The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-20

United states has been singularly back
ward in the arts of CartOGraphy. There
can he no doubt that the complaint
is wei founded. There are exceptions
in official map publication. The charts
of the photographic department of the
navy are uncxcclled, but it is 20 be re-
membercd that the needs of the seaman
in his relation to the shore are best
served by the accurate presentation of
the merest outline bare of all topo-
graphic detail beyond the beach. Like
VICE it j. proper to give great praise to
the maps of the Geological Survey.
particularly to tho series of degree
square charts which arc now being is
sued for several centres Of geographical
Interest and which in time will become
tho base maps for all the smaller sub
divisions of our area.
But in The wide field of commercial
geography American map printing has
Jagged far behind its great advance
4 i'm the processes of printing. cur map
printers have shown themselves sngu-
larly Indifferent to the establishment
of an accurate survey base; they haV"
altogether neglected to come TO an
aGrcemcn, upon the technical symbolism
of distinguishing color; there Is NJ
uniformity in lettering. aud the lines
are coarse and frequently either mis-
/ leading or meaningless. An index Of
the low stage cf development which
map printing holds with Ms may bc
found in the common railway folders.
with their COarScncss Of design ana
with jhc inaoCuracy of drawing, which
IS incorporated IN them as an adv"rjiS IS
ing G.n. II is only IN Great Ir;,I %
that we can find any such shabby map
" rk for comparison. yct NOT 'V"u In
British railway maps can We find th"c"
or four which design to SGT forth ill"
fact that three or four lines Of rail-
way may bo tho shortes' distance no
tween two points.
tartocraphy has been hrou,nt T. a
high pitch on the Continent, In each Il
tho principal countries there arc several
commercial establishments which haN 90
specialized in this work. We may cit"
the average order Of success of th-
product in an ascending scale from Swc-
don through France. thg Netherlands.
German mp To- Switzerland. where the
best work is done. II H. accordingly
with great delight that We find in the
twenty-five maps which accompany this
report a great advance in American
map production The individual sheets
arc not signed. all tho more To ho rc-
GREETED since the maps have such high
. rank. bu, the author assigns credit To
tho Topographic Engraving Company Of
Washington. These maps are printed
IN black and eight Collre. OF which six
arc employed in classification Of the ma
tu"e and economic possibilities of the
soil The water courses and lakes are
shown I'm blue and the contours in
brown in accordance with the accented
system Of th" beat Eoogrgphers. Tho
contour curves are drawn a. each
hundred meters Of elevation and in
the mountain regions must he some
what closely crowded. yct !; would
gre tly facilitate tho reading of thi,
very important element 10 IL had seemed
advisable TO the m.2 maker TO dis.
tincuish the ffth and ,en;h curves. for
when single map shcc; contains IN,
record Of contours from 100 meters e
100 II requires close attention tC
follow the lines. Tho six classification
coIorS Indicate respect vely tn" alpine
zone, virgin forest. brushy moun.air
slopes. recent burns. grassy scrrania.
ANA agriculture! lands The ;ints have
been iutniiiGently selected from IN.
scheme devised by recent gca:,raph,ca
congresses and there are no glarinc
contrasts. Yet perfec, definition has beer
carried throughout tho sheets.