154 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. II. No. 32. 



the area in question (as seen from diiferent 

 camera stations), tliey being studied in the 

 same way as the plane-tabler studies the 

 surroimding terrene to grasp its character- 

 istic forms and represent the same on the 

 map as a faithful translation. 



Among the advantages of applj^ing pho- 

 togTaphy, in the manner suggested, to sur- 

 veyiag are: 



1. "With the same material brought home 

 from the field, large or small scale maps can 

 be constructed, and the plotting can be 

 made detailed or generalized by deducing a 

 large or a small number of geodetic con- 

 ti'ol points from the photographs. 



2. The phototopographic map construction 

 can be carried on at the home office while 

 the observer remains in the field, sending in 

 the data as soon as they may be acquired. 

 This renders metrophotography especially 

 well adapted for the use of scientific ex- 

 plorers. 



3. The field season is reduced to a mini- 

 mum, no instrumental observations being- 

 required bej'ond the triangulation which 

 forms the basis for the map. Hence, this 

 method is to be recommended for surveys 

 in mountainous regions, in arid countries or 

 where fogs and smoke prevail, in short, 

 where it is desirable to gather much topo- 

 graphical information in a short time. 



Since this method has been developed it 

 has been used successfully by explorers, 

 topographers, military engineers, geologists, 

 hydrograjjhers, etc. 



It has been employed vnth marked suc- 

 cess for topograj)hical surveys of large areas 

 in mountain regions in Italy (Mil. Geog- 

 raphical Inst., L. P. Paganini), Austria 

 (Professor Steiner, Pollack, Haflerl, Hiibl, 

 Lechner, etc.); Canada (Capt. E. Deville, 

 Surveyor General); France (Col. A. Laus- 

 sedat; Commandants Javary, Moessard and 

 Le Gros; Dr. Le Bon, Ed. Monet, etc.); 

 and in Germany (Dr. Meydenbaur, Dr. 

 Doergens, Dr. Haiick, Dr. Vogel, Professor 



Jordan, Dr. Koppe, Dr. Pietsch, etc.). Al- 

 so for astronomical observations photog- 

 raphy has been applied in a similar manner 

 by M. G. Flammarion in France and bj' Dr. 

 Stolze and C. Runge in Germany. 



Phototopograph^' is being practiced now 

 in Greece, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Mexi- 

 co, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Switzerland, Eng- 

 land, and more recentlj' still in the United 

 States, although this art-science has been 

 taught, both in theory and practice, at the 

 Military Academy at "West Point by Lieut. 

 H. A. Eeed for several years past. 



The Coast and Geodetic Survey has, in 

 the past and in the present season, used the 

 phototopographic method in a modified form 

 for the topographical reconnoissance of re- 

 gions in southeastern Alaska; Avhile photo- 

 topography has been used exclusively by the 

 Dominion Land Surveyors for similar work 

 along the boundai-y between Alaska and. 

 British Columbia under Dr. W. F. King, 

 Commissioner to H. M. in 1893 and 1894. 



J. A. Flemer. 

 "Washington, D. C. 



TSE INTEBNATIOKAL CATALOGUE OF 

 SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE. 



The committee appointed by the Presi- 

 dent and Council of the Eoyal Society to en- 

 quire into and report upon the feasibility of 

 a catalogue of scientific literature through 

 international cooperation presented their 

 report on July 5th. It is as follows (we 

 quote from Nature) : 



At the first meeting of this Committee 

 (February 8, 1894), the Memorial to the 

 President and Council (Julj% 1893) which 

 led to the appointment of the Committee, 

 and the- Minute of Council of December 7, 

 1893, aj)pointing the Committee, having 

 been read, it was resolved to request the 

 President and Council to authorize the Com- 

 mittee to enter directly into communication 

 with societies, institutions, etc., in this 

 country and abroad, with reference to the 



