TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEYS. 99 



to which point the pass had been surveyed in 1883-84 by Surveyor 

 Yusuf Sharif), but he obtained the heights of a number of points 

 along the pass and of several hill peaks, which will be useful in future 

 operations. 



In October 1888 an important reduction was made by Government 

 in the number of topographical parties, which were thereby brought 

 down to three in lieu of six. This involved the breaking up of 

 No. 16 party employed in Baluchistan, and a corresponding reduc- 

 tion in the amount of work turned out by No. 15 party, on whom 

 the entire duty of mapping out this important agency thus devolved. 

 Colonel Holdich took charge, and the equipment and stock were 

 brought from Mussourie to Quetta, which, thus became the head- 

 quarters of the Baluchistan Survey. In addition to the regular 

 work, Sub-Surveyor Ahmed Ali made an important and plucky 

 reconnaissance in Western Baluchistan, adding 19,000 square miles 

 of geographical information to our maps, aud practically completing 

 all that remained to be done in that direction. Lieutenant Mac- 

 kenzie, B.E., and Sub-Surveyor Imam Sharif, K.B., accompanied Sir 

 H. Prendergast during his tour in Zhob and Eastern Toba in July 

 1889, and surveyed about 1,100 square miles, and Assistant Surveyor 

 Yusuf Sharif, K.B., mapped a very large area of unknown country 

 in Persia for the Intelligence Branch of the Quartermaster General's 

 Department. On all three of these pieces of exploration separate 

 reports were submitted. In 1889-90, besides the regular topography 

 of Baluchistan, an area of 4,500 square miles was surveyed by 

 Colonel Holdich and Lieutenant Mackenzie while attached to Sir R. 

 Sandeman's expedition to the Zhob valley, and surveys were effected 

 in Western Makran and the Perso-Baluch frontier. 



Himalayas. — Since 1885 the party formerly employed in the 

 Darjeeling Survey, under Colonel Tanner, has been deputed to take 

 up the topography of the Hill States about Simla, and of the 

 Kangra district, on the 4-inch and 2-inch scales. The very 

 high mountainous regions, of which a fair proportion falls within 

 the area of operations, are dealt with on the 1-inch scale. A few 

 soldiers were attached to the party, to be trained in surveying, and 

 Colonel Tanner reported that the experiment answered well, four 

 men having acquired sufficient training in 1886 and 1887 to make, 

 under supervision, a fairly accurate map of any country they might 

 be called upon to survey. 



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