Evening capital., 1907-08-09

Germany the Great Source of Them
Methods Of Manufacture.


Germany has the largest and most
famous map making establishment
IN the world. II wa founded by q
poor map maker named Pcrthes IN
the little town Of Gotha more thzn
40 years ago.
The equipment of the establish
mept now - surprising. The geo
graphical library of this house con
talns over 10000 volumes. u r.
about twice as large a. any similar
library IN America. and every book f.
20 fully indcxed by the card system
that ali the best information about
every mountain, river. cape o. other
geographical feature that has been
described may be obtained n few
minutes.
This establishment has also q col
lection of OYER 1000 maps. r. has
al the route surveys ~ explorers
and all the sheets ~ topographic and
other surveys which the nations have
produced.
This G0tha h0use II mentioned
here merely because II heads the list
of the great map houses. There are
number Of others, especially in
Germany, France. geotiand. Austria
and Holland, which approximate, ~
they have not entirely attained, me
highest standard Of the Gotba house.
n we should inspect any 81 these
map plants and see the coTDs %
geOgrapberg compiling data for new
maps and tho busy rooms where the
steel and copper enHravers. the
photographers, the lifhographers. the
hand colorists. the bookblnders and
others perform their daily tasks We
should be impressed With the fart
that the production Of 6rst-class
maps requires large variety of SCI
cntfc talent and highly trained tech
meal skill.
Tho wax process of map produc-
ton used in nearly all American map
houses f. not employed IN any u
the leading European establishments
They do not regard II as a medium
through which they can attain the
best results.
We need not infer that these map
makers ever produce an absolutely
perfect map. A cartographic product
without a biernfsh was never made.
The reason is that a single mfsspeil-
ing or the slight Taisdlrection of q
line is a biunder. One sheet may con-
tain the essence Of many books and
many maps; and the best that hu-
man nature can do IS 70 take every
possible precauflon, within the limits
Of its frafIty, To tell the truth.
There are famous geographers
who study maps more than they DO
books. DR.. Wagner, the professor of
geography IN the university Of GOtt-
ingen, has never been great travel
Ter but he is celebrated for his
knowledge Of regional geography.
A while ago he wrote a very large
book on the geography Of the earth.
IN which he said that he had derived
the greater part Of the material for
the book from HIS study of maps He
was able to do this because in the
past half century photographers have
developed TO a high degree Of per-
fectiOn the art Of presenting clear
and vivid picture Of all the geograDh-
ical conditions Of the regions con-
cerned.
A first rate map Is a short road %
geographical knowledge SuDposs
we wish 20 learn something of t6e
history Of the exploration Of Africa
which hundreds Of explorers have
gridlroned with their routes. How
many scores OF volumes we should
have 70 examine II We were 20 seek
this information fn bOoksi
But there IS a map Of Africa IN
eight large sheets which gives The
route Of all the explorers who had
contributed TO our knowledge Q.
Africa up TO the tine the map wal
prepared. We see al the discoveries
they made, and the coIors show the
nature Of the vaTious regions
through which they passed. This
map gives a bird's-eye view OF ths
whole great subject Of African ex
pIoration.
But many maps are very poor. and
the public would not buy them 4
they knew how inaccurate and mis-
leading they are. They are usually
the output of craftsmen who vorI
without geographical supervision
There will be less demand for sucl
nDisinforming products when mort
school children are taught 10 disttn
guish between good and a poo
map.