Gilpin observer., 1916-02-03
MAKING WAR MAPS
Only Officers Of Special Training
Assigned to Work.
Every Object In Territory Covered
Must Be Shown With Accuracy
Maps Of Vast Importance In
Modern Warfare.

Berlin.-In modern warfare, and
especially in the present world con-
fict, accurate maps are the greatest
auxiliary of the armies and they play
a far more important part in the opera
tions than the general public knows.
Without them success is impossible.
These maps are worked out with
infinite care by special departments of
the general staffs of the armies Of the
different countries. Only officers pos
sessing special training and knowledge
are assigned to the work.
The first military Typographical bu-
reau was established by the general
STAFF of the Bavarian army nearly q
century ago under the direction of
General Won Naus, who also became IA
nous as mathematician and daring
mountain climber. Other countries,
however, were slow to follow the ex-
ample of Bavaria. In Prussia an exact
Typographical survey Of the country
was not undertaken by the general
staff until 1862. About the same time
the leaders of the Austro-Hungarian
army became convinced that the maps
then in existence were not sufficient
for war. The Austrian typographical
bureau was organized in 1863 under
the direction of Capt Julius Won
Payer, who later became famous as
an Arctic explorer. France waited
still longer, and as a result was badly
handicapped in the war of 1901 by
the lack of accurate maps. In that war
it is said the French officers were sup.
piled with maps of Germany but none
of France.
During the last forty years all coun-
tries are using the same system in the
production of the general staff maps
The method seems complicated, but is
simple enough. First the country is
divided into triangles, the corners OF
which are marked by church steeples,
high poles, trees and other landmarks.
Every one of these triangles then is
surveyed separately and again divided
up into smaller triangles. The cor
ners of these subdivisions are marked
by small square granite blocks, which
are sunk into the ground so that only
their tops are visible.
After the subdivisions have been
laid out and marked the officers in.
trusted with the work draw large maps
of every one of them. These mans
show the minutest details of the land
scape and are then joined together and
reproduced on a smaller scale by ex-
pert craftsmen. In this manner an
exact Typographical picture of the
larger triangles, and finally of the
whole country, is obtained.
The general staff maps speak a Ian
guage of their own. This language is
very simple, but must. of course, be
understood. Every object in the terri
tory covered by the maps is shown
by certain signs. Pine woods are
marked by little sharp cones, other
woods and trees by groups of small
circles and dots, elevations by curves
which show the heights of the hills,
roads by double and footpaths by
single lines.
There are also certain signs for
church steeples. mills. ponds, brooks
and isolated farm houses. Nothing is
missing ard a man looking at one of
these maps and understanding it he's
the impression of flying over the ter
ritory and looking down upon it from
height.
All maps Of the general staff have to
be absolutely correct. They not only
form the basis for movements of
troops, but also have to be used by
the artillery In ascertaining the dis
tance and finding the range of the po-
sitions of the enemy. In this respect
the German maps have become world
famous, as they are drawn with the
proverbial German thoroughness.