—The lettering of a plan, map, or drawing of any kind,
occupies a prominent and conspicuous position, and may be considered
as forming an essential part of the drawing. It is, therefore, obvious
that the character of the lettering, and the degree of finish introduced
into its execution, will have an important influence on the general
appearance of the drawing. Nothing detracts more from the value of
a map, considered as a work of art, than a bad style of lettering, while,
on the other hand, a well-chosen and well-executed style is both
pleasing to the eye, and produces on the mind an impression of accuracy
in the more important features of the work. Hence it is not
merely desirable, but necessary, that the draughtsman should acquire
the ability to form letters correctly and neatly, especially if he be
engaged on topographical drawings, into which lettering enters very
largely.
The formation of letters requires great attention and long practice.
It is not a matter in which much assistance is to be derived from
descriptions or written instructions of any kind; practice alone from
good models will give the requisite skill. The difficulty of forming
the letters correctly and of uniform dimensions may, however, be considerably
lessened by using guide lines drawn in pencil, to be afterwards
erased. Such lines are called construction lines, and the mode
of employing them is shown in Plate 4. A careful study of this
Plate will give the student a clear understanding of the use of these
lines, which could not be imparted by pages of description. A reference
to the letters B, E, and T, in connection with the construction lines will
show most readily the nature and the degree of assistance afforded by
the latter.
In making capitals, each letter must be sketched in pencil; the
outline must then be drawn in ink with a firm and steady line, and
afterwards filled up with the pen. In forming the small roman
and italic letters, three construction lines are drawn, the lower two
to limit the height of the ordinary letters, and the upper one to limit
the height of such letters as d and l, and the capitals. The heavy
parts of these letters are made at once by a bold pressure of the pen.
The curved portions should be carefully distinguished from the straight.
The letters a, c, g, o, s, &c., for example, are composed wholly of curved
lines. They should be drawn symmetrically, and their width should
be only a little less than their height. The round portion of the g
should not quite reach to the lower line. A perfect regularity should
be maintained throughout the letters, as the beauty of their appearance
depends greatly on this. Care must also be taken, in italic
writing, to keep the inclination the same everywhere. Manuscript
lettering should be more extended than the clear roman or italic type,
for crowding greatly mars its appearance.
The character of the letters employed should be in accordance
with that of the drawing upon which they are to appear. Thus for
engineering and mechanical drawings, there is nothing more suitable
generally than the plain block letter. But on drawings of a more
artistic and ornamental character, a more elaborate form of letter may
and should be used. And of these elaborate forms, there will always
be one more suitable than the rest to the particular character of the
drawing. The choice of this form is a matter to be left entirely to
the judgment and the taste of the draughtsman.
Another matter on which the draughtsman will have to exercise
his judgment is the size of the letters employed. This must manifestly
be in accordance, first, with the character of the object denoted, and,
second, with the scale of the drawing. With regard to the former of
these conditions, it is obvious that propriety will demand a larger
letter for the city than the town, for the town than the village, for
the village than the farm, and for the mansion than the gate-lodge.
This propriety of relative importance must be everywhere observed.
The different types of lettering are arranged in the order of importance
as follows:—1, The upright capital; 2, the inclined capital; 3, the
upright roman, or ordinary small type; and 4, the small italic. The
draughtsman will have to exercise his judgment in suiting the size to
the scale of the map, but the following Table may be taken as a general
guide:—
| Scale. |
Height of Upright Capitals. |
Height of Small Roman. |
| 1⁄600, |
or one inch to fifty feet. |
Six-tenths of an inch. |
Twelve-hundredths of an inch. |
| 1⁄2640, |
or two feet to a mile. |
Four |
„„ |
Eight |
„„ |
| 1⁄5280, |
or one foot to a mile. |
Three |
„„ |
Six |
„„ |
| 1⁄10560, |
or four inches to a mile. |
Two |
„„ |
Four |
„„ |
The thickness of the capital should be one-seventh of the height.
As far as practicable, the lines of lettering should be parallel to
the base of the drawing. Frequently, however, cases will occur in
which it will be desirable to letter in other directions and in curved
lines. In writing along a curved or very irregular outline, the course
of a river or the boundary of an estate, for example, an agreeable effect
is produced by making the lines of lettering conform in some degree
with the outlines against which they are written.
The arrangement of the letters in titles and the effective disposition
of the words are also matters requiring great care and some
taste. The design and the execution of the title afford another opportunity
of enhancing the beauty of a drawing by a display of striking
arrangement and appropriate ornamentation. Plates 7 and 8 show
some useful models for plans, and Plate 25 contains some specimens
of flourishes which may frequently be introduced with pleasing
effect. The form which the title shall assume and the space which
it shall occupy must be determined before beginning to put it upon
the drawing. To avoid erasures, it is well to sketch roughly upon
a piece of paper, a trial title, emendations in which can be easily
made. When found satisfactory, draw a vertical centre line, which
should pass through the middle letter of each line. Apply this centre
line to the centre line of the title on the drawing, and lightly mark in
with the pencil the position of each letter. When this method is not
adopted, the middle letters should be put in first upon the centre line,
and the others afterwards inserted from left to right, and from right
to left.
In maps, the title may be placed outside the border if it consist
of one line only, but if it occupy more than one line, it should be
placed within the border. Generally, it should be placed in one of the
corners of the map, and its size should bear some proportion to that of
the map. The letters composing the name of the locality, which is
usually the most important word, should not exceed in height three-hundredths
of the length of the short side of the border. The letters of
the other words will vary in size according to their relative importance.
—Plain borders usually consist of two lines, the outer
one heavy, and the inner one light. The heavy line should be equal
in breadth to the blank space between it and the light line, and the
total breadth of the border, that is, of the two lines and the space
between them, should be one hundredth part of the length of the
shorter side. Ornamental corners may be made to embellish a drawing
considerably, and they afford some scope to the fancy and the taste of
the draughtsman. Several examples of borders and ornamental
corners will be found in the accompanying Plates.
—The meridian or north and south line is an indispensable
adjunct to every topographical drawing. When the extent
of country represented is considerable, it is usual to make the top of
the map the north, and in such a case the side border lines are meridian
lines. Frequently, however, in plans, the shape of the ground does
not admit of this arrangement, and then it becomes necessary to mark
a meridian on some part of the map. This line is usually made a conspicuous
one, and its north extremity is often ornamented with some
fanciful device. The ornamentation of the meridian line should be in
keeping with the rest of the map. Plate 9 contains several examples
which may be adopted or modified as deemed desirable.
To all drawings which do not show the full size of the objects
represented, it is necessary to affix the scale according to which the
objects are drawn. Such a scale is called a scale of lengths or distances,
because, by means of it, the distance from one point to
another is ascertained. The scale of distances does not contain
very minute subdivisions, and consequently is not suitable for use
in constructing the drawing. For the latter purpose, another scale,
similarly but more minutely divided, is employed, and is known
as the scale of construction. A familiarity with the modes of constructing
both of these scales should be early acquired by the young
draughtsman.
—One means of denoting the scale of a drawing
is furnished by what is called its representative fraction, the denominator
of which shows how many times greater the actual length is than that
in the drawing. Thus a scale of 1⁄24 shows that 1 inch on the drawing
represents 24 inches on the object; in other words, that the object is
twenty-four times larger than the drawing. But in addition to this
representative fraction, it is usual to affix a graduated straight line,
termed a scale, for the purpose of conveniently measuring distances
upon it. It is manifest that the unit of length in this scale must bear
the same ratio to the real unit of length that a line in the drawing
bears to the line which it represents. Thus if the representative
fraction be 1⁄24, 1 inch on the scale will represent 2 feet.
Scales of distances are usually of such a length as to be a multiple
of 10 linear units of some kind, as 100 miles, 50 chains, 20 feet;
and this length should also be such as to allow of long lines being
taken off at one measurement. To construct the scale, two light lines
should be drawn at a suitable distance apart, and below the lower of
these lines and at a distance from it equal to one-third of the space
between them, a third and heavy line should be drawn. The primary
divisions may then be made with the compasses in the following
manner. Supposing the number of divisions to be five, open the
dividers to what appears to be the fifth part of the line, and step this
distance along the line; if the fifth step exceed or fall short of the
end of the line, close or open the dividers 1⁄5 of the distance, and repeat
the trial. This is the quickest and, for large divisions, the most
accurate method of dividing a line. To render the divisions more
distinct, draw a heavy line between the two light lines in alternate
divisions. The left-hand division must be subdivided into the units
or lesser measures of which it is made up. For example, if the
primary divisions are each of 10 feet, the subdivisions will be feet;
if they represent feet, the subdivisions will be inches, and so on.
The subdividing should be performed in the following manner.
Having erected a perpendicular of indefinite length from the left-hand
extremity of the scale, take with the compasses from any scale
the number of divisions into which it is required to divide the part.
With this distance in the compasses, strike, from the first primary or
zero division, an arc cutting the perpendicular, and join the point of
intersection to the centre from which the arc is struck. Thus we shall
have a right-angled triangle formed of the first primary division of the
scale, the perpendicular and the radius, the latter being the hypothenuse
(see Fig. 79). Mark on the hypothenuse the divisions to
which it was made equal, and from the points of division let fall
perpendicular lines upon the scale. These will divide the latter into
the required number of equal parts. The length of the hypothenuse
should be so chosen as to make an angle not greater than 50° with
the base.
The total length of the scale will be determined by the greatest
length which it is required to read off at once, and in the following
manner. Thus, let it be required to construct a scale of 1⁄24,
= 1⁄2 inch to
the foot, to show 12 feet. Here ·5 inch : x inches :: 1 inch : 12 inches;
whence x = 12 × ·5 = 6 inches. This distance of 6 inches must,
therefore, be set off upon the lines intended for the scale, and divided
in the manner described above. Again, to construct a scale of
1⁄10560, = 6 inches to a mile, to show 100 chains. Since 6 inches
represents 5280 feet or 5280⁄60 = 80 chains, the proportion becomes
6 : x :: 80 : 100; whence x =
600⁄80 = 71⁄2 inches. If the scale is 1⁄3960 =
16 inches to a mile, = 5 chains to an inch, and the distance to be
shown is 30 chains, we have 1 : x :: 5 : 30; or x =
30⁄5 = 6 inches.
In a scale of 10 yards to the inch, for example, the representative
fraction is 10 × 3 × 12 = 1⁄360. So, on the
contrary, 1⁄360 = 360⁄36 =
10 yards to the inch. Sometimes it is required to construct a comparative
scale, that is, a scale having the same representative fraction,
but containing other units. Thus suppose, for example, we have
a Russian plan on which is marked a scale of archines measuring a
length of 50 archines. It is required to draw upon this plan a comparative
scale of yards, upon which a distance of 50 yards may be
measured. The Russian archine = ·777 yard. Hence we have the
proportion 50 : x :: ·777 : 1, whence x =
50⁄777 = 64·35 archines.
Measure off this length from the Russian scale, and upon it construct
the English scale in the manner already described. This scale
may then be used to measure distances on the plan.
Amongst Continental nations, decimal scales are usually employed,
which are far more convenient in practice than those involving the
awkward ratios of miles, furlongs, chains, yards, feet, and inches. The
decimal scale has also been adopted for the United States’ Coast Survey,
the smallest publication scale of which is 1⁄30000; this is also the scale
of the new map of France.
In choosing a scale, regard must be had alike to the purposes for
which the drawing is intended, and to the nature and the amount of
detail required to be shown. Thus a larger scale is required in plans
of towns than in those of the open country; and the smaller and more
intricate the buildings, the larger should the scale be. Also a plan to
be used for the setting out of works should be to a larger scale than
one made for parliamentary purposes.
The following Tables, given by Rankine in his ‘Civil Engineering,’
enumerate some of the scales for plans most commonly used in Britain,
together with a statement of the purposes to which they are best
adapted.
