Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-23
ART OF MARKING MAPS
By Frederic J. Haskin

/ map on the strength of surveys made
by others. While they keep a copy of
every important map that makes Its
appearance in any part of the world,
using them to verify their own maps,
each map they put out has been made
after surveys of their own. No mat
ter what remote territory they are
mapping, or how trifling seems the
chance of error in the maps of other
makers, no work goes out except 1t be
the result of their own surveys, cal
culations cud engraving.
Map making originated with the
wandering tribes of Asia The sons of
Ishmael were probably the first to use
kthe idea. 1t became necessary for
them to mark their routes and to To-
cate the landmarks that gavo them
guidance and out of this sprang the
art of the map. Even to this day one
may behold the difference in races in
this respect. The negro tribe that
dwells through generations in one To-
cality in Africa comprehends nothing
from the map. On the other hand, the
Eskimo is quick to understand the
meaning of map al to grasp the
idea Of location through it. The state
ment of Commander Peary that the
Eskimos showed him on the map
where DIR. Cook had gone may nave
sounded improbable to the uninitiated,
but to the informed it was not an un-
reasonable statement. 1t is said, in
deed, that a rough map drawn Dy an
Eskimo woman enabled Sir Edward
Parry to discover Fury and Hecla
strait. Many of the early american
explorers declared that they found the
indians good map makers in rudi-
mentary way, that their drawings and
renresentationS as to rivers, mountains
and other topographic characteristics
were notable for their accuracy.
References are found in ancient lit
erature to maps on wood in the time
of Rameses II, and the Babylonians
carried the art of topographic repre-
sanitation to a considerable degree or
perfection. 1t was the Babylonians
who divided the circle into 800 degrees
and the hour into sixty minutes. Upon
these divisions is based the modern
idea of latitude and longitude. One
must not suppose that the ancient
Egyptians and Chaldeans awere lacking
in appliances which would lead to ac-
curate map making. Some years ago
Prof. Smyth of England visited the
pyramids of Egypt and used the finest
modern surveying Instruments in
searching the mysteries of those huge
niles. He found that the builders had
cornered them to the points OF the
COMPASS as accurately as he could
have done it with his Instruments.
He stated that in not single instance
did he find his Instruments superior
to those which must have been used
in the Manning and construction OF
the pyramids.
One of the latest aids to map making
is the camera. The dirigible balloon,
the flying machine, the telephotograph-
ic camera and even the moving picture
camera are expected to lend them
selves to the perfection of the art OF
landscape representation. One hardly
realizes at first blush how all the arts
and sciences are intertwined. with one
another. When the telescope was DIS
covered it aided the map maker almost
as much as it helped astronomy, Wnen
electricitv was hitched to the chariot
of civilization it aided the map maker
in his work as much as 1t assisted
man as a beast of burden. BY the use
of closed telegraphic circuits the sur
veyor can tell to the decimal part Oh
an inch how accurate MS measure
ments have been.
No less important to civilization tnah
the maps of the lands are the charts
of the seas. Since the time OIL Maury'
that intrepid Virginian whose work III
mapping the oceans won Tor MN tne
title of geographer OF the seas, sreaI az
strides have been made in getting ali
the characteristics of the seas por-
trayed on paper. The Carnegie lnstl-
tuition. through its magnetic survey
work, the photographic office of the
navy department, the coast and geo
detic survey and many other ;,n. Aineriean
agencies are still at work gathering
data for a highly accurate charting OF
all marine conditions. And the heavens
are not forgotten by the makers OF
maps and charts. The great cata-
Iogues of the stars being made by the
Carnegie institution and other astro-
nomical agencies are giving the map
maker as good opportunities for ac-
curacy and excellence in celestial
charting as in terrestrial representa-,
tion. Land sea and sky are now well
represented by the cartographer's art
Tomorrow-The Louisiana Law.