Geodetic Surveying, Topographical Work, and Map-Making in Madagascar, 1903

The year 1903 was a peculiarly fertile one in work pertaining to surveying, topographical, and ordnance maps in the different districts of Madagascar, by some of the most experienced and able officers of the army of occupation. To speak first of the geodetic survey of Madagascar. This has been carried out by three triangulations-one central, a line being drawn from Diego Suarez in the extreme north to Fort Dauphin, the two others along the coasts, and all connected by transversal section lines, so as to cover the whole island with a network of outlines, leaving the intermediate spaces to be filled up later on as information is forthcoming. Of these three systems of triangulation the central one and the west coast one (from Mojanga to St. Mary's Island) were surveyed previous to 1902. The third, which skirts the east coast, was undertaken in 1902, and surveyed over a distance of 1o6 miles, from Andovoranto to Mananjary, by officers of the French Colonial Artillery. Last year's work included the prolongation of this line from Mananjary southwards as far as Fort Dauphin, a distance of 248 miles, where it joined the central line drawn from Diego Suarez to that place; and the completion of a transversal section line from Fianarantsoa to Mananjary, which had been commenced in 1900

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