| Horizontal Scales. |
| Ordinary Designation of Scale. |
Fraction of real Dimensions. |
Use. |
| 1.— |
1 inch to a mile |
1⁄63360 |
|
Scale of the smaller Ordnance maps of Britain. This scale is well adapted for maps
to be used in exploring the country. |
| 2.— |
4 inches to a mile |
1⁄15840 |
|
Smallest scale permitted by the Standing Orders of Parliament for the deposited
plans of proposed works. |
| 3.— |
6 inches to a mile |
1⁄10560 |
|
Scale of the larger Ordnance maps of Great Britain and Ireland. This scale, being
just large enough to show buildings, roads, and other important objects distinctly in their true forms
and proportions, and at the same time small enough to enable the eye of the engineer to embrace the plan
of a considerable extent of country at one view, is on the whole the best adapted for the selection of
lines for engineering works, and for parliamentary plans and preliminary estimates. |
| 4.— |
6·366 inches to a mile |
1⁄10000 |
|
Decimal scale possessing the same advantages. |
| 5.— |
400 feet to an inch |
1⁄4800 |
|
Smallest scale permitted by the Standing Orders of Parliament for “enlarged
plans” of buildings and of land within the curtilage. |
| 6.— |
6 chains to an inch |
1⁄4752 |
|
|
- |
Scale answering the same purpose. |
| 7.— |
15·84 inches to a mile |
1⁄4000 |
Scales well suited for the working surveys and land plans of great engineering
works, and for enlarged parliamentary plans. |
| 8.— |
5 chains to an inch, or 16 inches to a mile. |
1⁄3060 |
| |
|
|
(Scale 8 is that prescribed in the Standing Orders of Parliament for “cross
sections” of proposed railways, showing alterations of roads.) |
| 9.— |
25·344 inches to a mile |
1⁄2500 |
|
Scale of plans of part of the Ordnance survey of Britain, from which the maps before mentioned
are reduced. Well adapted for land plans of engineering works and plans of estates. |
| 10.— |
200 feet to an inch |
1⁄2400 |
|
Scale suited for similar purposes. Smallest scale prescribed by law for land or contract plans in Ireland. |
| 11.— |
3 chains to an inch |
1⁄2376 |
|
Scale of the Tithe Commissioners’ plans. Suited for the same purposes as the above. |
| 12.— |
100 feet to an inch |
1⁄1200 |
|
Scale suited for plans of towns, when not very intricate. |
| 13.— |
88 feet to an inch, or 60 inches to a mile. |
1⁄1080 |
|
Scale of the Ordnance plans of the less intricately built towns. |
| 14.— |
63·36 inches to a mile |
1⁄1000 |
|
Decimal scale having the same properties. |
| 15.— |
44 feet to an inch, or 120 inches to a mile. |
1⁄528 |
|
Scale of the Ordnance plans of the more intricately built towns. |
| 16.— |
126·72 inches to a mile |
1⁄500 |
|
Decimal scale having the same properties. |
| 17.— |
30 feet to an inch |
1⁄360 |
|
|
- |
Scales for special purposes. |
| 18.— |
20 feet to an inch |
1⁄240 |
| 19.— |
10 feet to an inch |
1⁄120 |
| |
|
|
| Vertical Scales. |
| Ordinary Designation of Vertical Scale. |
Fraction of real Height. |
Horizontal Scales with which the Vertical Scale is usually combined. |
Exaggeration. |
Use. |
| |
|
|
from |
|
| 1.— |
100 feet to an inch |
1⁄1200 |
1⁄15840 |
to |
1⁄10560 |
13·2 |
to |
8·8 |
|
Smallest scale permitted by the Standing Orders of Parliament for sections of proposed works. |
| 2.— |
40 feet to an inch |
1⁄4800 |
1⁄4800 |
to |
1⁄3960 |
10 |
to |
8·25 |
|
Smallest scale permitted by the Standing Orders of Parliament for cross sections showing alterations of roads. |
| 3.— |
30 feet to an inch |
1⁄360 |
1⁄3960 |
to |
1⁄2376 |
11 |
to |
6·6 |
|
|
- |
Scales suitable for working sections. |
| 4.— |
20 feet to an inch |
1⁄240 |
1⁄3960 |
to |
1⁄2376 |
16·5 |
to |
9·9 |
| |
|
|
|
|
The vertical scale, or scale of heights, is always much greater
than the horizontal scale or scale of distances, and the proportion in
which the vertical scale is greater than the horizontal, is called the
exaggeration of the scale. This exaggeration is necessary, because
the differences of elevation between points on the ground are in
general much smaller than their distances apart, and would therefore,
without exaggeration, be unapparent, and also because, in the
execution of engineering works, accuracy in levels is of more importance
than accuracy in horizontal positions.
—Scales of construction are intended to
afford means of measuring more minute quantities than scales of
distances. Of the former there are two kinds, known respectively
as the Diagonal and the Vernier scale. The diagonal is the more
frequently employed. Its construction involves no peculiar difficulty,
as it consists simply of an ordinary scale of distances, with the addition
of a number of parallel lines crossed by other parallel lines drawn
diagonally from the smaller points of division. An example will best
show the construction and mode of using this scale. Suppose it to be
required to construct a scale of 10 miles to the inch, showing furlongs
diagonally; the scale to measure 50 miles. Here 1 : 10 :: x : 50,
whence x = 5 inches. Divide this length of 5 inches into five equal
parts, and the first part into tenths to show miles, in the manner
already described for scales of distances. Then, since it is required to
show furlongs or eighths of a mile, eight equidistant parallel lines
must be drawn above the scale, at a convenient interval apart, as
shown in Fig. 80. Produce the primary points of division to meet
the top parallel; and from the last secondary point of division draw a
line to the point in which the extreme primary division meets the top
parallel. Draw from the other points of division, lines parallel to this
one, and the scale will be complete. It will be seen that the inclined
lines are the diagonals of the rectangular figures formed by the top
and bottom parallels and vertical lines drawn from the smaller points
of division.
To use this scale, suppose a length of 24 miles 5 furlongs is
required. Place one leg of the dividers upon the point in which the
fourth diagonal intersects the fifth parallel, and extend the other to
the point in which the primary division marked 20 intersects the
same parallel. In like manner, if the distance required be 33 miles
3 furlongs, it must be taken from the intersection of the third diagonal
with the third parallel, to the intersection of the primary division
marked 30 with the same parallel.
It is obvious that if a scale of feet showing inches diagonally be
required, twelve equidistant parallel lines must be drawn instead of
eight as in the foregoing example where furlongs are required. The
diagonal scale possesses the important advantages of accuracy and
distinctness of division which render it very suitable as a scale of construction.
Another practical advantage is that it is less rapidly
defaced by use than the other kinds, in consequence of the measurements
being taken on so many different lines.
The construction of the vernier scale is similar to that of the
graduated arcs of surveying and astronomical instruments. The principle
of the vernier is as follows. If a line containing n units of
measurement be divided into n equal parts, each part will, of course,
represent one unit; and if a line containing n + 1 of these units be
also divided into n parts, each part will be equal to
n + 1n units; and the
difference between one division of the latter and one of the former
will be x + 1n
- 1 = 1⁄n
of the original unit. Similarly, the difference
between two divisions of the one and two of the other will be 2⁄n of a
unit, between three of the one and three of the other, 3⁄n, and so on.
Hence, to obtain a length of x⁄n of a unit, we have only to make
a division on one scale coincide with one on the other scale; the
space between the two corresponding xth divisions from this on both
scales will be the required length of 2⁄n of a unit. The same reasoning
will evidently hold good if a length equal to n - 1 be taken.
To show how the foregoing principle is applied in practice, we
will take an example. It is required to construct a scale of 1⁄100 to show
feet and tenths of a foot. Construct a scale in the ordinary way, and
subdivide it throughout its whole length, as shown in Fig. 81; then
each division will show one foot. Above the first primary division,
draw a line parallel to the scale and terminating at the zero point. From
the zero point, set off on this line towards the left a distance equal to
eleven subdivisions, and divide this distance into ten equal parts. Now,
as eleven divisions of the plain scale have been divided into ten equal
parts on the vernier, each division on the latter will represent 11⁄10 = 1·1
of that on the former; and as the divisions of the plain scale represent
feet, those of the vernier will represent 1·1 foot. Consequently,
the distances from the zero of the scale to the successive divisions
on the vernier are 1·1, 2·2, 3·3, 4·4, 5·5, 6·6, 7·7, 8·8, 9·9, and
11 feet. It will be seen that the divisions of the two scales are made
to coincide at the zero point.
The mode of using this scale will be seen from the following
example. Let it be required to take off a distance of 26·7 feet. From
zero to the 7th division of the vernier is, as we have seen, 7·7 feet.
Therefore, to ascertain how far to the right of zero we must go to
obtain the distance of 26·7 feet, we must subtract 7·7 from that
distance, which gives 19. Thus to take off the distance, one leg of
the dividers must be placed on the 7th division of the vernier, and the
other on the 19th division of the plain scale. If the distance to be
taken were 27·6 feet, one leg of the dividers would have to be placed
on the 6th division of the vernier, and the other on the (27·6) -
(6·6) = 21st division of the plain scale.
To construct a scale to show feet and inches, make the vernier
equal to thirteen divisions of the plain scale and divide it into twelve
equal parts. Each of these divisions will then represent 13⁄12 = 11⁄12 of a
foot.
Scales of construction may be purchased upon box-wood or ivory,
but where great accuracy is important, it is best to lay down the scale
upon some part of the drawing, as in such a case it expands and contracts
with the drawing under the influence of moisture.
Examples of scales of distances will be found on Plates 8 and 9.
The transference of the measurements determined by the survey
from the field-book to the paper is termed plotting. The operations
of plotting are very simple, and the ability to perform them properly
may be acquired with a little practice. But their due performance
demands the same extreme care and attention as that of the operations
in the field, for it is obvious that the precautions taken to ensure
accuracy in the latter may be rendered nugatory by inaccurate
plotting. The angular instrument used in plotting is the protractor,
and to ensure correct results this instrument must be accurately
divided. When, however, the survey has been made without the
aid of an angular instrument, the protractor is not required in laying
down the results. In such a case, which frequently occurs in surveys
of small extent, the lines, having all been chained and registered in
the field-book, are laid down directly from the scale by means of an
ordinary straight-edge and a pair of compasses. The several methods
of plotting and the various operations involved have now to be considered.
—The lines chained over in a survey
and recorded in the field-book are not usually the actual lines existing
on the ground, but imaginary straight lines chosen for the purpose of
referring other lines and points to them. They are, therefore, appropriately
termed reference lines, and all points situate in them to which
other lines are referred, in other words, all points in a reference line
in which other reference lines intersect it, are termed reference points.
Reference lines are generally made to form triangles for facility of computation,
and these triangles enclose the area to be surveyed. But to
determine the details included within them, it is necessary to form
other and smaller triangles within the larger ones first laid down.
The latter are, therefore, distinguished as Primary and the former as
Secondary triangles, and the lines of which they are composed are
called primary and secondary reference lines.
—In laying down a line of definite length upon
paper, the positions of its extremities are determined and marked by
pencil dots; such dots, or rather the points indicated by such dots, are
termed plotted points. The line is drawn by joining the plotted points.
—To plot a reference line
of a given length when the position of neither of its extremities is
given, a light dot must be made upon the paper in a convenient part
to indicate the position of one extremity. The pencil-point mark
should be as light and well defined as possible, and hence it is essential
that the pencil used should be hard, and always kept pared to a fine
conical point. The scale must then be applied, in the direction of the
line to be drawn, with its zero point coincident with the plotted point.
The scale should be lightly but firmly held in this position with the
left hand. The distance of the other extremity of the line must then
be found upon the scale, and the eye placed directly over the line of
the graduation; this is necessary to the correct placing of the point,
and it is well to train the eye to trace accurately the prolongation of
the line of graduation upon the paper. A dot must be placed in the
prolongation of this line and close to the edge of the scale, to mark
the position of the other extremity. The reference line is then to be
drawn between these two plotted points with a sharp chisel-pointed
pencil. Reference lines, like reference points, should be well defined,
but drawn as fine and light as possible. The degree of fineness and
lightness should be such that when the detail is finely but firmly outlined,
the reference lines and points may not be visible, except on a
close inspection of the surface.
To plot secondary reference lines, as, for example, a number of offset
lines, apply the scale so that its edge may be parallel to and almost
over the pencil trace of the primary line and its zero point coincident
with the point at which the line begins. Care must always be taken
to place the zero of the scale at the beginning of the line, and not at
the end of it. At the distances recorded in the field-book as those
at which the offsets were taken, plot upon the line, in the manner
described above, the points indicating the extremities of the offset
lines. All other points, such as stations and intersection of fences,
roads, and streams, should be plotted at the same time. Around all
stations, a light, hand-drawn circle should be placed, and intersections
marked by small cross lines. This being done, place the offset scale
so that the zero may coincide with the plotted point in the reference
line and the edge be perpendicular to the line. To bring the edge
into this position, the end of the scale should be placed parallel to the
reference line; this is, of course, assuming the scale to be perfectly
rectangular, as it ought to be. The other extremities of the lines may
then be plotted in the same manner as those of the primary lines.
To illustrate the foregoing remarks, let it be required to plot the
following portion of a field-book.
Having laid down in a convenient part of the paper the beginning
of Line 1, place the edge of the scale so that the zero may
coincide with the plotted point
and the edge be parallel to one
of the meridians. Holding the
scale firmly in this position, plot
the distance 2504 links, and
join the plotted points. Then,
without removing the scale,
plot upon this reference line
the distances at which the
secondary or offset lines were
taken, that is at 420, 850, 1220,
1440, 1610, 1790, and 2000
links. In this case we have
nothing but offsets; had there
been stations or intersections of
fences, roads, or streams, these
would have had to be plotted
at the same time, and distinguished
by an appropriate mark.
Line 2 begins at the end of
Line 1, and returns on the left
at an acute angle, as indicated
by the arrow in the field-book.
But as the magnitude of this angle is not known, the survey having
been taken with the chain alone, the exact direction of Line 2 must be
ascertained in the following manner. Take the length of the line in the
compasses, and with this distance as a radius, strike an arc from the end
of Line 1. Also with the length of Line 3 as a radius, strike an arc
from the beginning of Line 1, at which point Line 3 closes, intersecting
the former. The point of intersection will be the end of
Line 2. Join this point to the end of Line 1, and plot the offset
reference points upon this line in the manner already described for
Line 1. Line 3 begins at the end of Line 2, and terminates at the
beginning of Line 1; hence both extremities being determined, we
have only to join these points, and to plot the offset reference points
as before. Had a split line been taken for the sake of accuracy from
the angle A C B to the base Line 1, the intersection of this line should
have been plotted upon Line 1, and the position of the end of Line 2
found by striking an arc from this point also with a radius equal to
the length of the split line. If the distances have been correctly
measured in the field and correctly taken from the scale, the three arcs
will intersect at the same point. If they do not so intersect, the error
must be noted in an error-sheet, and corrected in the field before proceeding
further. It may be remarked here that on account of the
irregularities of the surface chained over, all measured lines are liable
to be recorded a little too long. One link in ten chains may be allowed
for this source of error. Assuming, however, that the primary
reference lines “close” properly, the offset lines may be plotted in
the manner already described, and the detail or boundary lines drawn
in, which in the present instance are hedges. Fig. 82 shows the
survey as laid down in the foregoing notes.
When the survey has been made with the aid of an angular
instrument, the method of plotting the primary reference lines differs
somewhat from the foregoing. In this case, the paper should be first
covered with a number of parallel straight lines ruled about an inch
and a half apart to represent magnetic meridians. The first station
may then be marked upon one of these meridians in a convenient part
of the paper. To lay down the first reference line, apply the protractor
to this meridian with its centre point coincident with the
plotted point, and from the bearing recorded in the field-book, lay
off the given angle. Join the two plotted points and produce the line
indefinitely; and upon this line lay off a distance equal to the length
of the measured line. The second reference line must be drawn in the
same manner, from the end of the first, by laying off from that point
the recorded angle. But as the end of the first line will probably not
fall upon a meridian,
the protractor will have
to be moved up to the
point by means of a
parallel ruler adjusted to
the nearest meridian. A
more convenient and a
more accurate method,
however, is to make the
left of the drawing represent
the north while
plotting, and to use the
T-square instead of the
parallel ruler. All subsequent
lines are plotted
in the same way. Instead
of covering the
paper with meridians
before commencing to
plot, it may, in some
cases, be found more convenient
to draw with
the set and T squares a
short meridian through
the point as required.
Fig. 82.
To lay down Fig.
82 in this manner, having
fixed the first station
A, the length of the first
primary reference line
A B may be laid off
upon the meridian, because
in this case the bearing being due north, the reference line will
be coincident with the meridian. This done, the protractor is to be
placed over the plotted point B and the second bearing laid down.
Having plotted the length of this line in the point C, the third
reference line C A will be determined both in length and direction
by the plotted points C A, which should be joined and the line measured
to ascertain whether its length corresponds with the measured distance.
If these do not correspond, the angle must be replotted and
the lengths laid off anew to discover the source of the error. Assuming,
however, that the lines close properly, the offsets and other secondary
points may be next plotted in the manner previously described.
Angles may be more accurately laid down by means of a table of
natural sines and cosines and a linear scale than by means of a protractor.
This is especially true when the angles are subtended by long
lines, as, for example, lines of 3, 4, and even 6 feet. In such cases,
a protractor is of little use. This mode of laying down angles is
also convenient in some cases where angles have been taken, but some
of the sides not measured. In using the table, it must be remembered
that the radius of the sines and cosines is taken as unity; therefore, to
find the sine and cosine for any other radius, the sine and cosine in the
tables must be multiplied by that radius. To lay down the angle A B C
in Fig. 82, the reduced cosine of the angle should be plotted from B in
the point a, according to some scale. The scale length of the reduced
sine should then be scribed from a, and the scale length of the radius
scribed from B. A line drawn from B through the point of intersection
of the scribes will lay down the angle corresponding to the sine and
cosine in the table. Suppose the radius chosen to be 5 chains, the angle
being 32° 30′. The cosine of 32° 30′ is ·8434, which multiplied by 5,
the assumed radius, = 4·2170. Lay off this distance from B on the
base A B. The sine of 32° 30′ is ·5373, which multiplied by 5, =
2·6865. From the point a, which is distant 4·2170 chains from B,
with a radius equal to 2·6865 chains, describe an arc; and from the
point B, with a radius equal to 5 chains, describe another arc. From B
draw a line through the intersection of these arcs, and lay off upon it
the measured length of 1946 links as recorded in the field-book.
If only the length of the base A B and the magnitudes of the
angles A B C and B A C were given, the lengths of the sides B C and
A C would have to be calculated by trigonometrical formulæ. This
method of calculating the lengths of the sides of triangles and plotting
them with the beam compasses, like chained triangles, is the most
accurate for laying down the great or primary triangles of a survey.
When it is required to plot according to this principle a solitary
angle, as, for example, that between a station line and the meridian, a
circle should be drawn with as large a radius as practicable round the
station at which the angle is to be laid down. The distance between
the points at which the two lines enclosing the angle cut that circle is
then found by multiplying the radius by the chord of the angle, that
is, by twice the sine of half the angle.
It sometimes happens, particularly in extensive surveys, that all
the angular points of some triangles cannot be plotted upon the same
sheet of paper. In such cases, the plot of the outlying points and the
sides of the triangles may be laid down in the following manner.
Plot the intersected triangles independently and trace them on tracing
paper. Then, having drawn a fine line upon both sheets to represent
the sheet edge, lay the points on the trace corresponding to those
already plotted on the first sheet down upon, and make them to
coincide with, the latter. Secure the trace in this position and trace
the sheet edge line upon it. The intersected lines may now be plotted
on the fair sheet with a pricker at points outside the sheet edge line.
Next apply the trace to the second sheet and make the sheet edge
lines coincide. Having secured the trace in this position, the points
and the intersected lines on this second sheet may be plotted upon the
fair paper by means of the pricker.
—In plotting a traverse survey
in which the angles have been measured from a fixed line of direction,
the magnetic meridian, the direction of the lines may be all laid down
at the first angular point. An example will best show the method
employed in this case. It is required to lay down the traverse shown
in Fig. 83.
In a convenient part of the paper draw the straight line N S to
represent the magnetic meridian, and plot upon it the first station A.
Set the protractor with its centre accurately placed over this point and
its 360th and 180th divisions coinciding with the meridian. Holding
the instrument securely in this position, lay off around it all the
bearings as entered in the field-book, numbering them in the order in
which they were taken. Against each of these numbers it is well to
place the page of the field-book on which the measurement of the
angle and the survey of the line are entered. The plotting must now
be commenced by laying down the first line through the first bearing
and determining its length from the recorded measurements. The
direction of the second line has next to be transferred from the first
station A to the extremity of the first line, or the second station B. This
is accomplished by means of the parallel ruler, by placing the edge of
the ruler through the plotted point and the point marked as bearing 2,
and extending it till the same edge intersects the point B. A line is
then to be drawn from this point and its length laid off from the field-book
as before. The direction of the third line will then be transferred
from the first angular point to the end of the second line, or
station C, in the same manner. This will be continued for all the
lines in the traverse, and if all the measurements have been correctly
laid down, not only will the last line pass through the point A, but it
will be of the same length as the chained line. Also the bearings
taken from A to E and H will pass through these latter stations.
These proof line bearings should be laid down at the same time as the
reference line bearings, from which they should be distinguished by
some sign. The directions of the reference lines should be consecutively
transferred, and the length of each line should be plotted in its
proper place before the direction of the next is transferred. To ensure
the work closing properly, great care must be taken to plot the points
accurately and to draw the pencil lines fine.
Fig. 84.
The degree of accuracy to be attained will depend in a great
measure upon the extent of the traverse. With long lines the difficulties
increase, and with a great number of angles the chances of
error are multiplied. If the angles are carefully taken, it is probable
that seconds have been read off in several instances, and these if
neglected, especially upon long chain lines, may lead to an error of
some importance. Also when the lines are long, the parallel ruler
becomes practically useless, and some other system has to be adopted.
One way of overcoming these difficulties is to draw a parallel to the
first meridian through every third or fourth angle; in such a case,
great care must be observed in drawing the parallels. A more easily
practicable method, however, is to use the T-square in the manner
already described. If the left-hand edge of the drawing board be
made the north, the blade will determine meridional lines, and by
laying the straight side of a semicircular protractor against the edge
of the blade, its zero will be adjusted to the fixed line of direction.
The first bearing having been laid down, the line is drawn and made
the scale length of the chain line; the blade of the square is then
pushed to the station thus found, and the next bearing set off. This
operation is repeated until all the lines have been laid down. If the
work closes properly, the plotting of the secondary lines may be proceeded
with.
The most accurate method of plotting a traverse is by rectangular
co-ordinates, or, as it is usually termed, Northings, Southings,
Eastings, and Westings, because the position of each station is plotted
independently, and is not affected by the errors committed in plotting
previous stations. This method consists in assuming two fixed lines or
axes crossing each other at right angles at a fixed point, computing
the perpendicular distances or co-ordinates of each station from those
two axes, and plotting the position of each station by
means of the T and set squares and a linear scale.
The meridian is usually made to represent one of the
axes, and in this case the co-ordinates parallel to one
axis will be the distances of the stations to the north
or south of the fixed point, and those parallel to the
other axis will be their distances to the east or west of
the same point. Let N S, Fig. 84, represent the
meridian, and A B the first bearing taken, and the first
line measured. The angle in this case is N A B = θ.
If θ is an acute angle, the second station B is to the
north of the first station A; if it is an obtuse angle, B
is to the south of A. If the angle θ lies to the right
of the meridian, B is to the east of A; if to the left, to
the west. Thus it will be seen that if the northernly and easternly
directions are considered positive, the southernly and westernly directions
will be negative. From the foregoing it is manifest that the
co-ordinates of B are as follows:—
Northing A a = b B (or if negative, southing) = A B × cos. θ.
Easting A b = a B (or if negative, westing) = A B × sin. θ.
To plot the point B, draw through the point A, with the aid of
the T-square, a horizontal line. Multiply the chained length of the
line A B by the sine of the angle N A B as entered in the field-book,
and set off this distance along
the horizontal line. From
the point thus determined,
erect, with the aid of the set
square, a perpendicular, which
will be parallel to the meridian.
Multiply the chained
length of A B by the cosine
of the angle N A B, and set
off this distance along the
perpendicular line. The point
thus determined will be the
position of the second station
B, which may then be joined
to A by a straight line.
Fig. 85.
The mode of laying
down the survey in Fig. 85
will now be obvious. Having
determined the position of
the second station B in the
manner just described, draw
a horizontal line through B
and determine the third
station C in the same way.
The fourth station D being
to the left of the meridian
passing through C, c d is a
westing and is to be considered as negative. Therefore the horizontal
line through C must be drawn to the left of that station, and the
station D determined in the same manner as the preceding stations.
The results of all these calculations should be entered in a book,
in four columns, for northings, southings, eastings and westings
respectively. Also in four other columns should be entered the total
northing or southing, and easting or westing, of each station from the
first station, computed by adding all the successive northings and
subtracting the southings made in traversing to the station, the result
being a northing if positive, and a southing if negative. The same
treatment is applied to the eastings and westings. This affords a
means of testing the accuracy of the work. It is also obvious that the
position of the last or any station may be determined by this means
without plotting the intermediate stations.
Let it be observed that both θ and sin. θ are positive or negative
according as that angle lies to the east or to the west of the meridian;
and that the cosines of obtuse angles are negative.
—By “detail” is meant outlines or objects
whether natural or artificial, such as fences, walls, rivers, canals, roads,
lakes, water margins, beach marks, seas, or imaginary boundary lines.
In plotting from the entries of measurements for detail, these measurements
should be laid down upon the paper in the order and manner
indicated in the field-book. The mode of plotting the perpendicular
reference lines by means of which the position of the detail is fixed
has already been fully described and illustrated. The proper connections
for detail, as shown by the field-book, should be made by drawing
a firm pencil line through the detail points with the aid of an offset
scale adjusted successively to the adjacent points. All such connections
should be clearly and elegantly made. When all boundaries, roads,
and streams have been drawn and inked in, tracings should be taken
in small portions of all that has been laid down for the use of the
“examiner.” The duties of the examiner are to make on the ground
the necessary corrections for omissions and detail in error; to give, in
position and character, woods, water, marsh, commons, vegetable and
geological features, and permanent artificial structures; and to furnish
the descriptive names of places and things, or any other desirable
information. The topographical character of mountains, marshes,
bogs, rough pasture, woods and water, should be drawn in character
on trace and tinted. If required, hill sketching should also be supplied
on the examiner’s trace. On being returned to the office, the plotter
should replot from the field notes the detail corrected, and transfer the
details from the trace to the map.
—The student who has made himself familiar
with the methods of laying down angles, and plotting reference lines
and points, will find no difficulty in laying down contour traces.
When the contour points have been surveyed with the chain, the
contour is obtained by drawing a free line of feature through the
plotted points. But when the contour points have been surveyed
by measuring magnetic angles to known points, such angles must
be laid down at these points, and produced to meet in the contour
point. The drawing of contours differs from the drawing of ordinary
detail insomuch as each contour point is shown by a small dot, and
each carrying point by a similar dot surrounded by a small hand-drawn
circle to distinguish it. The former should be so plotted as to
be distinguishable in the trace or contour line, which should be readily
traceable, but not conspicuous. The line joining adjacent points should
be true lines of feature. Colour is usually employed for these lines,
and it is well to give them a broken or somewhat undefined character.
When the French system is adopted, contour lines are drawn continuous,
a broad but faint line of colour.
—When the angles
have been measured on dry land with the theodolite, these angles should
be laid down at the dry-land points, and the lines produced to meet in
the sounded point. But when the angles have been measured on the
water with a sextant, a station pointer is required. The arcs of
the pointer should be adjusted to read the measured angles, and the
instrument applied to the plotted points of the observed objects so as
to bring the hair lines accurately to their respective object points.
The sounded point may then be correctly plotted through the centre
of the pointer. If the angles have been measured by the magnetic
compass, that is, if the angles are those made with the magnetic meridian,
the angles should be laid down at the plotted points of the
observed land objects, and the lines produced to meet in the sounded
point. Instead of the station pointer, a piece of tracing paper may
be used in the following manner. Draw three straight lines radiating
from one point so as to make with each other angles equal to the measured
angles. Lay the paper on the plan and move it about till the
three lines traverse the observed objects. The point from which they
diverge will then mark the position of the sounded point, which may
be plotted by being pricked off.
The sounded point determined by angles measured with the
sextant may also be plotted by describing circles on the land-object
lines as chords, to contain segmental angles equal to the measured
angles. Such circles will intersect in the common land-object point
and the sounded point. To plot the sounded point in this manner,
requires the solution by construction of the problem, “to describe on
a given line a segment of a circle that shall contain a given angle.”
But this method is generally found too tedious in practice.
—There is a tendency, as we have previously
remarked, for the measured lengths of lines to be a little too
long, by reason of the irregularities of the surface. It is usual to allow
for this source of error 1 in 1000 in fair open country, and 11⁄2 in 1000
in close country. When the measurements differ by an amount
exceeding these limits, the pencil trace should not be drawn between
the reference points, but the line should be entered on an “office error-sheet.”
The error-sheet should show the number of the plot-sheet, the
triangle, the book and page in which the measurements are entered,
and the scale and measured lengths of the line. To ascertain the
source of the error, other lines referenced to the reference point or
points of the line in error should be plotted, and the apparent source
should be entered on the error-sheet. If the lines referred to the same
point be found to plot to another point in the reference line, the scale
measurement of this point should also be entered. And if the reference
point in error be not directly surveyed in the survey of their respective
lines, the measurements for reference and the arithmetical reductions
will have to be examined. Besides the office error-sheet, there should
be a field error-sheet for each book and triangle, upon which should be
entered the book, the page, and the line in error, and some indication
of the source of the error. This sheet will be forwarded with the
field-book to the surveyor for correction. The following are examples
of a common and very good form of error-sheet, but it may be varied
in many ways if thought desirable:—
Office Error-sheet.
| Plotter’s Name |
Date |
| Book. |
Lines. |
Scale Measurement. |
Reference Points of Lines. |
Apparent Corrections. |
Triangles. |
Observations. |
| Page. |
| 200 |
1953 |
1907 |
1118 |
1551 |
1651 |
 |
Examine reference point and line. |
| 23 |
2094 |
4020 |
4020 |
| 200 |
3000 |
3056 |
2814 |
1308 |
3056 |
Examine line. |
| 28 |
4020 |
3082 |
| 200 |
1314 |
1323 |
1551 |
85 |
1651 |
Examine reference point and line. |
| 42 |
4020 |
3028 |
4020 |
Field Error-sheet.
| To A. B., Surveyor. |
Date |
| Book. |
Lines. |
Triangles. |
Observations. |
| Page. |
| |
|
 |
Examine reference points and line. |
| 200 |
1953 |
1651 |
Reference point (August 10th, 1874). |
| 23 |
4020 |
| 200 |
3000 |
Examine line. Line 3056 (August 10th, 1874). |
| 28 |
| |
|
Examine reference points and line. |
| 200 |
1314 |
1651 |
(August 12th, 1874). |
| 42 |
4020 |
| |
|
Corrected in the field, A. B. |
—In plotting a vertical section, a fine and
firm horizontal line is first drawn to represent the datum line. The
reference points are then plotted upon this line from the level-book by
means of a linear scale, in the manner already described for plotting
such points. The reference points to be plotted upon the datum line
are the chain lengths entered in the field-book in the column headed
Distances. These distances are the points at which the levels were
taken, and between them, unless otherwise stated in the field-book,
the ground is supposed to slope uniformly. Moreover, these distances
are assumed to be measured horizontally, and therefore care must be
taken to ascertain whether or not they were so measured in the field;
if not, they must be reduced before plotting, or the section will be too
long. Having plotted the reference points on the datum line, a perpendicular
must be erected from each of them, and a length laid off
upon this perpendicular equal to the vertical height above the datum
line indicated by the entry in the column of the level-book headed
Reduced Levels against the distance to which the perpendicular corresponds.
To render the differences of altitude more apparent, these
vertical distances are plotted to a much larger scale than the horizontal,
as explained in a preceding Section. To erect the perpendiculars,
the T and set square furnish the most convenient means.
The detail points thus determined upon the perpendiculars represent
the points in the surface of the ground at which the levels were taken,
and by joining these points we obtain the surface line. An example
will clearly show the method pursued. Let it be required to lay down
the section from the following level-book:—
Back Sights. |
Fore Sights. |
Rise. |
Fall. |
Re- duced Levels. |
Dis- tances. |
Remarks. |
| feet. |
feet. |
feet. |
feet. |
feet. |
chains. |
|
| |
|
|
|
100·00 |
.. |
B.M. north-west corner of church tower. |
| 16·41 |
9·37 |
7·04 |
.. |
107·04 |
230 |
|
| 19·36 |
10·43 |
8·93 |
.. |
115·97 |
465 |
| 16·42 |
19·36 |
.. |
2·94 |
113·03 |
640 |
| 8·36 |
14·36 |
.. |
6·00 |
107·03 |
794 |
| 9·37 |
12·49 |
.. |
3·12 |
103·91 |
1030 |
| 11·64 |
19·76 |
.. |
8·12 |
95·79 |
1200 |
| 19·46 |
9·32 |
10·14 |
.. |
105·93 |
1564 |
| 17·64 |
13·62 |
4·02 |
.. |
109·95 |
.. |
Centre of road at 123 links. |
| 18·76 |
12·64 |
6·12 |
.. |
116·07 |
1823 |
|
| 19·84 |
16·92 |
2·92 |
.. |
118·99 |
1964 |
| 19·76 |
11·64 |
8·12 |
.. |
127·11 |
2100 |
Forward station ☉ at corner of wood. |
| 17·64 |
19·72 |
.. |
2·08 |
125·03 |
2250 |
|
| 9·73 |
18·64 |
.. |
8·91 |
116·12 |
2376 |
| 8·64 |
17·64 |
.. |
9·00 |
107·12 |
2590 |
| 18·76 |
16·24 |
2·52 |
.. |
109·64 |
2700 |
| 231·79 |
222·15 |
49·81 |
40·17 |
|
|
| 222·15 |
|
40·17 |
|
100·00 |
|
| 9·64 |
|
9·64 |
|
9·64 |
Difference between datum and last reduced level, or height of B above A. |
Draw the datum line D L, Fig. 86, and set off along it the distances
230, 465, 640, 794, &c., links; these points will be the reference
points for the perpendiculars. Erect a perpendicular from each of these
points, and lay off, to a suitable scale, upon these lines successively the
vertical heights 100, 107·04, 115·97, 113·03, 107·03, &c. The points
thus determined will be the surface detail points, and by joining these
we shall obtain the surface line. Then will A D L B represent a section
of the ground between A and B. A description of objects on the surface
worthy of notice should be written over such objects.
In working sections, where great accuracy is required, larger
scales are employed, and the levels are taken at more frequent intervals.
Thus, in a railway working section, for example, the levels
are taken at every chain’s length, and also over every little undulation
in the surface of the ground. In preparing such sections, vertical
lines are drawn in blue at every chain’s length up to the surface of
the ground from the datum line, and on each vertical is written the
reduced height above datum from the column of reduced levels in
the level-book.
Sections, especially working sections, are usually drawn upon
ruled, or, as it is called, “section” paper, the nature of which we have
already described. This method, which was introduced by Mr. Brunel,
possesses many practical advantages, inasmuch as it obviates the
necessity of plotting the “distances” and erecting perpendiculars, the
latter already existing. It also greatly facilitates the computation of
the contents of a given section. Its chief defect lies in the difficulty
of making the horizontal lines coincide when joining the sheets end to
end. Of course scales are not required upon section paper.
—The method of laying down the gradients
of railways and roads usually adopted in practice consists in
applying one end of an extended silken thread to the section at the
point in which the road commences, and the other end in such a
position that the thread may cut the profile of the earth’s surface so
as to leave equal portions of space above and below the thread, as
nearly as can be judged by the eye. The cuttings from the parts
above the thread will then furnish sufficient materials to form the
embankments in the spaces below. This is called “balancing”
the cuttings and embankments. When the first gradient has been
determined in this way, it may be found unfavourable to the second
in respect to the extent of cuttings and embankments; in such a case
it must be modified to suit the requirements of the latter. In this way
the gradients must be modified successively until the compound result
evidently gives a minimum of cuttings and embankments, due regard,
of course, being had to the limits imposed by the nature of the case,
both with respect to the ruling gradient and the proper heights for
bridges.
—The mode of plotting a
section from a contoured plan was explained when treating of contour
lines. The contour map used for this purpose should give the features
of the surface configuration in sufficient detail without serious error.
Having drawn a line of section on the map and a datum line upon the
fair paper for the vertical section, the points in which the section line
intersects the contours should be measured on the scale of the map
from a zero point in that line, and the measurements plotted upon the
datum line. Perpendiculars should then be drawn through these
plotted points, and on these perpendiculars the reduced altitudes of
their respective contour points should be plotted. A line drawn
through these surface plotted points will be the surface line. When
the horizontal scales of the map and the section are the same, the
contour plane lines may be drawn on the paper for the section parallel
to the section line on the map, and perpendiculars raised to intersect
them from the points on the map in which the section line intersects
the contours, in the manner previously described. The points of
intersection with the parallel lines will be the surface contour points
in the vertical section. For practical purposes, the parallel lines and
the perpendiculars are only temporarily drawn in pencil until the
surface trace shall have been obtained and drawn in ink, with the
datum line.
In the preceding Sections the manner of laying down plans has
been fully described and the principles involved in the operations
minutely explained. It now only remains, therefore, to direct attention
to certain matters relating to the preparation of plans, which are
necessitated by the circumstances of particular cases.
Civil engineers’ plans usually consist, if we except harbour
surveys, of a representation, to a rather large scale, of long and
narrow tracts of country through which it is proposed to construct a
means of communication, such as a railway, a road, or a canal. They
do not differ essentially from other plans, the survey being taken in
the ordinary way, and the plan laid down according to one or other
of the methods described in the preceding Section. The width of
railway surveys varies from five to twenty chains, at the option of the
engineer. An important matter demanding careful attention is to
survey, plot, and number all fields and other enclosures, houses and
other buildings situate within the limits of deviation, that is, the
boundaries of the space beyond which it is not proposed to deviate the
line of railway. The object of numbering every separate enclosure,
road, building, or other object on the plan, is that they may be the
more readily described in a book prepared for that purpose and called
the Reference Book. Parish and county boundaries are shown by
dotted lines, as explained in a former Section. Frequently it is
necessary, in consequence of the smallness of the scale adopted for the
plan, to give enlarged drawings of certain portions. In these cases,
whenever practicable, the enlarged plan should be placed directly
under or over the small plan to which it refers, as such an arrangement
is not only more pleasing to the eye, but is far more convenient
for reference than one in which there is no relation of position between
the two plans. The proposed railway should be represented by a full
and heavy line, and the limits of deviation shown by strong dotted
lines. The names of the different parishes through which the line passes
should be conspicuously written, and the name of the county placed
at the top of each sheet; the sheets also should be distinctly numbered.
It is not usual to distinguish different kinds of fences on plans of engineering
projects, as on estate plans to a large scale; on the former it
is sufficient to distinguish between fenced and unfenced lines of division
of land, marking the former by plain, and the latter by dotted lines.
It is almost needless to remark that a scale of distances should accompany
every plan.
The section should be drawn to the same horizontal scale as the
plan, and the exaggeration of the vertical scale should be such as to
show distinctly the irregularities of the surface. The horizontal
datum line of the section should have marked on it a scale of distances
corresponding with those marked along the centre line of the plan,
in order that corresponding points on the plan and the section may be
readily found, and great care should be taken that horizontal distances
on the plan and on the section exactly agree. Cross sections are longitudinal
sections of existing lines of communication which the proposed
work will cross; they may cross the centre line of the proposed work
either at right angles or obliquely. Cross sections may also be required
where the ground slopes sideways; in general they should be ranged
accurately at right angles to the centre line, and they should be
plotted without exaggeration, that is, their vertical and horizontal
scales should be the same as the vertical scale of the longitudinal
section. All cross sections should be plotted as seen by looking
forward towards them along the centre line.
To distinguish the nature of the soils passed through, sections are
frequently coloured, as shown in Plate 21. The information given
by this means concerning the character of the strata is of very great
value to the engineer or to the contractor, inasmuch as it enables them
to predicate with some degree of certainty the amount of labour that
will be required in executing the proposed work. It is, therefore,
highly important that the draughtsman correctly represent the character
of the strata. The conventional modes of representing these
features are shown on Plate 20, which should be carefully studied and
copied.
It is necessary that the engineering draughtsman should be
acquainted with the “Standing Orders” of Parliament relating to
the preparation of plans and sections, in order that he may fulfil the
conditions therein laid down. And as most of the important details
involved by the exigencies of practice in the preparation of such plans
and sections are prescribed by these Standing Orders, we will give
so much of them as relates directly to the matters under consideration;
by so doing, the details will be clearly and fully described, and the
requirements of the law concerning them authoritatively made known.
—“In cases of bills relating to
engineering works, a plan and also a duplicate thereof, together with
a book of reference thereto, and a section and also a duplicate thereof,
as hereinafter described, shall be deposited for public inspection at
the office of the clerk of the peace for every county, riding or division
in England or Ireland, or in the office of the principal sheriff clerk of
every county in Scotland, and where any county in Scotland is divided
into districts or divisions, then also in the office of the principal sheriff
clerk in or for each district or division in or through which the work
is proposed to be made, maintained, varied, extended or enlarged, or
in which such lands or houses are situate, on or before the 30th day
of November immediately preceding the application for the bill.”
“In the case of railway bills, the ordnance map, on the scale of
one inch to a mile, or where there is no ordnance map, a published
map, to a scale of not less than half an inch to a mile, or in Ireland, to
a scale of not less than a quarter of an inch to a mile, with the line
of railway delineated thereon, so as to show its general course and
direction, shall, on or before the 30th day of November, be deposited
at the office of the clerk of the peace, or sheriff clerk, together with
the plans, sections, and book of reference.”
“In cases where the work shall be situate on tidal lands within
the ordinary spring tides, a copy of the plans and sections shall,
on or before the 30th day of November, be deposited at the office of
the Harbour Department, Board of Trade, marked ‘Tidal Waters,’
and on such copy all tidal waters shall be coloured blue, and if the
plans include any bridge across tidal waters the dimensions as regards
span and headway of the nearest bridge, if any, above and below the
proposed new bridge, shall be marked thereon, and in all such cases
such plans and sections shall be accompanied by a published map or
ordnance sheet of the country, over which the works are proposed to
extend, or are to be carried, with their position and extent, or route
accurately laid down thereon.”
“In the case of railway bills, a copy of all plans, sections, and
books of reference, and the aforementioned published map with the line
of railway delineated thereon so as to show its general course and
direction, is required to be deposited at the office of the Board of
Trade, and at the Private Bill Office of the Houses of Parliament; and
in cases where any portion of the work is situate within the limits of
the Metropolis, a copy of so much of the plans and sections as relates
to such portion of the work is required to be deposited at the office of
the Metropolitan Board of Works. Also a copy of so much of the
plans and sections as relates to each parish in or through which the
work is intended to be made, or in which any lands or houses intended
to be taken are situate, together with a copy of so much of the book
of reference as relates to such parish, is required to be deposited with
the parish clerk of each such parish in England, with the school-master
of each such parish in Scotland, and with the clerk of the union
within which such parish is included in Ireland.”
