PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TILE C.O.885
18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
38
recess season will diminish the annual output of work; all experience goes to show that it tends rather to increase it.
As a corollary to this recommendation, to split up the work into defined field seasons, it follows that every precaution should be taken so as to arrange the field work for each party that it can be continued without intermission through the season. Great waste of time and money will take place if parties are moved about during their working period. If, for example, for political or economic reasons, it is desired to survey the estates in one particular part of the country, it should be accepted as a general principle that the work should be taken up in blocks, a block meaning a season's work for one party. In the case of the cadastral work, as will be seen later, this amounts to about 300 square miles, which may hence be taken as the minimum area which the Department should be asked to survey in any special district, i.e., a district selected for political rather than for technical reasons. The actual loss involved in moving a party in the middle of their season's work will be further referred to when dealing with the question of the cost of the cadastral work.
The Survey Department has suffered much through men being taken off their normal employment and put upon special work, generally speaking work which should legitimately fall to the Public Works Department, such as road and township surveys, and even the preparation of water-supply schemes. Thus at the present time (March, 1907), there are no less than three men, out of a total staff of fourteen, so employed outside the survey. Without in any way impugning the importance and urgency of the work upon which these men are engaged, it is obviously unfair upon the survey that its staff should be thus removed, diminishing the annual output of mapping and reducing the apparent efficiency of the Department, which latter is, furthermore, so small that it really cannot spare any men without disorganization. It is, therefore, strongly recommended that the Public Works Department be so strengthened that it can do its own survey work. Present requirements could
apparently be met by the appointment to it of two surveyors, and there need be no fear that work for them would run short,
With this improvement the whole of the survey staff can be continuously kept to their own work and it will be possible to organize them into definite parties.
With the present strength of 18 men, and allowing six months' leave in three years, or one-sixth of the staff absent at any given time, the actual effective strength in the country will be 15. These should be distributed as follows:--
Chief Surveyor, Assistant Chief Surveyor.-In office, on inspection work, and
on primary triangulation.
One topographical party-Of one theodolite hand and three surveyors. Two cadastral parties. Each of one theodolite hand and three surveyors. One surveyor on isolated estate work.
The output of work to be expected from such an establishment will be dealt with under the separate headings.
Should the financial condition of the Protectorate improve, a development which there is every reason to expect, it may be found possible in the future to make a substantial addition to the survey vote and thus accelerate the progress. case it would be advisable that any augmentation of the staff should take the form of In that extra complete parties of four men cach. No increase of staff for the Uganda Kingdom survey is now recommended, but in the event of many applications for land being received from Europeans, it will be desirable to employ extra men, tem- porarily, upon the requisite surveys. This would involve no increase of cost to the public, as in such cases the survey fees paid by the purchaser fully cover the cost incurred. Thus, at the present moment, there is the Mabira Forest Estate waiting survey. This is two to three years' work for one man, and a surveyor might advan- tageously be engaged at once to start upon it.
The custom of employing private licensed surveyors should not be introduced into Uganda. For the estate surveys, outside Uganda proper, it is necessary that three District Surveyors should be appointed to take charge of the work in Usoga, Unyoro, and the Nile Province, respectively. Of these Usoga is the most important, and it is recommended that this appointment be made forthwith, by the promotion of a selected member of the present staff and his replacement by a new man.
The
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similar appointments for the Nile and Unyoro Provinces can wait for a year or two.
- -Trigonometrical Work.
The principal triangulation of Uganda is well ahead of the topographical and cadastral work, an area of 5,000 square miles, out of a total of 16,300 miles, being now completed. A few of the triangles near Entebbe have only been observed with a 5-inch theodolite. As the longitude of the whole system depends upon the geodetic co-ordinates of the Anglo-German Boundary Commission's Station at. Entebbe, this point should be connected with the base at Busowa by a first-class chain, to which end it will be necessary to re-observe these triangles with the large theodolite.
The longitude of the initial point will thus be brought up from Zanzibar. through the German and boundary surveys, and only requires a slight adjustment to bring it into conformity with Clarke's figure of the earth. The necessary correction is now being computed and will be available in about a month. the whole system can then be accepted as final.
