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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 57

Europe

Europe.

Europäische Gradmessung.—Das Schweizerische Dreieck netz herausgegeben von der Schweizerischen geodätischen Commission. Zweiter Band. Commission von S. Hühr, 1885.

The various items included in the present volume are:—1. A connection established between the new triangulation and the former base lines of Aarberg (Bern), Weinfelden (Zurich), and Bellinzona (Ticino). 2. A valuation of errors and their limits in the mensuration of the angles and the sides of triangles. 3. The connection of the new network of triangles with the points determined by independent observations, namely, Geneva, Neuchâtel, Bern, Zurich, the Weissen stein above Soleure, the stations on the Rigi, the Gæbris, and the Simplon. 4. The connection with the outward signals on foreign territory, the Feldberg in the Black Forest, the castle of Hohentwiel in Swabia, the Hersberg beyond the Lake of Constance, the Pfænder in the Vorarlberg, the Trélod in Savoy and the Colombier in the French Jura.

The primary triangles are 41 in number, and the primary stations 29, besides minor ones in the neighbourhood of the astronomical observatories.

The heights of some of them are as follows:—The Simplon, 6565 feet; Grieserhorn, 9022; Wasenhorn, 10,722; Schienhorn, 8662; Faulhorn, 9000; Mattwaldhorn, 10,729; Zurich Observatory, 1611; Neuchâtel Observatory, 1608; Berne Observatory, 1860, on 5° 6′ 9″ long. E. of Paris; Hasenberg, 2575; Baldenburg, 2667; Geneva Observatory, 1342; the Voirons, 4866; the Piton of Saléve, south of Geneva, 4524, on 3° 48′ 2″ long. E. of Paris.

Those stations are not always chosen on account of their absolute height, but for peculiar accidents of direction for the pointing of instruments. Besides a general map of the primary triangulation, there are 31 maps giving the details of the site of some of the stations.—[Paul Chaix.]

Neumann, [Dr.] C., and Partsch, [Dr.] J.—Physikalische Geographie von Griechenland., mit besondere Rücksicht auf das Alterthum. Breslau, W. Kölner: 1885, 8vo. and pp. xii. 476.

This is one of those special geographical works that are only possible in a country in which geography is recognised, encouraged, and endowed in the schools and universities as a branch of research on a footing of equality with other branches of science. Dr. Neumann formerly held the chair of geography in Breslau, which is now ably filled by Dr. Partsch. Those familiar with recent German geographical literature will be able to recall not a few works of a class similar to the present. In this country there is no encouragement to the production of such works.

The present work is based on the idea, hitherto very inadequately worked out, that the natural characteristics of a country are an important factor in the development of its civilisation. This, the authors think, was especially the case with those lands which were the scene of what is usually known as ancient history. In earlier antiquity the trade relations of the various peoples were so meagre that the physical conditions of their dwelling-place were predominant. Greece, the authors seek to show in their introduction, possessed the leading conditions for the rapid and many-sided development of a young civilisation:—the necessity and possibility of effort on the part of men to improve their surroundings; multiplicity of forms in surrounding nature; opportunity for active commercial intercourse. The authors then proceed to describe in detail the climate of Greece, pointing out that in antiquity the position of a country was of less importance for its development than at the present day. The heat, moisture, atmospheric pressure and movements in various parts of Greece are considered, and tables given. Chapter II. deals with the leading conditions of land and sea, and Chapter III. enters into details as to the relief of the land in the various divisions of ancient Greece. In Chapter IV. the geology of the country is treated with considerable minuteness; while Chapter V. deals with the vegetation on much the same scale.