—“Every plan required to be deposited shall be drawn to a
scale of not less than four inches to a mile, and shall describe the line
or situation of the whole of the work (no alternative line or work being
in any case permitted), and the lands in or through which it is to be
made, maintained, varied, extended or enlarged, or through which
every communication to or from the work shall be made; and where it
is the intention of the parties to apply for powers to make any lateral
deviation from the line of the proposed work, the limits of such
deviation shall be defined upon the plan, and all lands included within
such limits shall be marked thereon; and unless the whole of such plan
shall be upon a scale of not less than a quarter of an inch to every
one hundred feet, an enlarged plan shall be added of any buildings,
yard, courtyard or land within the curtilage of any building, or of
any ground cultivated as a garden, either in the line of the proposed
work or included within the limits of the said deviation, upon a scale
of not less than a quarter of an inch to every one hundred feet.”
“In all cases where it is proposed to make, vary, extend or enlarge
any cut, canal, reservoir, aqueduct or navigation, the plan shall
describe the brooks and streams to be directly diverted into such
intended cut, canal, reservoir, aqueduct or navigation, or into any
variation, extension or enlargement thereof respectively, for supplying
the same with water.”
“In all cases where it is proposed to make, vary, extend or enlarge
any railway, the plan shall exhibit thereon the distances in miles and
furlongs from one of the termini; and a memorandum of the radius of
every curve not exceeding one mile in length shall be noted on the
plan in furlongs and chains; and where tunnelling as a substitute for
open cutting is intended, such tunnelling shall be marked by a dotted
line on the plan.”
“If it is intended to divert, widen or narrow any turnpike road,
public carriage road, navigable river, canal or railway, the course of
such diversion, and the extent of such widening or narrowing shall be
marked upon the plan.”
“When a railway is intended to form a junction with an existing
or authorized line of railway, the course of such existing or authorized
line of railway shall be shown on the deposited plan for a distance of
eight hundred yards on either side of the proposed junction, on a scale
of not less than four inches to a mile.”
—“The book of reference to every such plan
shall contain the names of the owners or reputed owners, lessees or
reputed lessees, and occupiers of all lands and houses in the line of the
proposed work, or within the limits of deviation as defined upon the
plan, and shall describe such lands and houses respectively.”
—“The section shall be drawn to the same horizontal
scale as the plan, and to a vertical scale of not less than one inch to
every one hundred feet, and shall show the surface of the ground marked
on the plan, the intended level of the proposed work, the height of every
embankment and the depth of every cutting, and a datum horizontal
line, which shall be the same throughout the whole length of the work,
or any branch thereof respectively, and shall be referred to some fixed
point (stated in writing on the section), near some portion of such
work, and in the case of a canal, cut, navigation, turnpike or other
carriage road or railway, near either of the termini.”
“In cases of bills for improving the navigation of any river,
there shall be a section which shall specify the levels of both banks
of such river; and where any alteration is intended to be made
therein, it shall describe the same by feet and inches, or decimal parts
of a foot.”
“In every section of a railway, the line of the railway marked
thereon shall correspond with the upper surface of the rails.”
“Distances on the datum line shall be marked in miles and
furlongs, to correspond with those on the plan; a vertical measure
from the datum line to the line of the railway shall be marked in feet
and inches, or decimal parts of a foot, at each change of the gradient
or inclination; and the proportion or rate of inclination between each
such change shall also be marked.”
“Wherever the line of the railway is intended to cross any
turnpike road, public carriage road, navigable river, canal or railway,
the height of the railway over or depth under the surface thereof,
and the height and span of every arch of all bridges and viaducts by
which the railway will be carried over the same, shall be marked in
figures at every crossing thereof; and where the roadway will be
carried across any such turnpike road, public carriage road or railway,
on the level thereof, such crossing shall be so described on the
section; and it shall also be stated if such level will be unaltered.”
“If any alterations be intended in the water level of any canal,
or in the level or rate of inclination of any turnpike road, public
carriage road or railway, which will be crossed by the line of
railway, then the same shall be stated on the said section, and each
alteration shall be numbered; and cross sections in reference to the
said numbers, on a horizontal scale of not less than one inch to every
three hundred and thirty feet, and on a vertical scale of not less than
one inch to every forty feet, shall be added, which shall show the
present surface of such canal, road or railway, and the intended surface
thereof when altered; and the greatest of the present and intended
rates of inclination of such road or railway shall also be marked in
figures thereon; and where any public carriage road is crossed on the
level, a cross section of such road shall also be added; and all such
cross sections shall extend for two hundred yards on each side of the
centre line of the railway.”
“Wherever the extreme height of any embankment, or the
extreme depth of any cutting, shall exceed five feet, the extreme height
over or depth under the surface of the ground shall be marked in
figures upon the section; and if any bridge or viaduct of more than
three arches shall intervene in any embankment, or if any tunnel
shall intervene in any cutting, the extreme height or depth shall be
marked in figures on each of the parts into which such embankment
or cutting shall be divided by such bridge, viaduct or tunnel.”
“Where tunnelling, as a substitute for open cutting, or a viaduct
as a substitute for solid embankment, is intended, the same shall be
marked on the section.”
“When a railway is intended to form a junction with an existing
or authorized line of railway, the gradient of such existing or authorized
line of railway shall be shown on the deposited section, and in
connection therewith, and on the same scale as the general section, for
a distance of eight hundred yards on either side of the point of
junction.”
Besides the information thus written on the plan, it is useful to
the engineer, though not prescribed, to have the levels of important
points either written or shown by means of contour lines, especially
when the plan is to be used in selecting a line of railway. The
results of trial pits and borings may also be written on the plan, and
the estimated cost of each part of the work placed opposite to its
position on the paper.
—For working sections the horizontal scale
adopted is usually three or four chains to the inch, and the vertical
scale 30 or 40 feet to the inch. A working section should show the
level of the ground, the level of the proposed work, and the height of
embankment or depth of cutting at every point of the ground where
the level has been taken, these quantities being found by calculation,
not by measurement on the paper. The position and levels of all
“bench marks” should also be clearly indicated. At every crossing
of road, river or stream of any kind, should be inserted some remark
respecting the work to be constructed, with a reference to the number
of the working drawing prepared. The latter may be a special
drawing, as for a bridge, or a general drawing, as for a level
crossing and gates. The results of boring should also be shown on the
working section. As soon as the works of construction have been
determined upon, notes should be inserted from the working drawings,
or other sources, of the angles of skew at which the line crosses
roads or streams, the spans of arches on the square and on the skew,
the rise of the arch, the depth of the arch stones, and of the puddle,
if any be used, and, if the works be on an inclined plane, the rise or
fall from centre to centre of the piers. Similar memoranda should
also be made of girder bridges, culverts, and other works occurring
along the line. To all working drawings the acting engineer always
affixes his signature.
Besides an acquaintance with the “Standing Orders,” the engineering
and surveyor’s draughtsman should possess a knowledge of
the Regulations of the Local Government Board, for these have to be
complied with in the preparation of plans relative to main sewerage,
drainage, and water-supply. These Regulations are as follows.
—In cases in which a special district is proposed
to be formed for the adoption of the Local Government Act, a map
must be submitted, accompanied by a written description of the proposed
boundary, designated by letters from point to point, commencing
from a fully and clearly defined point on the north side of the map
marked by the letter A and a written description, then proceeding
eastward by natural or other well-defined features, until the description
closes upon the point started from. The name of the proposed district
must be printed on the map, with the area in acres. The population
and the number of houses, with the rate of increase as ascertained at
the two last decennial periods upon which the census was taken, must
be given, and a duplicate or tracing of the map furnished.
—A map of the entire district must,
in this case, be submitted, with the main boundary distinctly defined,
and the name of the district clearly printed thereon. The proposed
division into wards must be by lines, clearly defined on the map of
the district; brooks, roads, footwalks, streets, fences, or other easily
recognizable lines of division may be adopted. Such lines must be
defined on the map by a margin of colour. The proposed boundary-lines
must be described in the same manner as in the boundary map,
and the name or number of the ward, with the relative areas, population,
and rateable value must be given. A duplicate map or a tracing
must be deposited at the Local Government Act Office for future
reference.
—It is in all cases necessary, upon
application being made by Local Boards for the Secretary of State’s
sanction to a loan for the execution of works, that plans, sections,
detailed estimates, and specifications be submitted with the application,
accompanied with the information relative to area, population,
number of houses, and rateable value of the district required for
boundary maps. Tracings of such plans and sections, and copies of
the estimates and specifications must be sent in for filing at the Local
Government Act Office.
—A general plan exhibiting the area which will
be affected by the proposed works must be laid down to a scale of not
less than two feet to a mile. It should have figured upon it the levels
of the centres of all the streets and roads at their intersections and
angles, and at every change of inclination; also, where a district is
near the sea, it should show the high and the low tide level of the
sea, and where there is a river, the summer and the flood-water levels
should be recorded. Permanent bench marks having reference to the
surface levels should be cut on public buildings, or other permanent
and suitable objects, throughout the district, and clearly marked on the
plan. Sections should accompany this plan, upon which the levels of
the cellars should be shown. Such a plan may be used for showing
the lines of main-sewers and drains, lines of water-pipes, and gas-mains.
The lines of main-sewers and drains should have the cross-sectional
dimensions and the gradients distinctly marked upon them.
The dimensions of water and gas pipes should also be shown in figures
or in writing.
—A detailed plan for the purposes of house-drainage,
paving, the sale and purchase of property, or other purposes
of a like character, must be constructed to a scale of not less than ten
feet to a mile. Upon this plan must be exhibited all houses and other
buildings, bench marks, the levels of streets and roads, of cellars, of
the sea at high and low tide level, and the summer and the flood level
of rivers. Three feet by two feet will be a convenient size for the
sheets of this plan, and by representing the marginal lines of the sheets
upon the general plan, and numbering the sheets to correspond, the
general plan will become a very useful index.
As it may occasionally be desired to carry out works piecemeal,
with a view to save the time which would be occupied in the preparation
of a complete plan from actual survey, it is sufficient in the first
instance to furnish a general plan of streets and roads only, with the
surface levels and those of the deepest cellars, and the proposed scheme
of works shown thereon, after which the works can proceed in sections.
But with each separate application for sanction to a loan, a correct
plan and section or sections should be submitted, accompanied by
detailed estimates and specifications. It must, however, be understood
that the complete plan of the entire district must be proceeded with, so
that, when the works are finished, the Local Board and the office of
the Local Government Act may possess a proper record.
—The plotting of mining surveys is performed
in the same manner as the surface traverse surveys already described.
Before proceeding to lay down the plan, it is well to divide the paper
into squares of 10 chains side, or 10 acres area, by two sets of lines
crossing each other at right angles, one of which sets should represent
meridians. This operation should be performed with scrupulous care;
and to ensure accuracy, beam compasses should be used to lay off the
divisions. The lines should be finely drawn in colour to distinguish
them from other lines to be put upon the drawing. Care must be
taken to get the plan fairly upon the paper, so that the conformation
of the outline or boundary to the edges of the paper may have a
pleasing effect to the eye; and the direction of the meridians must be
determined according to this condition. By having the plan thus
divided into squares of 10 acres each, the quantity of ground worked
out may be approximatively estimated at any time by inspection, and
the total quantity may be readily computed in the same manner.
Besides dividing the plan itself in this way, it will be found extremely
useful to have a sheet of tracing paper, or better, tracing cloth, divided
into squares of 316·228 links side, or 1 acre area, in black lines; each
of such squares being subdivided into 4 by lines in colour, to show
quarters of an acre. To find the area of any portion of exhausted or of
unworked ground, it is only necessary to lay this divided sheet over
such portion and to count the squares and quarters included in it.
By reason of the variations of the magnetic meridian, the date of a
survey should always be written on the plan; and as the plan of underground
workings is laid down piecemeal as the workings progress,
often extending over a period of many years, care must be taken to
reduce all bearings to the original meridian. Unless these matters are
strictly observed, serious errors may result.
When two or more veins of mineral are being worked one above
the other, and are placed upon the same plan, they are distinguished
by means of colour. It matters not what colours are employed for the
several separate workings so long as they are distinct from each other.
Also the mode of applying the colour, whether with the brush or with
the pen, is entirely a question of taste. It may, however, be observed
that as mining plans are constantly being added to, it is very difficult
to avoid a patchy appearance when the colour is laid on with the brush.
Plate 33 shows the manner in which mining plans are got up.
—Plans of estates and towns, including as
they do only a limited area and requiring great distinctness of detail,
are laid down to a large scale; for the form and character of the detail
are, on such plans, of equal importance with its position. With such
a scale as is required in these cases, it is possible, not only to clearly
distinguish natural and artificial features, but to introduce means of
producing pictorial effect into their representation. The nature of
these means may be seen in the examples of plans appended to this
work.
The manner of showing the various kinds of fences has been
already described. Trees are usually shown in elevation for the sake
of artistic effect; but care must be taken to give them such dimensions
as will accord with the scale of the drawing. Houses and other buildings
are shown in plan of the correct form, and washed for distinction
in light red for dwelling-houses, dark grey for outhouses, and light
grey for public buildings. Dark grey is also used for all wooden and
iron buildings to distinguish them from those constructed of the
ordinary materials, brick and stone. But besides such distinctions,
others are needed to indicate the character of natural features and
artificial constructions. These are obtained either by showing the
object roughly in elevation, or by some purely conventional means.
The signs of this character that are likely to be frequently required
on estate plans are shown on Plate 15. The manner of representing
water, which has been described in a preceding Section, will be found
illustrated in detail on Plate 11. Plates 10 and 14 show various
kinds of trees; in this form they may be introduced very effectively
into plans of estates.
The several stages which a plan passes through in the office are
shown on Plate 2. If the plan is to be coloured, the colouring must
be done before the lettering is put on. Plate 3 shows a plan
lightly coloured, as used by surveyors, solicitors, and others; and
Plate 17 shows a finished plan in colour. The methods of laying on
the colours and the principles involved in the operations have been
fully described and explained in a former Section. In Plate 13 is
given a town plan showing a proposed street improvement. Such a
plan must be laid down to a large scale, and the details in and near
the part affected must be drawn in clearly and accurately. The
uncoloured portion represents the plan as prepared for lithographing.