The co-ordinates of
The instrument used for the main triangulation has been a 10-inch micrometer theodolite, with which an average triangular error of 49 seconds of are has been realised. While amply accurate for all mapping purposes, it is obvious that this error is greater than should be obtained with such an instrument, a defect which is fully accounted for by the rough character of the signals employed. These are not nearly good enough for first-class work, and in the future a better form should be adopted. This improvement will make no appreciable difference to the speed or The computation forms hitherto used have been those of the Indian survey. This choice was practically forced upon the Department at the beginning owing to there having been no other forms available. Now, however, their use should be discontinued, and the forms issued by the School of Military Engineering substituted. With regard to the angle books, the same complaint is made here as in East Africa, viz., that they are too small. An angle book of foolscap size, for general use on
cost.
all African surveys, might with advantage be prepared.
The extension of the triangulation into other provinces can be taken up as opportunity offers, but it is not probable that financial considerations will allow of much being done in this direction within the next few years. In any case, it is hardly possible without increase of staff. When the time for such extension arrives,
it must be borne in mind that it is by no means necessary to cover the whole area with a complete network of principal triangulation, as is now being done in the case of the Kingdom of Uganda. Chains of main triangles, filled in with secondary work, with the limiting condition that no point on the map is more than 150 miles from a main chain, provide all the precision required. The remaining principal triangu- lation in Uganda proper can profitably be remodelled upon these lines.
For new work, the technical details can be taken as the same as those laid down for the East African survey, with the exception that, being a less open country and much liable to a troublesome haze, the lengths of the sides may be reduced in the proportion of about three in two, i.e.:—
Main chain triangles Topographical triangles
Topographical Work.
7 to 20 miles.
4 to 7
99
Three sheets, each 30 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, are now practically ready for publication, with the exception that the southern portion of the sheet abutting on the lake has been left uncompleted owing to the danger of sleeping sickness. As soon as the fundamental longitude is finally determined these sheets can be printed. It would appear that the surveyors have not always inserted the native tracks. These are very important and should invariably be shown. Without them a large portion of the usefulness of the map disappears. The heights and contours are based upon an assumed level of 3,730 feet for the zero of the gauge at Entebbe. Recent researches have shown that the true value is probably very nearly 3,720 feet, a figure which may now be assumed as the final working value, and which will also be adopted by the East African survey.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :--
TLC.O.885
18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
39
; for the Nile and Unyoro Provinces can wait for a year or
Trigonometrical Work.
angulation of Uganda is well ahead of the topographical and ea of 5,000 square miles, out of a total of 16,300 miles, being ew of the triangles near Entebbe have only been observed with As the longitude of the whole system depends upon the of the Anglo-German Boundary Commission's Station at hould be connected with the base at Busowa by a first-class : will be necessary to re-observe these triangles with the large
f the initial point will thus be brought up from Zanzibar, and boundary surveys, and only requires a slight adjustment nity with Clarke's figure of the earth. The necessary correction d and will be available in about a month. The co-ordinates of then be accepted as final. sed for the main triangulation has been a 10-inch micrometer h an average triangular error of 49 seconds of are has been ly accurate for all mapping purposes, it is obvious that this
hould be obtained with such an instrument, a defect which is the rough character of the signals employed. These are not or first-class work, and in the future a better form should be vement will make no appreciable difference to the speed or in forms hitherto used have been those of the Indian survey. ically forced upon the Department at the beginning owing to other forms available. Now, however, their use should be 'orms issued by the School of Military Engineering substituted. gle books, the same complaint is made here as in East Africa,
small.
An angle book of foolscap size, for general use on ight with advantage be prepared.
the triangulation into other provinces can be taken up as it is not probable that financial considerations will allow of his direction within the next few years. In any case, it is t increase of staff. When the time for such extension arrives, ind that it is by no means necessary to cover the whole area rk of principal triangulation, as is now being done in the case ada. Chains of main triangles, filled in with secondary work, lition that no point on the map is more than 150 miles from all the precision required. The remaining principal triangu- er can profitably be remodelled upon these lines.
technical details can be taken as the same as those laid down rvey, with the exception that, being a less open country and lesome haze, the lengths of the sides may be reduced in the ee in two, i.e. :—
iangles
triangles
Topographical Work.
7 to 20 miles. 4 to 7
وو
30 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, are now iblication, with the exception that the southern portion of he lake has been left uncompleted owing to the danger of pon as the fundamental longitude is finally determined these It would appear that the surveyors have not always inserted hese are very important and should invariably be shown. ortion of the usefulness of the map disappears. The heights upon an assumed level of 3,730 feet for the zero of the gauge searches have shown that the true value is probably very re which may now be assumed as the final working value, dopted by the East African survey.