INTERCOLONIAL EXHIBITION.2
Report of Sub-committee appointed to draw up Suggestions relative to the Preparation of a Physical Atlas of Australasia.
In accordance with a request from the Commission for the Intercolonial Exhibition we have the honor to submit the result of our reference to a proposition, emanating from His Excellency the Governor of Tasmania,3 that the material of practical information and utility to be brought together by the forthcoming Exhibition might be utilized for the issue of a Physiographical Atlas of Australia and New Zealand.
We regard His Excellency's suggestion eminently deserving of attention, it being especially understood that the information to be concentrated would be sought not merely within the range of the Exhibition.
A complex of extensive information can in no way be brought readier at a glance before the mind than in the form indicated, as is well demonstrated by Alexander Keith Johnston's Physical Atlas of the Globe.4 In no way could the mass of heterogeneous knowledge now extant on the nature and productions of the great countries we occupy be more easily blended and more conveniently rendered available than in the form of a Physiographic Atlas.
The second suggestion of the Governor of Tasmania, that a volume of statistics might simultaneously be compiled, would perhaps be carried into effect by appending statistical tables in further elucidation of the proposed series of maps.
Before we enter on an exposition in what limitation the subjects of the Atlas might be fused into pages, we feel it incumbent on us to point out that to collect for mapping and tabulation materials so extensive will necessarily involve lengthened considerations and laborious research, so much so that to do justice to the task, and to bring the information in consonance with the requirements of the present day, would need speedy action, should it be desired to render such an Atlas already available before the close of the French Exhibition.5
To secure concise briefness the subjects might perhaps be distributed into ten maps.
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(1.) |
Geographical map, with indication of river- and mountain-systems, and of elevations, and of records of oceanic currents. |
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(2.) |
Geological map, with special oryctognostical references. |
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(3.) |
Palæontological map, both phytologicial and zoological. |
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(4.) |
Phytological general map, with special dendrological references. |
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(5.) |
General zoological map. |
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(6.) |
Climatological map, embracing the isotherms, isotheres, isochimenes, hyeotographic, magnetic, and tidal indications, and records of aerial currents and pressure. |
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(7.) |
Ethnological map, including linguistic references. |
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(8.) |
Map indicating the ascertained agricultural and horticultural capabilities of varied geological and climatological regions, and their probable adaptability to plants still to be introduced. |
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(9.) |
Map indicating the pastoral capabilities of varied geological and climatological regions, and their probable adaptability to animals to be introduced. |
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(10.) |
Statistical map, setting forth main data concerning the present condition of these colonies. |
The expenditure of such an Atlas, even if unnecessary elegance would be avoided, must unquestionably be considerable, chromo-typic printing being required. But if the various colonial Governments could be induced to share in the expenditure for the edition of a work in which all must have a vivid and united interest, the subsidy from each colony need not be large, and might be at least partly refunded by sale.
For affording every opportunity to collect material we would further recommend the transmission of a series of blank-maps to each Government, with a view of seeing these maps filled up with all the reliable notes which in local documents and observations might be extant, whereby, however, completeness should always be sacrificed to correctness.
Whoever in each department of science may be entrusted with the task to bring these fragments of information into conformity, would also generalize thereon, in a corresponding page of concise explanatory letter-press, and would augment the material for the map from every available extraneous source.
In the Physiographic Atlas thus emanating we would possess a work which would give a comprehensive and truthful picture of the knowledge hitherto actually obtained of these Australian countries, a work which might be a guide even for progressive colonization, a record which, in renewed editions, would keep pace with the advancement of discovery, and on which researches of a more extended scope and of a more enlarged tendency could be based.
The edition of the work itself might be allotted to a council of those men of science, on whom here finally the elaboration of each special division of the Atlas would devolve.
JOHN J. BLEASDALE, D.D.
FREDERICK McCOY.
FERD. MUELLER.6
Please cite as “FVM-66-08-00a,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora†, J.H. Voigt† and Monika Wells accessed on 28 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/vonmueller/letters/66-08-00a