When pink colour is used to show the proposed street, the buildings
should be coloured in black by a light wash of Indian ink. Yellow or
any other bright tint may be used for the proposed street, the object
being merely to distinguish it clearly. Existing streets should be
coloured in yellow ochre, except when that colour is used for the
proposed street, in which case burnt sienna may be used.
The Plates relating to this Section are Nos. 2, 3, 10,
11, 13, 14,
15, 17, 19, 20, 21,
and 33.
The principles and practice of map drawing, being in the main
identical with those of ordinary plan drawing, have been generally
explained and described in the preceding Sections. In the present
Section, therefore, we have only to direct attention to such details as
belong especially to the former class of topographical representations.
These details relate chiefly to the selecting of objects and features on
the surface of the ground whose character entitles them to special
notice, and therefore to distinct delineation; to the practical methods
of sketching such objects and features in the field, and to the means
and the manner of reproducing them on the finished map. The first
and the last of these questions have been treated by Mr. James in his
Handbook of Topography, and the second by Lieut. R. S. Smith of
the United States’ Army, in so concise and yet so complete a manner
that we have not hesitated to avail ourselves of their labours rather
than attempt to offer any instructions of our own. The following is,
therefore, worthy of respectful attention.
—In inking in streams, begin at the source
and draw downwards towards yourself, increasing the pressure on the
pen as you descend. The use of the steel pen in drawing single stroke
streams is very objectionable. Even soft steel pens are apt to cut the
surface of the paper, and in sharp bends it is quite impossible to ensure
an even width of line with the best yet made; by re-inking, much
time is lost, and frequently a rough jagged line is the result. The
common quill pen finely pointed will work well on any sort of paper.
—In maps of a small scale from
8 to 32 miles to the inch, it is usual to darken the north-western
bank, supposing the light to fall from the N.W. corner of the map;
but on maps of a large scale it is usual to attend strictly to the
height of the banks, and the draughtsman should carefully represent
the exact nature of each bank on his field-sketch or plane-table
sheet.
—Single stroke streams may be inked
in with either a dark line of Prussian blue, or a light line in Indian ink
may first be drawn and a streak of Prussian blue or cobalt run neatly
along it. Cobalt is much used both in single and double stroke
streams—it is certainly the prettiest and most lasting blue we have,
and the preference should be given it, as it imparts a high finish to
MS. maps.
In maps which contain much hilly ground, the streams should be
drawn in with light ink and a very fine pen at first, and be re-drawn
with dark ink or dark blue after the shading of the hills. Large rivers
on all maps published in England are now coloured with a flat-wash
of cobalt or Prussian blue. Some draughtsmen prefer shading rivers
according to bends, and keeping the shade as falling from the N.W.,
but this system cannot be carried out on maps of a large scale, where
the height of the bank is correctly represented.
—Islands
which are only visible at low water, on well-coloured maps, are usually
first washed over with a light shade of burnt or raw sienna, or a
mixture of raw sienna and light red; the last-mentioned colour does
not easily mix with water, and should not be used if any other can be
substituted. After the tint is dry, dot finely with light Indian ink or
dark burnt sienna. Sand-banks are coloured in the same way. Sandy
beds may be similarly treated, omitting the dotting if pressed for time.
Pebbly beds should first be tinted with a mixture of burnt or raw
sienna, then dip into a dark shade of burnt sienna any coarse camel-hair
brush, and splitting the brush by drawing it between the forefinger and
thumb, dot in the tinted portions. Care must be taken to avoid having
too much colour in the brush, or the dots will run into each other
and make ugly daubs.
Another very easy and successful method of dotting in sand or
pebbly beds is with a tooth-brush. First, on tracing or any other
thin paper, trace out exactly the limit of the tinted portion requiring
dotting, cut out these portions from the trace and place it correctly
over the original, dip a tooth-brush lightly into a saucer of colour
of the required depth of tint, and holding it in the left hand over
the uncovered portions, with the forefinger of the right hand or the
blade of a pen-knife, gently splutter the colour from the brush; when
it is necessary to cover a large space with dots, this will be found the
simplest and most speedy way of doing it.
—The main or trunk roads in any country
should be very distinctly represented by double and perfectly parallel
ink lines, coloured between the lines with lake or carmine. District
roads metalled, or those made between chief towns, should be shown
by a single line coloured with lake or carmine. Unmetalled roads
and paths by only a single line in burnt sienna.
The same system should be carried out in roads in a mountainous
country, and the draughtsman should give, either on the map or in the
column of remarks, such information regarding roads as is likely to be
useful to travellers or military authorities.
—On large scale maps these should be distinctly
marked, and the windings of the road correctly shown. Along the
Pass, write the name in small lettering, and state whether it is practicable
for horses, or fit only for men on foot. On maps of a small
scale, it will be sufficient to show the pass by a zigzag line across the
hollow, with a note as above.
—Fords should be carefully noted and
the name and depth of water during the rainy and dry seasons given,
if possible. The number of boats at every ferry should be correctly
ascertained, and noted on the map. Toll-gates may be shown on roads
with a light line drawn across the road, and the words “Toll-gate” be
clearly written on the side of the road.
,
should be correctly shown and named on all maps.
must be shown on all maps drawn
to a scale of four miles to an inch and upwards, by the usual symbol.
On maps of a small scale, show by dots or a thin line of yellow,
giving a reference under the title. The Stations are of the first
importance, and should be represented by the symbol.
—Railways are represented by a
strong black line, with or without thin lines drawn at right angles to
the main line. They should of course be very carefully and accurately
laid down, as they form the chief feature in any country.
Stations are shown by well-defined circles, and the name given in
plain lettering. Termini are best shown by blocks representing the
size of the buildings according to the scale of the map.
Except on maps of a very large scale, jungle should not be shown
over hilly ground. Representing such objects as trees, jungle or
brushwood, over plains or flat lands, on all ordinary scale maps, is very
necessary, and the exact limits of the jungle or waste should be surveyed
and correctly given by a dotted line, but over hilly ground it would
be impossible to do so without impairing the beauty and hiding the
features of the hill drawing. If it is actually necessary to make it
known that the hills have jungle on them, let a foot-note to the effect
be inserted amongst the remarks or under the title of the map.
Under the head of remarks or notes, it is always very necessary to
state the kind of jungle which exists in the surveyed tracts, for the
information of speculators and timber merchants, and for the guidance
of the lithographer or engraver. Notes on maps, whether statistical
or geographical, can never be too full; they are useful in supplying
at once information which could be obtained only from reading reports,
and frequently they render topographical details intelligible where
there might otherwise be doubt or misconception. They can be
recorded in any spare corner or blank space on the map.
—It is of the utmost importance that all maps of a large
scale should show the size accurately of cities, towns and villages.
If the scale admits of it, the several blocks or groups of houses with
the roads between them should be correctly drawn.
—In sketching hills, always
begin by fixing—1st. The drainage; 2nd. Those features which are
most prominent, such as peaks, rocks, ledges of rock running with the
strata of the hills, trees remarkable for some peculiarity in shape or
size so as to be recognized from various positions, and any other
objects likely to help the eye in filling in the details; and lastly,
sketch the details, beginning always with the ground nearest yourself.
Endeavour to portray your ground faithfully—1st. By preserving
the direction and bend of streams as in nature; 2nd. By giving the
run of the ridges correctly; 3rd. By fixing the peaks, ledges of rock,
precipitous falls and flats carefully; 4th. By showing the saddles or
depressions between peaks, which can only be done by giving the
peaks on either side sufficient relief in shading; 5th. By attending
strictly to the true breadth of valleys; 6th. By suppressing all hollows
with a suitable depth of tint; 7th. By careful representation of the
banks of streams in the valleys; and lastly, by finishing shades and
touches, in which is comprehended the retouching with brush or
pen work the entire piece, strengthening the shade of the higher
ridges and peaks to show their relative heights, and suppressing the
white tint along the ridges.
Many excellent draughtsmen are in the habit of leaving the ridge
of mountain ranges quite white; this is evidently a mistake, for,
unless the ridge of any range of hills is of one uniform height from
end to end, it cannot correctly be left white. Thus a wrong impression
is conveyed of the surface of the ridge, the white streaks look harsh
and are displeasing to the eye, and a stiff and unartistic look is given
to the finish of the drawing.
The means of communication, whether by roads or minor tracks,
are important, both for civil and military purposes, and should be carefully
inserted in the map. This can generally be done with facility
in a hilly country, as the fixed marks will be visible in sufficient
number along the road, so that the latter may be drawn in at once by
plane-table operations along the line of communication to be surveyed.
In flat countries, or where the view is circumscribed, it may be
necessary to resort to measurements and plotting; but should any
case occur where the fixed points of reference are far apart, the
traverse system must be resorted to, and the road should be plotted
from computed co-ordinates.
—Field sketches are made with the lead pencil,
and may be drawn upon every page of the compass-book, or upon the
alternate pages, at the option of the topographer. In the former
case, the bearings and distances are recorded upon the drawing; in
the latter, the record occupies the left-hand page, and the sketch the
opposite one. The page for sketching should be ruled in squares,
with blue or red ink, forming thus an indeterminate scale, the length
of the sides of the squares being assumed at pleasure, according to the
nature of the ground. Both the record and the sketch are read from
the bottom of the page upward. Suppose the stations of the survey
to be 100 feet apart; then, assuming the side of the square to be 100
feet, commence the sketch at the bottom of the page—in the centre, if
the survey promises to be tolerably straight; if otherwise, at some
point to the right or left of the centre, the reason for which will be
explained directly. Let the bearing from the first station, the starting
point or zero, be N. 10° E. Draw a line from the bottom of the page
upward; the side of the square being assumed 100 feet, number the
stations upon the squares as far as the line is run, say 325 feet, and
write the compass angle down along this line. Let the bearing from
the second station, or No. 1, be N. 1° W.; draw a line, making, as nearly
as can be judged by the eye, the proper angle with the last bearing,
and proceed as before. When the page is exhausted, commence with
a vertical line at the bottom of the next one, marking upon it the
remainder of the old bearing, and making, by the eye, a new series
of approximate protractions as before. If it can be foreseen, as in
most cases it can, that the line of survey will be very crooked,
bending, for example, from left to right, then commence the bearing at
the bottom of the page accordingly, beginning at a point on the
extreme right, and running it diagonally to the left, so as to make
due allowance for the great deflection anticipated in the next bearing.
Such cases may be foreseen in running around an inclosure, or in
following a curving stream or ridge. The advantages of the system
of squares in sketch books completely overbalance the one disadvantage,
which is, that the diagonal bearings will not make exact distances
upon the squares, while the vertical and horizontal ones will. It will
be remembered that the surveying book is designed to be exact only
in its record and the general features of the ground, and that a slight
change of scale is not material, as it can be made exact when the
survey is protracted upon the map. By these approximate protractions,
any page of the book of survey conveys a very just notion of the
bearings and distances, and of the relative positions of the general
features of the ground. The first station being at the bottom of the
page, note down, in the space between it and the second one, all the
features of the ground passed over by the line of survey; as to whether
it is cultivated, forest, marsh, &c.; whether it is crossed by streams,
ditches, &c., and their width; if it rises or falls; about what degree of
slope, &c. On both sides of the line introduce, according to the scale,
and their distances, as judged by the eye, all topographical objects
within sight, such as buildings, roads, streams, hills, &c., &c., drawing
them to the scale if possible, and if they cannot be got upon the page,
describing briefly their nature and position. In sketching hills
endeavour to project as many horizontal curves as possible, which
should be lightly put in, and then the shading lines may be drawn
over them. The degree of slope should be frequently written down
in numbers upon the sketch. The names of localities, streams, hills,
farms, &c., should also be entered.
Thus far we have supposed a measured line upon the ground, to
which the situation and dimensions of objects might be referred. It is
much more difficult to embody the relative positions and dimensions,
where all is left to the eye. Here a cultivated judgment is of the
greatest value. Practice alone can make a good sketcher under such
circumstances. Rules must, from the nature of the case, be few and
general. In the first place, all objects within the field of vision are
presented to the eye in perspective, whereas the sketch is to be a plan.
The apparent diminution of dimensions in distant objects must therefore
be corrected on the plan. For example, the windings of a crooked
stream, or a road, in perspective, are much exaggerated in retiring
into the distance; they must therefore be straightened out in the sketch
more and more, as they are more removed. 2nd. In looking at
variously placed hills from a somewhat elevated station, the eye will
in some cases look directly, or perpendicularly, at the face of some
slopes, while in others, the surface of the slope, if prolonged, will pass
through the eye, and will not be seen in its true dimensions, though
its inclination may be judged. In sketching the shapes of hills, bodies
of water, masses of forest, &c., these facts must be taken into consideration,
and to ensure skill, eye sketches of a small portion of
ground having well-marked features must be frequently made, and
compared with measurements of the same features. In sketching a
single hill, the best station is at the summit. First endeavour to
represent the lowest horizontal curve of its surface; then a medial
one; then the form of the level space at the summit, or the highest
horizontal curve. Others may then be introduced between these, until
the ground is sufficiently expressed. The angles of inclination should
be frequently noted down in numbers; all accidents of ground, such
as ravines, rocks, &c., should be carefully placed, and all other objects,
such as houses, fences, trees, &c., should be put down in their proper
relative positions and dimensions. Having thus prepared a skeleton
of horizontal curves, numbered as to inclination and heights, the
sketch will always serve a useful purpose without any lines of greatest
descent. After sufficient practice in this method, the eye will become
so cultivated as to enable the draughtsman to express the form of
ground by lines of descent at once, the mind conceiving the position
of the horizontal curves, and thus supplying the necessary data for
the shading lines, the relative thickness and length of which for the
different slopes is a matter very easy of acquirement. But this should
not be attempted until the method by horizontal sections is thoroughly
mastered.
