History of the War in South Africa 1899-1902 v. 1 (of 4) Compiled by Direction of His Majesty's Government

Excerpt

MAPS TO VOLUME I.

Pains have been taken to embody in the maps all topographical information existing up to date. A very considerable amount of valuable triangulation has been executed over portions of South Africa, but no systematic detailed survey has ever been made by any of the South African colonies or states. Maps have, however, been compiled by both Cape Colony and Natal. The former has prepared and published a map extending north as far as Lat. 26° 30'; this includes the Bechuanaland Protectorate and the Orange River Colony, but the topographical detail shown over these two areas is exceedingly scanty. The scale of the map is one inch to 12.62 miles.

The Natal Government have a map similarly prepared and drawn in the office of the Inspector of Schools, and published on a scale of one inch to five miles. Both these maps are very fair general maps, and show with rough accuracy the railways, main roads and large rivers, but the delineation of hills is little more than suggestive.

Of the Orange Free State and Transvaal the only general maps published are based on the farm surveys. As these surveys show only those topographical features which serve to fix the farm boundary, omitting all other features, the map resulting from their compilation is not of much use, especially for military purposes.

Of the north of Natal there exists a series of one inch reconnaissance surveys of the communications from Ladysmith to the Orange Free State and Transvaal frontiers, with sketches of the whole of the Biggarsberg and Laing's Nek positions, made in 1896 by Major S. C. N. Grant, Royal Engineers, assisted by Captain W. S. Melville, Leicestershire regiment, and Captain H. R. Gale, Royal Engineers.

It is from these sources, as modified here and there by special surveys made during or since the war, that the general maps , , , and have been compiled.

Of the site of the battle of Talana no special survey has been made since the war, and map is a reproduction of a portion of Major Grant's reconnaissance sketch before referred to.

Maps , , and , of the battles of Elandslaagte, Rietfontein and Lombards Kop, are prepared from surveys made since the events occurred, by No. 4 Survey section, Royal Engineers, working under Captain H. W. Gordon, R.E., and maps and , of Stormberg and Colesberg, have been prepared also from sketches made by the same section.

Maps , , and , of Belmont, Graspan, Modder River and Magersfontein, are from sketches made by Nos. 2 and 3 Survey sections, under Captain P. H. Casgrain, R.E. The two sections on map are from drawings by Lieut. J. Cuthbert, Scots Guards.

Map No. , of Colenso, is from a sketch made immediately after the relief of Ladysmith by Major S. C. N. Grant, R.E., assisted by Captain P. McClear, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, and Lieut. S. A. Wilkinson, The King's (Liverpool) regiment, and the sections from a sketch by Lieut. M. G. Pollock, R.E.

In most instances the special survey of the site of the battle has had to be extended by enlarging portions of the general maps on smaller scales. This sometimes causes a difference in the amount of detail shown in different areas of the same map, but this is unavoidable if the map be made to illustrate, not only the action itself, but also the preceding and subsequent movements.

The six panoramic sketches embodied in this Volume are facsimile reproductions of a selection made from a number executed by the late Captain W. C. C. Erskine, Bethune's Mounted Infantry.

A.A.G.Assistant Adjutant-General.A.D.C.Aide-de-Camp.A.S.C.Army Service Corps.B.L.Breech-loading.Battn.Battalion.Brig. divn.Brigade division=2 batteries of horse, or 3 of field artillery, commanded by a Lieut.-Colonel. (The term has since been changed to "brigade.")Captn.Captain.C.B.Companion of the Order of the Bath.C.I.F.Cost, Insurance, Freight:i.e., under the contract so designated the price paid included the cost of the article, its insurance while on the voyage, and freight.C.M.G.Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George.Col.Colonel.C.O.Commanding Officer.Comder.Commander.Cos.Companies.Coy.Company.C.R.A.Commanding Royal Artillery.C.R.E.Commanding Royal Engineers.C.S.O.Chief Staff Officer.Cwt.Hundred-weight.D.A.A.G.Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General.D.A.A.G.I.Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General for Intelligence.Det.Detachment.D.C.L.I.Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry.D.G.O.Director General of Ordnance.G.O.C.General Officer Commanding.Govt.Government.H.L.I.Highland Light Infantry.H.M.S.His (or Her) Majesty's Ship.I.L.H.Imperial Light Horse.in.inch.I.S.C.Indian Staff Corps.K.C.B.Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath....