Geographical Collections. 233 



7%e Geographical Beliefs of K. W, Kummer, of Berlin. — These reliefs 

 differ from common globes and maps most essentially in the following par- 

 ticulars : instead of representing the hills and valleys by etching, they exhibit 

 real elevations and depressions, corresponding to those on the earth's surface. 

 The mountains and valleys are thus made visible and palpable ; the coast, also, 

 is clearly raised above the level of the sea, and its peculiar character, whether 

 of lofty rock, or level sand, is accurately delineated. The high table-lands, 

 like those of central Asia, are placed on a higher level than the fiat lands near 

 the coasts ; and the rivers and lakes are seen confined within their channels 

 and basins. Not only is the general direction of the hills clearly laid down, 

 but also the varieties in their steepness, their declivities, and the great 

 isolated summits are delineated in their proper proportions. Appropriate 

 colours, too, are used ; the etei'nal snow of the highest mountain-tops, and 

 the ice of the polar regions, are represented white ; the sandy deserts 

 yellow ; the steppes brown, or a yellow-brown ; the stony, barren regions 

 gray and uneven ; the forests green ; and all water is made blue. The 

 material employed is jjaper of a fine and light kind, not liable to be broken ; 

 the weight of one of the largest reliefs is very small, and they may be handled 

 without any risk of damaging them. Names are also written on these 

 reliefs, and the clearness even of the smaller characters is sui-prising. 



This method of Kummer has been applied by him both to globes and to 

 flat surfaces, or relief-maps ( Relief- Erdkugeln und Landkarten,) of various 

 sizes. Amongst them are a large globe of 26 Paris inches in diameter ; one 

 of 16, and another of 2j. Portions of the great sphere may be bought sepa- 

 rately, it being divided into six parts. Europe may be had by itself, price 

 11 or 12 German dollars ;* Asia for 16 or 17. If the names are omitted, 

 the parts are, respectively, about two dollars cheaper. There are relief-maps 

 of Germany, of the Island of Riigen, of the Mountain- Range of Mont- 

 Blanc, and of France. The map of France is on a scale in which the lined 

 measure is 1 -2,000,000th of the real lineal measure on the earth's surface ; 

 it is 24 Paris inches long, 21 broad, and comprises the country from Cologne 

 and Dover, as far as Figueras and Geneva, in the direction of north and 

 south. It comprehends the Pyrenees, the whole of Switzerland, and the 

 valley of the Po. The price of this is not mentioned. 



The price of the map of Germany is, without names, 8 or 10 dollars ; 

 with names in German characters, and with the addition of the places 

 where the rivers are crossed, and of the parts that are navigable, the cost is 

 14 to 16 dollars ; with the political divisions added to the above, the price 

 is 18 to 20 dollars. 



It has been objected to the method of Kummer, that the true ratio 

 between the lineal horizontal and vertical measures is not preserved. This 

 is true : but, though the real ratio between the horizontal and vertical 

 measure is not observed, the proportion between the various vertical heights, 

 among themselves, is strictly adhered to, and it is all that is necessary. It 

 would not be possible to represent mountains and valleys with any degree of 

 clearness, in such a map as that of Germany, for example, without giving to 

 the heights of the hills a greater elevation than is due to them, compared 

 with the horizontal measures ; and, if the true horizontal and vertical propor- 

 tions were observed, it would only be practicable to delineate, by the aid of 

 relief, very small districts. The objections made to Kummer's reliefs may 

 be made to common maps also, where the breadths of rivers are often greater 

 on the paper than they ought to be Journ. of Education, No. I. p. 190. 



Height of Lake Aral. — The surface of Lake Aral is 117 feet higher than 

 that of the Caspian Sea. — Humboldt. 



* The German dollar is about 3s. 

 VOL. III. 2 G 



