TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 183 
whose honesty contrasts stikingly with the corruption pervading every class of 
Persian society. Lieut, Gill reached the Atrek at Sison, and descended ‘its valley 
Pishkala, below which it is in the hands of the Turkmen. The valley of the 
Atrek is about ten miles wide, and is bounded by mountains of considerable height. 
From Pishkala, Lieut. Gill crossed the wooded hills to the Samulkhan valley, and 
thence to the plain of Shushan. Near the village of Saughoss he enjoyed a few 
days sport, and then turned his footsteps to the East, passing Jajerm on the road to 
Teheran, 
. On the Russian Expedition to Khiva. 
By J. A. MacGanan, late Correspondent of the ‘New York Herald.’ 
The Russian campaign against Khiva was remarkable for the admirable manner 
in which the expeditionary force was supplied with every requisite for a march 
across a waste of sands. The operations of the topographical corps merit special 
attention. The Russians keep pace, in the survey of the country, with their 
advance in Central Asia, and every reconnoitring force, every embassy, is accom- 
anied by competent surveyors. Struve’s and Kaulbars’s visits to Khiva and 
ee are instances of this kind. The roads to Khiva had been explored by 
flying detachments long before the late expedition was undertaken, and the expe- 
ditionary force never moved until the ground in front had been reconnoitred 
by flying detachments and the capacity of the wells ascertained. The only 
part of the route not explored in this manner, owing to the presence of Khivan 
forces, was that between Adam Kurulgan and the Oxus, and this omission nearly 
led to a disaster. General Kaufmann fully appreciated the value of these explo- 
rations, though he does not seem to have treated the officers employed on this 
arduous service with the consideration they deserved. The trigonometrical survey 
of Russian Turkestan is proceeding rapidly, and the time when a map of the whole 
of Central Asia, based upon accurate data, can be prepared is not far distant. The 
extensive explorations of Russian travellers become but rarely known to the rest 
of Europe, for they are published ina dry matter-of-fact style, and not in the shape 
of readable books. The surveyors attached to the Khivan expeditions have 
probably determined by this time the old bed of the Oxus. In conclusion, the 
author describes the soil of Khiva as being exceedingly fertile, producing crops of 
wheat, barley, and rice, not to be surpassed elsewhere. 
Reproduction of Maps and Plans in the Field. 
By Captain Asyey, R.E., F.R.AS., &e. 
The author pointed out the immense advantage that must accrue to military 
commanders by placing in every subordinate officer’s hands a plan of the ground 
on which the campaign might take place. A large scale of map, at least 6 inches 
to a mile, was recommended, as on it every feature of the country might be shown. 
Two modes of securing this have been introduced into the service, reproducing 
by lithography sketch maps made by officers and men when executing a recon- 
naissance. A peculiar kind of ink is employed, invented by the author, which is 
capable of being transferred to stone or zinc from any paper. The advantages 
claimed for this are, that the ink is liquid like ordinary ink; that it is not greasy 
in the ordinary acceptation of the word as applied to lithography, and consequently 
there is no danger of finger-markings obliterating the drawing by their transfer 
to the stone or zine; and finally that unprepared paper can be used for the drawings. 
The next point touched upon was the method of reproducing plans by photography, 
either to the same or larger scale. The process adopted for these was called 
papyrotypy. This differs from ordinary photo-lithography in rolling up a print 
from a negative in greasy ink direct on the paper, after immersing it in cold water. 
Those parts acted She by light take the ink, as they do not absorb water, whilst 
those parts unacted upon by light, and which do absorb water, remain intact. 
The paper print thus obtained is really a transfer which will go down to stone or 
zinc. From that point the work is that of ordinary lithography. It was then 
pointed out that papyrotypy was capable of giving half-tone prints as in the 
