THE HANDY ATLAS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2745, 24 October 1906, Page 70

THE HANDY ATLAS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE.

(By J. G. Baktholomew, F.R.G.S.) London: George Newnes, Limited. Clotß^ Is net ; leather, 2s net. This elegant little work is the concrete embodiment of a happy thought evolved by tome wide-awake individual. The conception of an "all-red" atlasr was si really; capital idea, and one that has been effectively reduced to practical shape within the crimson leather casing of fchis fine example of the geographer's art. The scope of the work is plainly indicated by, the title, and, being a production of the Edinburgh Geographical Institute, it is hardly necessary to say that the maps and plans are clearly and beautifully reproduced, the great number of these latter being a valuable feature of this unique little atlas. A. large proportion/ — one may cay all at the chief cities and towns of the Empire are shown in neatly-tinted plans accurately, drawn to scale, and, so far as one can judge from known examples, very complete within the necessarily restricted available space. Of our New Zealand cities, Welling;-, ton and Dunedin are the chosen examples, and it is quite gratifying to see Knor Church, the Town Hall, the Museum, etc., all shown in their proper locations. Our, grand new railway station is not indicated 1 , nor is our gaol emphasised in any way, bufc those omissions are more than made up for by the prominence given to schools and churches. What a good dictionary helps us to in the definition of words, a well-made atlas does for us in the definition of places. This is a useful and educative function, and one that tends both to beget humility and! to widen the mental outlook. ,It is certainly a pity to be more ignorant than need be, and to remain without a good' comprehensive notion of what our owni world -wide Empire actually consists ofi would be deplorable now that tbe material of instruction is offered in so handy form and at an expense so trifling. In addition to the maps and plans there is a useful "Statistical Table of Countries of the British Empire," also a descriptive list in gazeteer form of British colonies and possessions. By reference to the table the reader can instantly find the date of acquisition, area in square miles, and population, of any one part of the many that collectively form the Empire. The descriptive list contains a great deal of well-condensed information about the topography, industries, exports, etc., of overseas Britain. The compiler seems to have erred in giving "live animals" as a chief export item of New Zealand, and omitting to mention frozen mutton. - Such a slip as this is probably rare, the list being evidently quite reliable in the main. There are also instructive tabular statements of trade with British and foreign countries, principal articles of import and export ol the United Kingdom, navies and armies of principal states, with comparative commerce of ditto. A useful list is that which shows the population of the largest towns of the Emnire. London leads fchtf wa-v with 6,587,372, and Jabalnur ends it with 90,316. It will be a surprise to some people to find that Glasgow stands fifth on the list. Livprpool beinp fourth, while Calcutta (1 .125,400) h second. This is one of those little treasures m hook-form that, once possessed, are rarely parted with by their owners.— Dinokxis.