E.— GEOGRAPHY. 107 



have been printed, but reproduction is not yet general. Judging from 

 certain printed specimens seen, the published sheets are of uniform size, 

 though the detail of the map is carried only to the boundaries of the 

 commune and not to the sheet edge. Visible detail on the ground is 

 shown, and every enclosure bears a number. No levels are shown. A 

 criticism that we may make on these Italian cadastral plans is that no 

 scale is shown on them, nor any reference to conventional signs or ad- 

 joining sheets. It is very satisfactory to see this recognition in Italy 

 of the desirability of publishing cadastral maps, and the fact that this 

 new cadastral survey is based on the general triangulation, and that the 

 cadastral maps when available are used as the basis for 1 : 25,000 topo- 

 graphical maps, shows a degree of co-ordination and co-operation which 

 is not met with often in Europe. 



In Germany cadastral maps are for the most part regularly published 

 and put on sale. The scale is usually 1 : 2,500, but varies. Those speci- 

 mens that I have seen bear the appearance of being good and accurate 

 surveys, and the style of drawing and reproduction is first class. On 

 one old Prussian cadastral map I observed that figures denoting the area of 

 each enclosure were given ; but on the more modern version of the same 

 map only identification numbers are given, and this seems to be the usual 

 practice on all the German cadastral sheets seen. 



The practice in Europe with regard to revising cadastral maps varies, 

 but generally speaking it would seem that revision is neither systematic 

 nor adequate. In France revision has been neglected almost entirely. 

 In Italy the law of 1886 ordered that general revision was not to take 

 place for thirty years at least, which shows that revision was not considered 

 an important matter. In Wurtemburg revision is done by surveyors of 

 the Taxing Department, whether adequately or not is not known. In 

 Saxony it is done by private surveyors and is said to be unsatisfactory. 



In certain countries in Europe — for example, France and Belgium — 

 levelling is regarded as an independent operation and is carried on by 

 another department. 



In Europe then the practice seems to be (1) to have two departments, 

 one responsible for topographical, the other for cadastral work ; (2) in 

 some cases to have a third department responsible for levelling ; (3) to 

 keep up to date and publish topographical maps; (4) with certain excep- 

 tions to maintain cadastral maps in original only ; (5) to a large extent 

 to neglect the revision of cadastral maps. 



The Survey of Egypt has a wide reputation for excellence and efficiency, 

 and it is fair to note that its organisation and development are due almost 

 entirely to British control and supervision. In Egypt we find one Survey 

 Department, responsible for all survey operations, including levelling. 

 There is a complete series of topographical maps for the cultivated area 

 — an old series on 1 : 50,000 scale, which is being gradually replaced by a 

 new series on 1 : 100,000. (The reason for the adoption of the smaller 

 scale is that the new series will have separate English and Arabic editions, 

 whereas on the old the two languages were combined.) There is also a 

 1:25,000 topographical map. There is a complete old series of 1 : 2,500 

 cadastral maps, which will gradually be replaced by a new series on half 

 the scale (1 : 5,000) with, in addition, 1 : 1,000 M.S. plans, which are not to 



