changes Of boundaries, new
cable lines, interoceanic canals and
whatsoever may after the political
complexion of Mother Earth. The
work OF installing the map began
as soon as the President departed
on his summer vacation. Facing
the great chart, the President can
see every point of strategic import
ance upon the entire face of the
earth. North and South America
loom up in the center of the great
rectangle. Thus the President can
trace progress of ships all the way to
Manila by either the Atlantic or Pa
cific route. He can follow them by
way of the Mediterranean, the Red
Sea. the Indian Ocean and the China
Sea, starting from New York, or en-
barking from San Francisco, he can
indicate their progress by way of
Hawaii and Guam. In neither voyage
will his miniature ships run off
the edge Of the map. Fourteen colors
are employed to indicate the political
divisions of the world. There are
eleven distinct colors, each represent
ing a territory of one of the eleven
colony holding powers. Countries
without detached possessions are
designated each by one OF three other
colors distributed about.
Over 1000 little flags and emblems
bearing flags are being made to repre-.
sent the positions of our army and
navy alone. Each flag is Il square OF
parchment of about three quarters OF
al inch dimension, fastened with red
wax to long steel pin with white
glass head. A blue flag stuck through
a cardboard ship will represent each
vessel OF our navy, and will have the
latter's name neatly lettered thereon.
Each army transport will be repre-
sented thus, with the addition of a
blue and white flag surcharged in
black, with the number of officers and
men aboard. Each regiment OF in
frantry will be designated by white
flag, cavalry by a yellow, artillery by
red, engineers by diagonal red and
white, signal corps by white with red
center and hospital corps by red
cross. Each General and Admiral
will be designated in the war room
by flag bearing his name. 1t will
be placed upon the map with any
regiment or fleet which he may
happen to command in an engage
ment. Each OF the foreign armies
and navies will be similarly repre-
sented All naval stations the world
over, and ports where there are docks
sufficiently large to repair our war
vessels, are shown on the map; also
coaling stations of the worlds navies.
Every ocean cable line in the world
is shown. The great Transiberian
railway is indicated, because of its
great military value. Similarly are
shown the great railway lines OF China.
Fixing his eye upon this interesting
war-chart the President can trace at
glance the intercontinental lines
which transmit not only the acces-
sories, but intelligence Of international
struggles. The great map will be
absolutely up to date, geographically,
to the hour when it is put in place. 1t
is believed to be the only map in the
world, large or small, which to-day
shows in exactness and completeness
of detail all of the political sub-di-
visions OF the newly recognized world.
1t teaches many interesting lessons
not to be found liz our school geog-
raphies for several years, at least. The
big map is being made at the coast
and geodetic survey. 1t was designed,
compiled and finished by f. H.
Fowler, chief draughtsman of that
bureau, who conceived the idea Of
thus equipping the President with
such an extensive means for following
the movements of the worlds mill
tary evolutions.
<oIituds and Sociefv