The Washington times., 1915-02-12
TRACE WAR MOVES
ON GIGANTIC MAPS
American Geographical Society
In New York Records in De.
tail Every Phase.

loNNs + GU Si "hpS s"S
only place in this country. and certain
ly the only place in this city. where
every phase Of the progress Of the gi-
gantic European conflict IL recorded In
detail and with general staff precision.
Is the war map room Of the American
Geographical Society. 156th street and
Broadway. The official maps Of the
general STATS Of each Of the belligerent
and almost all of the small European
countries are to be found there. In d.
little detail Of the landscape.
Prof Leon Dominian. expert in po-
litical geography and a photographer
Of international reputation. who for
years was connected with the geological
service Of the United States War Col
lege. Is In charge Of these maps. TO
him they are As familiar as the printed
page 10 to the average reader. He fol-
lows every detail Of the actions in the
different war zones with the eye Of an
expert. and records on the charts the
daily progress Of the armies.
50 Plats Make Up French Map.
The official typographical map is is
suec by the French ministry Of the in
terror is perhaps the most accurate. and
certainly the best executed. of the maps
issued by the foreign governments, ,"
Prof. Dominian explained. pointing to a
series OF plats grouped on one of the
racks In the war map room.
1t takes about fifty Of these plats to
complete the map OF France" he con-
tinued. Its dimensions are 1 to 200, 90,
or about three and q half square miles
to every square inch. Every city, town,
AND village is recorded on this man.
every road. hill, inclination. plateau,
neid and forest Is represented. Solitary
houses are shown. and hedges, walls
ENC snd bitches are indicated SO that any
one versed In map.reeGing may in.
terpret correctly the lay Of the country
"ithout ever having been there.
several times a day Prof. Dominiar
careIuny goes over the maps and rec.
ords by means Of silk thread OF varions
colors. and tiny pins with coiored
neaos. the exact location Of the hostile
iorces and the battle lines in the
theaters OF the war.
Location of Forts Alone Concealed
Important events. such as the frs,
whirlwind advance which the German.
made toward Paris on August ant
the battle line In Poland on october
| have been permanently chroniclcd or
the maps. so that even the uninitiatet
| may be able to read at glance Aha
the changes at the front have beer
! since then.
1T is generally believed that tn.
governments are kept secret, and tina
It Is part Of the work Of spies to pro
| cure them. This idea Is erroneous.
Prof. Dominian explained. THE ma pr
| OF the war offices OF the various ma
tions are usually revised every ter
| are made. and they are then sent t.
| every foreign war office and to near /,
all foreign geographical institutions
There Is nothing secret about them, anc
they may even be purchased IN bool
| stores. The only thing which a foreigr
government is keeping secret are tn,
! construction and the situations OF fort
and military and naval bases. To 10
cate them Is the work Of spies
Aviation Maps Of Unusual Make.
In addition to the Typographical anc
hydrographical maps Of the variou!
| countries. there are maps OF the wire
less stations Of the worll in the ma,
room Of the society. One of the mos
| recent additions Is an aviation man O
the world. compiled by the French wa
office. and designed to assist the acria
navigator in finding his way by looking
down upon the surface of the earth be
low him. These maps stand out !,
broad relief and present an entirel,
different appearance from the ordinar!
maps.
| Another interesting feature is
chronological set Of maps OF the Unite,
States. starting with the first map o
this continent. dated 1900. and endinl
with the latest map Of the United State
! War College.
| In addition to e0.0oo maps and chart
Of all parts Of the world. the socict,
has a library OF many thousand vol
umes dealing with seogra phical sub
Jects. The map rooms are open to tn
general public, and experts are at han,
| to answer questions and point out re
cent developments In the war zone.