button to main menu  Gents Mag 1747 p.597

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Gentleman's Magazine 1747 p.597

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County Maps


An Account of preparations made by F. CAVE, for a new set of COUNTY MAPS.

IT having long been the desire of all lovers of geographical exactness to see a more correct set of county maps than any hitherto published, he has had for some years past in view such an attempt, thinking it also a matter of concern that our own country should not be more truly described. As he talked of the Magazine above four years before he began it, so this scheme was no secret; and some persons, according to what now appears, being more eager to get the start, than solicitous to obtain such improvements as he proposed, it may not be improper to make publick what he has done towards this desirable and elaborate work, and then give some instances that Haste in this affair is inconsistent with Accuracy.
1. Many journies have been taken with the measuring wheel, at no trifling expence, thro' various parts of the kingdom, for the purpose before mentioned, together, indeed, with the pleasures of seeing countries, men and cities; in which journies various enquiries were made, the course of roads and distances of places noted, cities measured, and towns plann'd.
2. He has further been at the charge of particular observations and surveys by different persons, eminently skilled in the business, in order to adjust the junctions of counties, take the angles &c of roads, and bearings of the sea coast.
3. It being necessary, for fixing the true situation of place throughout England, to determine the difference of the meridians of London and Edinburgh, (which had not been before done,) an ingenious gentleman, moved by a zeal for the truth of the work, more than a view to self-interest, was pleased to go to Edinburgh in the year 1746, solely for that end. He waited for a fine day, took his observations at the castle there, and
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