It is easy thus to make a sketch of a single hill, but when there
are many, and the general face of the country is sloping also, the
difficulties of representing the connection of the different hills at their
bases are considerable. In such cases the direction and lengths of the
valleys, or water-courses if there are any, must first be noted, bearing
in mind the illusions of perspective in both its effects, previously
mentioned. Then establish the positions of the different summits,
marking down their relative heights, after which put in the other
objects to be represented, such as roads, trees, buildings, &c., referring
their positions to each other, and correcting them where they are
found to disagree. Horizontal curves present the readiest means to
the beginner in sketching declivities. When, after some practice, the
form of a body suggests, as it always will, its horizontal sections, then
it will be time to resort at once to the lines of greatest descent. The
greatest difficulties to be overcome in the practice of eye-sketching are,
1st, that of converting a perspective view into a plan, in all its true
proportions; and 2nd, in forming a just conception of the intersections
of different slopes at their bases. Hence the rule, to project first upon
the sketch, all the lowest lines, or water-courses, and then the highest
parts or summits. Then the middle lines and objects may be placed,
and the sketch filled up by referring all others to those three groups
which may be regarded as determined.
The lead pencil for field drawing should be moderately hard, and
the general tone of the drawing should be rather light. The shading
of slopes ought not to overpower by its depth the distinctness of other
objects, and the pencil should be so used and of such a quality as not
to be easily defaced by rubbing.
We have already described some of the duties of the “examiner”
in verifying and supplying detail in the field. The following fuller
exposition of those duties and the methods of performing them is taken
from an excellent little treatise on Land Surveying, by John A.
Smith, C.E.
—For the purpose of the examination,
the “examiner” should be furnished with an elegant and
accurate trace, ink copy, of the plotted detail of the district, and he
should be provided with a suitable sketch case, lined with prepared
ass skin, pencil, linear scale, chain, &c., and labourers. The trace copy,
in one sheet, should be in extent not more than can be conveniently
secured in the sketch case. It is desirable that the marginal detail on
the trace copy shall be common to the adjoining sheets for examination.
If the district be extensive, and if there be no more than one examiner
engaged on the examination, adjoining sheets should not be given to the
same examiner, that the character of the examiner’s work may be ascertained
by independent examinations of the same marginal detail. In the
examination of the detail representation on a map the “examiner”
should be mainly guided by a few leading considerations; these are:—
1. The position of a straight line, or detail, on the map will be
correct when its actual and plotted position on the ground and map
makes equal angles with another known line and intersects it in a
known point, the position of which line and point on the ground has
been previously ascertained to be correctly represented on the map.
2. The line, or detail, will be correctly laid down—given in magnitude
and position—when its position and length on the ground and
map are ascertained to correspond accurately.
From 1 and 2 it will be seen—
a. That the point of intersection of two given straight lines on
the ground, and the corresponding point on the map, will be a given
point on the map, if the corresponding lines on the map be ascertained
to be correctly laid down in position. And,
b. That any two points being given or correctly determined, the
straight line terminating in them will be a given line. Further,
c. That a straight line traced or drawn through given points, is
given in position. It should be kept in view that lines may be more
accurately traced, and to a greater distance, with the naked eye, when
the party tracing is rather above than below the level of the field on
which the trace shall be made.
It may be also seen that a point on the map which is the common
point of intersection of three straight lines drawn through well-defined
points in the detail will be a given point, if lines traced through the
corresponding detail points on the ground be found to have a common
point of intersection. And further, that the correct determination of
two such points on the map determines, as already stated, the position of
a straight line through these points. The determination, in the above
manner, of three such common points of intersection correctly determines
the representation of a given triangle. In the examination the
sides of the triangle determined by intersections, as above, should be
measured on the ground, to ascertain and verify the accuracy of the
determinations of the angular points on the trace or map. The production
of detail lines, and lines traced through plotted points, should
be taken up in the chain measurements of the sides of this triangle.
Through these verified points straight lines should be traced, and
drawn in pencil, to well-defined points in the detail, such as the buttals
of fences, the corners of houses and walls, gate piers, &c. On these
lines the intersected and neighbouring detail should be examined by
chain and scale measurements. In the measurement of the lines the
internal and adjacent external detail should be very carefully examined,
and corrected on the map where found in error. The examination of
the detail should be carried forward by the production and intersection
of given lines, and also by chain measurements from given points, to
verify the position of the detail or other points on the map. This
examination should be continued to the limits of the trace sheet. In
remote parts of the trace and district, lines of verification should be
drawn, traced on the ground and measured with the chain to verify
the scale measurements by the examination. These lines should be
long, and in situations affording few facilities for the accurate determination
on the map of the position of the plotted detail by other
modes of examination.
The straight line passing through the extremities, or other well-defined
points in curved detail, should be regarded as a detail line,
and the position of the intermediate curved detail verified by ordinates
or tangents. Buildings and adjacent detail should be carefully examined
by productions, &c., because of the greater difficulties these details
usually present to the surveyor and plotter, and the consequent
liability to small errors in the position of some of the plotted points,
which affect the direction of lines determined on them.
Among the Plates appended to this work will be found several
examples of map drawing suitable for reference. Plate 16 shows the
signs used on ordinary maps and charts. Plates 29 and 30 contain
signs used chiefly upon Indian and colonial maps; and Plates 31
and 32 give the signs employed upon military maps, with a section
and a plan of fortifications. These signs should be neatly drawn and
their dimensions suited to the scale of the map, the same remark
applying to these as to trees in elevation. Plate 1 is a plan showing
the principal characters of work used in mapping. This plan has
been very carefully compiled and drawn to render it suitable as a
plan of reference. Plate 12 illustrates the construction and colouring
of hills according to the several methods described in the preceding
Sections. Other examples, with rocky cliffs, will be found on Plate 14.
Plate 18 contains a piece of the Ordnance map drawn to a scale of one
inch to the mile, and furnishes an example of finished work. Upon
the same Plate will be found a piece of chart showing soundings,
intended as a reference for hydrographers and others engaged in
marine surveys. And Plate 28 shows the manner in which geological
maps are prepared. The whole of these examples will be found worthy
of careful study as specimens of the draughtsman’s art.
The Plates relating to this Section are Nos. 1, 10, 12,
14, 18, 28,
29, 30, 31, and 32.
It is not within the scope of the present work to explain and to
illustrate the principles according to which mechanical drawings are
executed. These must be studied in special treatises on Projection.
The several methods of giving expression and embellishment to this
class of drawings have, however, been fully described, and the principles
upon which these methods are founded carefully explained. It
now remains for us to add a few general remarks and some detailed
instructions on the practical application of these principles and
methods.
Before commencing the delineation of any machine, the draughtsman
should make himself thoroughly acquainted with its character;
that is, he should ascertain the nature of the work it is designed to
perform, the means by which it performs that work, and the manner
of its construction. This preliminary study is necessary to enable
him to obtain a good general idea of the more important parts, which
he will have to give prominence to in the drawing, and to understand
the nature of the various connections between the numerous pieces of
which the machine is composed. The dimensions of the several parts
must be carefully taken, and when drawing from actual machinery,
rough sketches should be made to serve as a guide in getting out
the complete drawing. The dimensions should be clearly marked
upon such sketches. As a general rule, it is best to begin with the
ground line and position of main driving shafts, from which dimensions
may be taken in every direction. The manner of writing the
dimensions, whether upon the rough sketch or upon the complete
drawing, should always be thus
for lateral, and thus
for vertical dimensions. To enable the draughtsman to take
these with accuracy, he should be provided with a pair of
callipers for measuring the diameters of shafts, a plumb-line
for obtaining lateral distances when the objects are not in the
same horizontal plane, and a two-foot rule.
The chief point to be attended to in commencing the drawing of
a machine is to obtain the correct positions of the centre lines of its
principal component parts, especial regard being had to the centres
of motion. These centre lines have been explained in a former Section.
Having laid down these lines accurately in their relative positions,
separate sketches may be made on a large scale of each part of the
machine, and the details of each part constructed upon each corresponding
centre line in succession, until the whole machine is built up.
The centre lines should be drawn in red, and the dimensions should
be laid off on each side of them. It will frequently be necessary to
take a careful section, to obtain sufficient information from which to
draw the plan and the elevation.
With respect to the written dimensions on a drawing, it may be
remarked that they cannot be too full or too numerous. Indeed, without
complete written dimensions a drawing is almost useless; for though a
scale may and should in all cases be attached, great labour would be
required to make use of the drawing by means of the scale only. Every
dimension which an engineer is likely to require to know should,
therefore, be plainly written. Nor is it sufficient to give a dimension
once only, as on the plan, for example, and to omit it on the elevation
or on the section. It should never be necessary to refer to another
drawing to find a dimension. The lettering should be clearly executed,
and the direction of the lettering should be the same as that of the
figuring, an example of which has been given; that is, it should read
from the front or from the right-hand side of the drawing.
If a drawing is to be coloured, the lettering, and all dark lines,
such as shade lines, must be left till after the colour has been applied.
On all coloured drawings the draughtsman should endeavour to obtain
a bright, clear tint by repeating the washes a sufficient number of
times. In preparing a flat-wash the tint should be mixed up slightly
darker than is required, and the solid colouring matter allowed to
settle before using. The solution, being poured off without disturbing
the sediment, will give a perfectly clear and pure tint. Tints for
colouring perspective drawings should always be prepared in this
manner. The methods of laying on flat-washes and of shading by
colours have been described in former Sections. The following
additional remarks on colour shading are taken from Worthen’s
‘Cyclopædia of Drawing.’
A means of adding considerably to the definiteness of a coloured
mechanical drawing, and of promoting, in a remarkable degree, its
effective appearance, is obtained by leaving a very narrow margin of
light on the edges of all surfaces, no matter what may be the angles
they form with the surfaces that join them. This should be done
invariably; we do not even except those edges which happen to have
shadows falling upon them. In such cases, however, this margin,
instead of being left quite white, should be slightly subdued. The
difficulty of achieving this effect of imparting a clear, regular, unbroken
appearance to these lines of light seems very formidable, and,
indeed, almost insuperable. The hand of the colourist may be as
steady and confident as a hand can be, and yet fail to guide the brush,
at an almost inappreciable distance from a straight or a circular line,
with that precision and sharpness so requisite for the production of
this beautiful effect. We shall, however, explain a novel and an
effective method of arriving at this most desirable result.
Suppose the object about to receive the colour to be the elevation
of a long flat rod or lever, on the edge of which a line of light is to
be left. Fill the drawing pen, as full as it will conveniently hold,
with tint, and draw a broad line just within, but not touching, the
edge of the lever exposed to the light. As it is essential to the
successful accomplishment of the operation that this line of colour
should not dry, even partially, before the tint on the whole side of
the lever has been laid on, it will be well to draw the pen a second
time very lightly along the line, so as to deposit as much tint as
possible. Immediately this has been done, the brush, filled with the
same tint, should be passed along so as to join the inner edge of this
line of colour and the whole surface of the lever to be filled in. By
this means a distinct and regular line of light is obtained without
sacrifice of time. A still more expeditious way of colouring such
surfaces is to draw a second line of colour along and in contact with
the opposite edge of the lever or other object, and to fill in the
intermediate space between the two wet lines with the brush. In this
way a clear, uniform outline to the tint is obtained. The blades of the
drawing pen must not be sharp, and care must be taken not to press
heavily upon it, as otherwise the blades will leave their course
visible—an unsightly betrayal of mechanical means to obtain such
regularity in the colouring. Flat circular surfaces may be treated in
the same way, by using the pen compass instead of the drawing pen.
When such surfaces are large it will be judicious to colour them in
halves or in quadrantal spaces, but great care must be taken to join
the parts neatly. The lines of junction may be obliterated by slightly
washing them, or by laying a very light tint over the whole surface,
taking care in crossing the lines of junction to rub them lightly with
the brush.
The line of light upon cylindrical objects may be beautifully
produced by the same means. To indicate this line with perfect
regularity is highly important, for if strict uniformity be not maintained
throughout its length, the object will appear crooked or
distorted. Having marked in pencil the position of the light, and
filled the drawing pen with a just perceptible tint, draw a line of
colour on one side of the line of light. Then, with the brush filled
with the same tint, fill up the space unoccupied by the shade tint,
within which the very light colour in the brush will disappear. The
portion of the surface on the other side of the line of light being
treated in the same way, the desired effect, of a stream of light, clear
and mathematically regular, will be obtained. The effectiveness and
expeditiousness of this method will be most noticeable on long circular
rods of small diameter, where a want of accuracy is more immediately
perceptible. The extreme depth of shade, as well as the line of light,
may, on such rods, be marked by filling the pen with dark shade tint,
and drawing it exactly over the line representing the deepest part of
the shade. On either side, and joining this strip of dark colour,
another, composed of lighter tint, is to be drawn. Others successively
lighter should follow, until, on one side, the line of the rod is joined,
and, on the other, the lightest part of the rod is nearly reached. The
line of light is then to be shown, and the faint tint used at this part of
the operation spread with the brush lightly over the whole of that
portion of the rod situate on either side of this line, thus blending into
smooth rotundity the graduated strips of tint drawn with the pen.
For the correct representation of a building, plans, sections, and
elevations are required. The plan is usually a horizontal section of
the building close above the ground floor. The position and the
dimensions of the walls and the rooms of a house are shown by this
means. As the walls are shown in section in the plan, sections of the
various walls must, of course, be supplied before the plan can be
drawn. It is usual to colour the section of the walls in a ground
plan; but not unfrequently a dark wash of Indian ink is preferred to
colour. The number of sections required will depend upon the
regularity of the building; but generally it will be found that two
half-sections are sufficient. These two half-sections are usually placed
side by side, separated by a single line. The lines on which they are
constructed must be drawn distinctly on the plan, and lettered. The
section is then described as “Section” or “Half-section” on A B, &c.
