New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-20

Il Cartographical Treasury of 1907,
Long Missing, appears.

The announcement IN the summer OF 1901 Of
the discovery by Professor Fischer Of the orig
fnal waldseemuller maps OF 1907 and 1516
startled and delighted the geographers or the
world. Henry n. Stevens. the London publisher,
end an ardent student of the early cartography
Of America. just going TO press with
volume on the subject He withdrew it i'm
rnediately but found that the professor had
made arrangements 10 issue the msps-which he
had come upon by chance while searching in
the library OF the Prince OF Waldburg. at Wal
fegg Castle-in careful facsimile At the end OF
August Just passed Mr.. Stevens invited TO
examine the facsimiles then nearing compile
tion and the originals. Arrangements were
made by the London house to take half the
entire impression OF FIVE hundred copies. A
representative OF The Tribune in London en-
joyed private view Of the rough advance prints
OF the maps last week. and describes them as
most interesting. that dating from 1907 showing
a strait between the continents OF North and
South America in the exact position OF the
Panama Canal.
The original Of this man is far too large TO
he engraved on one sheet II comprises. in
fact. no less than twelve sheets. each measuring
on the average 23l5 inches long by l112 inches
high, exclusive OF margin When put together
a wall map Il measures almost feet long
and feet inches high very large map even
AZ the present day. The Wofegg map was
bound in a folio volume with the sheets folded
IN the centre and guarded from the back From
q legend on the 1916 map we learn that no
less than a thousand copies OF this 1907 map
were printed. which makes its absolute disap-
pearance up TO the present discovery the more
amazing. The maps were engraved on wood.
end show a high development Of the art.
The Carta Marina of 1916. the second un-
Known man found in the same volume at Wolf
egg Castle. was not even known to exist 1t
is drawn on a projection more resembling that
OF Mercator. while the 1907 map is drawn on
the modified cone projection Of Ptolemy- 1t &C
cupies twelve sheets the same size as those OF
the earlier one. The geographical CONGREGATIONS
and the manner OF setting them down carto-
graphically show a great advance in knowl-
edge and skill.
Ever since Humboldt first called attention TO
the "CosmosraphiR Introductio.' small geo
graphical treatise published at St Die in the
vosges. in 1907, suggesting that the lately dis
covered fourth part Of the world should be
called America because Americas CVespucius)
discovered st." no maps have been sought for
so diligently as those Of Waldseemuer. The
book made mention OF a representation Of uni
versal coSmography both in solido and in plano"
On which were inserted what to Ptolemy was
unknown and lately discovered Detailed de-
scription Of the map and globe suggests that
they were too large for insertion as folded maps.
and that the book was intended as an eX-
planstory handbook in regard to them Many
copies Of the book are known in various edi-
tons. but no specimen Of either globe or map
had ever been heard OF till the summer Of 1901.
Some historians and geographers have even gone
nc far IS TO assert that the maps were prob
ably never published at all. The expectation
.hat che missing map would be found to bear
the name America on the newly discovered
Western lands has been duly verified The
question whether this is actually the earliest
printed map bear the name America or show
any part Of the new lands may not even now
be free from shadow of doubt but the dis
covery is Of unquestionabe importance. The
lot taken from the Austrian publishers by
Henry Stevens. Son & Stiles comprises three
forms Of publication-one with the facsimiles
loose in portfolio. one in bound form for gen
erai reference. and the third with the maps
mounted on linen for wall use.