1870.] The Surveys of India. 453 



the best maps made it exceed 400 miles. All the principal places 

 on the old maps, which had been fixed astronomically, were also 

 found considerably out of position: for example, Arcot was out 

 10 miles, and Hydrabad no less than 11 minutes in latitude and 

 32 minutes in longitude. 



For a long period the operations referred to above were fre- 

 quently interrupted by the disturbed political condition of the 

 country, which was often the scene of warlike operations; for it 

 was not until the Marquis of Hastings destroyed the Pindaree 

 confederacies in 1818 that the peninsula and Deccan settled down 

 into quiet and repose. The mysterious character of the instru- 

 ments and operations, as well as the planting of flags and signals, 

 always more or less awakened the apprehensions or excited the jea- 

 lousy of the native princes ; and it required, therefore, no ordinary 

 tact, firmness, and patience, in order to conciliate their good-will. 



Between the years 1802 and 1815, a network of triangles was, 

 under the superintendence of Colonel Lambton, carried over the 

 whole country as high as 18° latitude, whereby the peninsula was 

 completed from Goa on the west to Masulipatam on the east, with 

 all the interior country from Cape Comorin to the southern boun- 

 daries of the Nizam's and Mahratta territories. Subsequent to this 

 achievement, the great arc triangulation was extended nearly to 

 Takal Khera, in latitude 21° 6'. The greater part of the Nizam's 

 eastern territories were triangulated by meridional series between 

 the Kistnah and Godavery, and considerable progress was made in 

 the longitudinal series from the Beder base towards Bombay. The 

 area comprised by the whole of the operations prosecuted during 

 the time Colonel Lambton was superintendent aggregated 165,342 

 square miles. In October, 1817, the Marquis of Hastings, im- 

 pressed with the important utility of the trigonometrical survey, 

 resolved to transfer the control over its operations to the Supreme 

 Government of India, which took effect from the 1st January, 1818, 

 and Colonel (then Captain) Everest was appointed assistant to the 

 superintendent, whom he subsequently succeeded upon the death 

 of Colonel Lambton on the 20th January, 1823. Colonel Everest 

 first acted as chief assistant during the latter part of 1818, and he 

 was employed, in the first instance, in the triangulation of the 

 eastern parts of the Nizam's dominions, and subsequently on a 

 longitudinal series of the great triangles emanating from the Beder 

 base line towards Bombay. He was engaged on this important 

 work at the time of Colonel Lambton's death, by which event he 

 succeeded to the office of superintendent, and immediately proceeded 

 to concentrate the resources at his disposal on the extension of the 

 great arc series, which, after many difficulties, was at length carried 

 up to latitude 24°, where a base line was measured at Seronj. 



After this, Colonel Everest proceeded to England, returning 



