|
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
|