100
are too complicated for decision by private surveyors, and I do not think it possible. 'to depute to non-officials the settlement of boundary disputes, nor do I think that the native owners would accept such decisions as they would do if the work was carried on by Government surveyors. It must be remembered that there are no plans of these native estates of any value, and therefore the conditions are unique.
The solution of this most important matter is to be found in the appoint- ment of another Government surveyor, for whom there will always be ample work. If, as we hope, the Budonga and Bugoma Forests, or either of them, are leased, not one but several surveyors will be needed.
Entebbe,
18th February, 1911.
8732
R. C. ALLEN.
101
2. The report of the field operations during 1910 appears to be satisfactory. Mr. McCaw concludes his report by expressing the hope that it will be found possible to devote more time during the present year to the photo-topographic work. I desire to call attention to that portion of his report under the heading IX. Topography," and I shall be obliged if the Colonial Survey Committee may be requested to advise whether it is considered desirable to allow this branch of the Survey to interfere with and thus delay the completion of the ordinary trigono- metrical survey, having in view Mr. McCaw's remarks on the subject. The Com- missioner of Lands, in referring to the report, has expressed his doubt as to the utility of the described patches of photo-topographic survey with hundreds of acres of "dead country" between them.
3. In another report made recently, Mr. McCaw has intimated that he hopes to complete his field work about January, 1912, and to complete the work of com- putation in another four months.
No. 51. UGANDA.
I have, &c.,
F. H. MAY.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
T
Reference :-
C.O. 885
20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
(No. 134.) SIR,
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.
[Answered by No. 53.]
Downing Street, 17 April, 1911. HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Tomkins's despatch, No. 71, of the 21st of February,* transmitting a copy of the memorandum prepared by the Director of Surveys as to the employment of non-official licensed surveyors, in particular Mr. V. F. Mayne and Mr. Seth Smith.
2. There are obvious objections to employing licensed surveyors, especially when the experience of the East Africa Protectorate is borne in mind. At the same time, Mr. Mayne and Mr. Seth Smith are apparently well qualified for the work, and there is every reason to suppose that extra assistance will be required by the Director of Surveys from time to time.
3. After careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that the most satisfactory method of meeting the situation would be to give Mr. Mayne and Mr. Seth Smith "temporary " appointments under the Director of Surveys, to carry out definite surveys at definite rates, the payments to be subject to deductions for unsatisfactory work. Whilst so employed, these surveyors would be definitely placed under the orders of the Director of Surveys, who would lay down the methods to be used and the standards of accuracy, and in this way he would have the necessary control over their work.
4. In using the phrase "temporary " appointment, in the last paragraph, it should be clearly understood that these surveyors would be appointed only for employment on specific pieces of work for which members of the Survey Depart- ment cannot conveniently be spared, and not on temporary engagements in the ordinary sense of that term as applied to Government officials.
5. I should be glad if you would consider this suggestion and inform me whether you concur. In the event of your concurring, you may take the necessary steps at once to carry out the arrangement proposed.
I have, &c.,
16091
(No. 57.) SIR,
No. 52.
FIJI.
L. HARCOURT.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 16 May, 1911.)
Fiji, Government House, Suva, 12th April, 1911.
In accordance with standing instructions, I have the honour to transmit herewith a copy of the annual report received from the officer in charge of the Trigonometrical Survey of Viti Levu for communication to the Colonial Survey Committee.
• No. 50.
Enclosure 1 in No. 52.
REPORT OF TRIGONOMETRICAL SURVEY, VITI LEVU, FIJI, FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 318T, 1911:
I. Staff-The Staff consists of two Europeans as heretofore. During the hase measurement an additional Surveyor for the levelling operations was placed at the disposal of the Survey by the Commissioner of Lands. Except during the recess, from 20 to 40 porters have been employed, according to the nature of the work and the scene of operations. These are under a native chief, whose services have been valuable.
II. Lautoka Base. On May 16, immediately after the arrival of anti-friction pulleys from England, the clearing and pegging-out of this base was begun by Mr. Rimmer, and the measurement was commenced on May 24, the work being ) Duration. finally completed on June 18. The whole work consumed 67 man-days, equivalent to 22 days for a party of three.
The total cost was about £140, say £40 per mile, excluding expenditure on (2) Cost. instruments and terminals. Of the instruments only the tape, pulleys and ther- mometers belong to the Trigonometrical Survey.
The line follows a road for 2 miles, whence it crosses cane-fields and a deep (3) Nature creek, ending in a sharp ascent up an uncultivated ridge, where the grade rises. of terrain. steadily to a maximum of 17 per cent. The difference of height of terminals is 100 feet; Namoli Creek was crossed by a triangle, the forward side of which was computed from a line measured obliquely along the bank from the terminal of the previous section.
The Stanley apparatus used consisted of two marking tripods with microscopes (4) Ap- and micrometric scales and two straining trestles, which, being ordinary tripods, raids. are very unstable. The tape was the 100 feet by inch invar ribbon used on the Navua base. An inch at either end is coarsely divided to twenty-fifths-a very incon- venient graduation. The level used was a Stanley 13 inch, with so-called" stadia points," and the staff was of the ordinary telescopic pattern. On comparatively level ground the levels were read on "boning rods," which were actually the cross- heads of the apparatus used for supporting the heavy Stanley tape; a graduation was cut by hand on these and proved satisfactory.
Each reach was levelled independently, two measures being always made, except on steep grades, where three were deemed necessary. The maximum discrepancy between two levels of a section was 3 inches and the average 06 inch. (Excluding the maximum discrepancy above, the average was less than inch.) The difference between the forward and backward levels of the whole base was 29 inches (nearly all in the one section), equivalent to 1 in 80,000 of distance and 420 of height.
(5) Levelling.
(6) Line
The base was divided into 10 sections averaging less than 2,000 feet, each of which was measured forward and backward. Owing to the smallness of the Euro- measures. pean staff, the limited range of graduation on the tape, the ponderous nature of the marking tripods, and the limited number of these (2), progress was slow, averaging 2,200 feet per day on a basis of three whites. The maximum in one day was 3,800 feet. Twelve native porters were employed on the ground as assistants The maximum discrepancy between the two measures of a section was 0-1 inch (on
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