ii4 SECTIONAL ADDRESSES 



done by parties of Royal Engineers. It could be done equally well in that 

 way now. Why is it not being done ? It is not because these African 

 Colonies are ' rich enough to survive the handicap of inadequate mapping,' 

 and it is not because we do not want the invaluable training for those who 

 might have to map in war. It was, indeed, lucky that we had had that train- 

 ing in the pre-war period, for the officers and men so trained quickly raised 

 our war mapping (and kindred matters) to the highest level amongst not 

 unskilful rivals. The War Office has now 30 officers of the Royal 

 Engineers engaged on survey work. This is less than one-third of the 

 pre-war number, and includes just four who are learning, under the 

 proper conditions, how to survey under difficulties. The remainder are 

 busy on the surveys of Great Britain and India in the Geographical Section 

 and in training establishments. Nevertheless the War Office wants the 

 training, the Colonies want the mapping, and Africa is still with us. 

 Incidentally one of the most obvious jobs is to revise the maps made in 

 the pre-war period, and very easy it would be. Let us hope that an 

 equitable bargain may soon be struck ! 



Although the advantages of a topographical survey are difficult to bring 

 home to the public, and to the administration, both seem content to pay 

 large sums for surveys disguised under other budgets. Almost every 

 colony has authorised special surveys for railways, roads, water projects, 

 draining schemes, and the like. These special surveys would, in large 

 part, be avoided by good mapping, and they are unpublished and play no 

 part in the general development. Yet it is not to be wondered at if we 

 reflect that Great Britain paid two million pounds for a poor collection 

 of tithe maps (also unpublished) rather than begin that large scale ordnance 

 survey, which had to be begun shortly afterwards. There is one of our 

 most charming West Indian Islands which insists on remaining unmapped, 

 and which burdens the fruit industry with an annual expenditure of some 

 thousand pounds for its own (unpublished) mapping. In Africa the 

 geologists, I am sure much against their better judgment, are often made 

 to turn themselves into topographers, and are sometimes given trained 

 topographers to supervise. The results of such labours are also un- 

 published surveys and also a subterfuge for putting off the inevitable. 

 But no doubt geology brings up delicious thoughts of gold or copper, 

 and a booming budget ! 



Another post-war factor of significance is a change in the practice of 

 boundary demarcation. In many recent instances local officials have 

 been employed, instead of imperial parties. Often when this has been 

 done we have failed to secure the proper mapping of the boundary. The 

 geographical results have fallen off not owing to any lack of ability on the 

 part of the survey staff, but because they cannot supply topographers 

 unless Royal Engineers are attached to the party. Thus, whilst the later 

 period has given us 4,600 miles of boundary determination in Africa, it 

 has given us no more than 3,500 miles of reasonable topography, and 

 that much restricted in depth. Boundary demarcation is one of the finest 

 trainings in quick triangulation and mapping that the world affords. Yet 



