30 Survey Department has been one of continuous professional development. Cadastral resurveys were made, with steadily increasing precision, of Sharqia and Beheira, and that of North G-harbia was in progress at the outbreak of war. TqpograiDhical maps of various scales and of a steadily rising standard were spreading over the country, and in 1913 the Survey took over the preparation of alignment plans in provincial towns. In 1912, the ourvey began to take over the expropriation of land for irrigation purposes, and in 1914 tlie transfer was complete. New responsibilities were undertaken, in conjunction with the departments concerned, for the safeguarding of the domains of the State, both public and private. The precise levelling of Egypt was completed in 1914, and at the outbreak of war the determinations of level, both of subsidiary bench marks and of cultivated land, were nearing completion. Geodetic triangulation was started, as well as other scientific activities, which were, in 1915, transferred (with their personnel and organisation), to the Public Works Ministry. Stores of information, both geographical and geological, as to deserts were being accumulated.

Early in the war, owing to the withdrawal from civilian service of several British officials who joined the army definitely, as well as of the considerable number who were lent, the British supervising staff for civilian work became very small. Accordingly, except foi’ a small staff carrying on the levelling, all the field staff was concentrated for purposes of control in the district survey offices and employed on the completion of the cadastral survey of North Gharbia, as well as the normal work of the department concerning the jiublic domain of the State. Since the armistice other activities have gradually been reopened, as supervising officials have returned to duty.

Apart from this normal work of the department, its functions have extended in certain new directions during the war. For several years past it has been becoming increasingly evident that, as conditions of time and expense had in the past prevented the permanent mai’king of survey reference points, it would in the near future be necessary to carry out a great programme of joerraanently marking and determining the positions of a systeiii of reference points. In this country of ill-defined and variable topographical features, such a system is a necessary condition for any reliable large scale survey work whatever, and though it is even now not clear what technical operators will be required of the Survey in connection with reform in the registration of deeds, it has long been clear that some operators will be required, and therefore that the establishment of a system of reference points is urgent. During the war, however, owing to the impossibility of securing suitable marks in sufficient quantity, nothing could be done beyond making a start at revising the triangulation. A quantity of marks has, however, been received in the past few months, and the work is now in progress.

In 1917-18, owing to the requirements of the Controller of Supplies, a survey of all the principal winter crops was carried out. Similar surveys were made in the summer of 1918, autumn of 1918 and winter of 1918-19.

At the request of the Public Works Ministry, levelling parties have been sent to the Soudan every winter but one since the outbreak of war. Lines of precise levelling have been carried to Makwar and Jebelein, and subsidiary bench marks and land levels have been determined over some 2*5 million feddans in the Gezira.

The growing needs for production of petroleum on a larger scale has led to the establishment of a definite body for petroleum research, which is associated with the Survey Department through its geological and topographical sections. The work undertaken has been recorded in a series of bulletins, of which five were issued in 1919, dealing with research in Sinai and near Qosseir. These include large scale maps of the areas studied, and on the results obtained boring operations have been initiated under the direction of the Department of Mines.

The Survey Department lent various aid to the military authorities. British officials of the department organised and directed the 7th Field Survey Company, which employed a large number of Egyptian chainmen. The department supplied all the maps of Egypt which were required by the military authorities, compiled and printed all the maps for the Gallipoli campaign, and supplied nearly all those used on the Sinai, Palestine and Syrian fronts, and a certain number for the Salonica front. A large amount of chart printing was done for the naval authorities. From January 1916 until the armistice an official of the Survey Department was lent to the British army to undertake the distribution of all the.maps required on neighbouring fronts, and from 1917 onwards all topographical information w.as collected and official topographical handbooks were written in the Map Office. Officials were also lent to serve, in various House of Commons Parliamentary Papers Online. Copyright (c) 2006 ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved.