Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-01-27
new OUTLINE MAP
OF COUNTRY MADE
Based on Lambert Conformal
Projection as Used in
the War.
SHOWS ERRORS IN SCALE
Coast and Geodetic Survey Announces
Completion of Chart Solving Old
Problem - Special Inter-
est in Map.

est in Map.
Washington. The United States
coast and geodetic survey recently an
nounced the completion of a new out.
line map of the United States on the
/ Lambert conformal comic projection,
scale 1-5,O00,000.
This map is intended merely as a
base to which may be added any kind
l of special information desired. The
shore line is compiled from the most
! recent coast and geodetic survey
charts. State names and boundaries,
principal rivers, capitals, and the
| larger cities in the differnt states are
| also embodied.
The map is of special interest from
! the fact that it is based on the same
system of projection as that employed
| by the armies of the allied forces in
the military operations in France. To
meet those requirements and at the
request of the army, special publica-
tons were prepared by the coast geo.
detic survey.
Many methods of projection have
been designed to solve the difficult
problem Of representing a spherical
surface on a plane. AS different pro-
jections have unquestionable merit as
well as equally serious defects, the
announcement states, any region to be
mapped should be made the subject Of
special study and that system of pro-
lection adopted which will give the
best results for the area under consid-
Grafton.
Value of New Map.
The Mercator projection, almost uni
versally used for nautical charts, is re-
sponsible for many false impressions
of the relative size of the countries diff
fering in latitude, according to the sur
vey statement. The polyconic pro-
lection, widely used and well adapt
ed for both topographic and hydro
graphic surveys, when used for the
whole of the United States in one map
has the serious defect of unduly exag-
gerating the areas on its eastern and
western limits. Along the Pacific
coast and in Maine the error in scale
is as much as 61s per cent, while at
New York it reaches Az per cent.
The value of the new outline map
on the Lambert projection can best be
realized when it is stated that it shows
that throughout the largest and most
important part of the United States,
that is, between ATTITUDES 301s degrees
and 40 degrees, the maximum scale
error is only one-half of l per cent.
This amount of scale error of One-half
of l per cent is frequently less than
the distortion due to the method of
printing and to changes from the hui
mildly of the air Only in southern
most Florida and Texas does this pro-
lection attain its maximum error of
1-3 per cent.
The Lambert projection is well
adapted to large areas of predominant.
ing east and west dimensions in the
United States where the distance
across from east to west is 14.5 times
that Of the distance north and south.
The strength of the polyconic projec-
ton, on the other hhnd, is along its
central meridian. The merits and de-
fects of the two systems of projec-
ton may be stated in a general way as
being at right angles to each other.
Special Features.
Special features of the Lambert pro-
lection that are not found In the poly.
comic may be stated briefly as fol-
lows:
1. The Lambert projection is con-
formal-that is, all angles between in
tersecting lines or curves are pre-
served, and for any given point (or re-
length of a linear element on the
earth's surface to the length of the cor
responding map elements is constant
for all aximuths of directions in which
the elements may be taken.
2. The meridians are straight lines,
and the parallels are concentric cir.
cles.
8. 1t has two axes of strength in
stead of one, the standard parallels OF
the map of the United States being lat
itudes SO degrees and 40 degrees, and
upon these parallels the scale is abso-
lutely free. The scale for any other
part of the map, or for any parallel
can be obtained from special publica
ton No. 50, page SO, United States
coast and geodetic survey. By
means of these tables the very small
scale errors which exist in this pro
lection can be entirely eliminated.
The map measures 25 inches by 80
inches and will be sold by the govern
ment at rs cents.
Fortune in Dead Mans Bed.
Colfax. Wash.-Upon request cd