Usually the line of section is broken in plan, and the section is then
said to be on A B, C D, one half being on A B and the other
half on C D. Separate sections to larger scales are required for the
details of construction, such as joints of rafters, mouldings to windows,
and other parts needing distinct representation. Elevations generally
represent the whole of one side of the building, and every side that
differs from the rest must have its own elevation. Such elevations
are termed Front, Back, and End Elevations, or North, South, East,
and West Elevations. In order to show the foundations, a section of
the ground is sometimes given with an elevation; in such a case the
level of the ground should be shown by a distinct line. Sometimes
the portions of the structure below the ground are shown by dotted
lines. Such portions should not be coloured. In getting out the
drawings the plan should first be drawn, then the sections, and finally
the elevations. The colouring of elevations will afford the student an
opportunity of applying the knowledge he may have acquired from a
former Section of this work, and of displaying his artistic taste.
In the accompanying Plates will be found examples of colouring
mechanical and architectural drawings. These should be studied in
conjunction with the Section on colouring in the first part of this work.
Plate 22 shows a piece of marine engine carefully coloured to indicate
the material of which the several parts are made, and Plate 23
contains a piece of permanent way, consisting of wrought-iron rail and
bolt, cast-iron chair and wooden sleeper and block, and an elevation
of a skew bridge, accurately coloured and shaded in accordance with
the principles already explained. It is not within the scope of this
work to treat the subject of projection, whether orthographic, isometrical,
or perspective; but we have given examples of each of these for
the purpose of illustrating the remarks and instructions on colouring
given in the Section referred to above. Thus Plate 24 is a perspective
drawing, such as are frequently made by architects, requiring a high
degree of skill and taste on the part of the colourist. And Plate 27
contains two isometrical views of a building. These examples are
intended to serve as models of finished colouring.
The Plates relating to this Section are Nos. 22, 23, 24,
and 27.
Duplicates of drawings are very frequently required; so frequently,
indeed, and in such numbers, that their production constitutes
a large portion of the work executed in every drawing office. Generally,
these duplicates are required to the same scale as the original
drawing; but often it becomes necessary to reduce or to enlarge the
scale to render the drawing suitable to the purpose for which it is
intended. The various means and methods by which such duplicates
are produced are, therefore, important matters to the draughtsman,
and especially to the young draughtsman, whose labours in the drawing
office will for a long time be confined almost exclusively to their
employment. These means and methods will now be described.
—Drawing from copy is rarely resorted to
for the purpose of obtaining duplicates, the process being too slow for
practical requirements. But it constitutes the principal means, after
the study of projection, by which pupils in the office are initiated into
the art of producing drawings. A few hints concerning the best
modes of proceeding in these operations will, therefore, be serviceable,
both to the instructor and the instructed.
First draw a horizontal and a vertical line through the middle,
each way, of the sheet upon which the copy is to be made; draw also
similar lines upon the copy. As these lines divide the paper equally,
they may, for the sake of distinction, be called “divisional lines.” If
the centre lines are not shown on the copy, these must next be drawn
in lightly with the pencil, great care being taken to place them
correctly. The position of these centre lines relatively to the divisional
lines may then be transferred by means of the dividers from the copy
to the fair sheet, upon which they must be drawn finely but distinctly.
Sometimes it will be necessary to draw other lines upon the copy, and
to transfer them in like manner to the fair sheet. The details may
then be drawn in upon these centre lines, by transferring to them the
measurements taken from the centre lines of the copy. In taking
measurements from a centre line through an object that has both sides
alike, the dividers should be turned over to ascertain whether the
distance on the other side of the centre line is the same, so as to prove
the accuracy of the drawing with respect to the centre line. All
measurements must be taken in the exact direction of the distance to
be measured, and be transferred in the same direction, or an obviously
incorrect distance will be the result. In making the mark, the point
of the dividers should not be pushed into the paper, a just visible
mark being all that is required; care must also be taken, when using
the compasses, not to press the leg into the paper, as the holes thus
made render circles and arcs inaccurate, are unsightly at all times, and
completely destroy the unbroken appearance of a tint on a coloured
drawing by retaining the colour. When drawing in circular details
with the pencil, it will be well to place a small hand-drawn circle
around the centre for reference when inking in; also, when a curve is
struck from several centres, a temporary pencil line to represent the
radii should be drawn from the centres to their respective arcs.
When two or more views of the same objects are given, they should
be worked upon simultaneously; because, having once drawn in the
centre lines, one measurement may be applied to the corresponding
part in each view, and so time and trouble saved.
In copying maps and plans by this method of drawing from copy,
both the copy and the fair sheets are divided up into small squares, by
drawing a number of other lines parallel to the divisional lines described
above. The intersection of detail with these lines may then be
readily and correctly transferred from the copy to the fair sheet.
—Tracing furnishes the most expeditious
means of multiplying drawings. When a tracing is required in outline
only, the usual way is to fasten the sheet of tracing paper with
ordinary drawing pins over the drawing to be traced; the sheet of
tracing paper should be sufficiently large to allow the pins to be clear
of the drawing. If the sheet is not large enough for this, strips of
thin paper, with one edge gummed to the tracing paper and the other
to the board, may be used. When this method is not practicable,
the pin holes may be effaced to some extent by turning the drawing
upside down, and pressing back the edges of the holes with the flat end
of a pencil, after the tracing has been removed. If the tracing is to
be coloured, it must be stretched on the board, or it will never lie flat
after being moistened; and if the colouring is to be applied before the
tracing is removed from the drawing, it is essential that the tracing
paper be larger than the drawing, so that it may be cut off without
injury to the latter. When there is not sufficient time to stretch the
tracing paper, the tendency to buckle up when drying may be greatly
lessened by placing weights around any part immediately after the
colouring has been laid on. If the tracing is to be mounted, the
colouring should be applied after mounting. When tracing cloth
is used, a much better appearance will be produced by applying the
colour to the back of the tracing.
In performing the stretching process, the sponge must not be
applied directly to the tracing paper, but to a piece of clean white
paper laid over it; sufficient moisture will pass through to the tracing
paper in a few seconds. Sometimes, when the sheet is small, merely
breathing upon it will be found sufficiently effective. As tracing paper
is thus greatly affected by the breath, it has been recommended to
entirely finish both circles and lines within a small area at a time,
when copying a drawing, as if all the circles were put in first, as on a
drawing, many of them might be out of position before the lines could
be drawn. This recommendation is, however, of doubtful value. When
tracing from another tracing, a piece of white paper should be placed
beneath the copy to render the lines distinct.
A tracing may be made upon ordinary drawing paper by means
of the glass drawing board. This consists of a sheet of plate glass let
into a wooden frame about 3 inches wide flush with the face, the inner
edges of the frame being rebated for this purpose. This copying
board is placed on a table in front of a window, and supported at an
angle of about 25°, so as to get a strong light beneath, which light
may be increased by placing a sheet of white paper upon the table
to reflect upwards. The original drawing being pinned down to
this board with a sheet of drawing paper or parchment over it, the
finest lines will be plainly visible, and the drawing may be traced
in the same manner as upon tracing paper. To alter the light, the
angle of the board may be changed. This method, which is coming
extensively into use, is a very convenient one for copying plans
and maps.
—Copying by transfer has superseded the
method already described as “drawing from copy.” Transfer paper,
as employed for this purpose, may be made in the following manner.
Take half an imperial sheet of very thin paper, such as tissue paper,
and having stretched it upon a board, rub some common blacklead
powder well into it. Then, having removed the dust and superfluous
blacklead, well rub the sheet with a cotton rag to prevent its soiling
the paper when used for transferring a drawing. A sheet of transferring
paper prepared in this way will last for years. Red transfer
paper, which is principally used by lithographers, is prepared in the
same manner with red ochre.
To transfer a drawing, the sheet of transfer paper is laid with its
prepared face upon the paper which is to receive the drawing, and
over this is placed a tracing of the drawing to be copied, carefully
pinned down. The straight lines of the tracing may then be transferred
to the drawing paper below by going over them with a style
or other pointed instrument that will not cut the tracing. For the
regular curves and circles, it will be sufficient to mark the centres by
a small cross, thus, ×, and the radii by short lines. Other curves may
be transferred by means of the French curve. By this means a copy
of the original drawing is obtained in black or red lines, which may
be afterwards inked in. Though three distinct operations are required
in this process, making the tracing, transferring, and inking in,
a drawing can be much more rapidly copied by means of it, than by
measuring off with the dividers, as in drawing from copy.
—It is evident that in drawing from
copy, the drawing may be reduced or enlarged at pleasure, since it is
only necessary to take half or twice the dimensions as required.
Usually proportional compasses are employed for this purpose. When
reducing by scales, it is obviously not essential to use the same scale as
that to which the original is made; the dimensions on one scale may
be readily transferred to any other, and the student will do well to
make himself familiar with the operation.
For reducing or enlarging plans, several means are employed:
one of these is known as the method of squares, and is illustrated on
Plate 26. In the preceding remarks on drawing from copy, it was
shown how in copying to the same scale, both the copy and the fair
sheet were divided into squares of equal size, and how the intersections
of the detail with the lines forming these squares on the copy were
transferred by measurement to corresponding points on the fair
sheet. It is obvious, therefore, that if the squares on the latter be
larger or smaller than those on the former, as the intersections will
be transferred to the same relative positions on the fair sheet as they
occupy on the copy, the plan, or other drawing, will be enlarged or
reduced accordingly. This is the principle upon which drawings are
reduced by this method. Proportional compasses are required in the
operations.
Drawings may also be rapidly reduced or enlarged by means of
instruments called the Pantograph and the Eidograph. Both of these
instruments are shown on Plate 26. The following very complete
description of the pantograph and the eidograph is given in an excellent
work on ‘Mathematical Drawing Instruments,’ by W. F.
Stouley, of Holborn, London.
“The pantograph, as represented on the plate, consists of four
rules of stout brass, which are jointed together in pairs, one pair of
rules being about double the length of the other. The free ends of
the shorter pair are again jointed to the longer in about the centre.
It is important that the distance of the joints on each of the short
rules should exactly correspond with the distance of the joints on the
opposite longer rules, so that the inscribed space should be a true
parallelogram. To enable the instrument to work freely and correctly,
all the joints should be perfectly vertical, and with double
axes. Under the joints casters are placed to support the instrument,
and to allow it to move lightly over the paper. One of the long
rules has a socket fixed near the end, which carries a tracing point
when the instrument is used for reducing. The other long rule, and
one of the shorter rules, have each a sliding head fitted upon it, which
is similar to one of the heads of a pair of beam compasses. Each head
has a screw to clamp it in any part of the rule, and carries a perpendicular
socket, which is placed over the edge of the rule in a true
line with the joints. Each socket is adapted to hold either a pencil
holder, tracing point, or fulcrum pin, as may be required. The rules
upon which the heads slide are divided with a scale of proportions:
1—2, 11—12, 9—10, &c., which indicate as one is to two, as eleven
are to twelve, as nine are to ten, &c.
“A loaded brass weight, which firmly supports a pin that fits
exactly into either of the sockets, forms the fulcrum upon which the
whole instrument moves when in use.
“The pencil holder is constructed with a small cup at the top,
which may be loaded with coin or shot to cause the pencil to mark
with the required distinctness.
“Arrangement is made to raise the pencil holder off the drawing.
This is effected by a groove down one side of the pencil
holder, in which a cord is fixed, passing from the pencil along the
rules, turning the angles over small pulleys, and reaching the tracing
point, where it may be readily pulled by the hand to raise the
pencil. This will be found especially convenient when the pencil
is required to pass over any part of the copy not intended to be
reproduced.
“The pantograph is set to reduce drawings in two ways,
termed technically the erect manner and the reverse manner. It
will be necessary to give full details of each manner, particularly
in relation to the scales engraved upon the instrument, which are
not very intelligible; indeed comparatively few professional men
are sufficiently acquainted with them to avail themselves of their
full value.
“By the erect manner of setting the pantograph, the reduced
copy will appear erect; that is, the same way as in the original.
The general position of the parts of the instrument set in this manner
is shown in the plate, where it will be seen that the fulcrum pin is
placed in the socket of the sliding head upon the outside long rule,
and the pencil holder in the socket upon the short central rule. By
this method of setting the instrument, it will reduce in any of the
given proportions not exceeding half-size, technically from 1—2.
The scales engraved upon the rules that accord with the erect manner
of setting are those which have 1 for the first proportion; as 1—2,
1—3, 1—4, &c. The other scales may be used, but will not accord
with the reading, except through arithmetical deductions, the results
of which may be given more clearly by the following complete Table
than by rules with exceptions.
Table of Reductions by the Pantograph in the Erect Manner, the Fulcrum being
placed in the Socket upon the Outside Rule, and the Pencil upon the Central
Rule.
| |
Reading given upon the Scales. |
Reduces in the Proportion of |
|
| 1 |
— |
2 |
1 |
to |
2 |
| 1 |
— |
3 |
1 |
„ |
3 |
| 1 |
— |
4 |
1 |
„ |
4 |
| 1 |
— |
5 |
1 |
„ |
5 |
| 1 |
— |
6 |
1 |
„ |
6 |
| 1 |
— |
7 |
1 |
„ |
7 |
| 1 |
— |
8 |
1 |
„ |
8 |
| 1 |
— |
9 |
1 |
„ |
9 |
| 1 |
— |
10 |
1 |
„ |
10 |
| 1 |
— |
11 |
1 |
„ |
11 |
| 2 |
— |
3 |
2 |
„ |
5 |
| 3 |
— |
4 |
3 |
„ |
7 |
| 4 |
— |
5 |
4 |
„ |
9 |
| 5 |
— |
6 |
5 |
„ |
11 |
| 6 |
— |
7 |
6 |
„ |
13 |
| 7 |
— |
8 |
7 |
„ |
15 |
| 8 |
— |
9 |
8 |
„ |
17 |
| 9 |
— |
10 |
9 |
„ |
19 |
| 10 |
— |
11 |
10 |
„ |
21 |
| 11 |
— |
12 |
11 |
„ |
23 |
“In the above Table the readings which are given with the
proportions are given to show clearly which proportions agree with
the erect scales; many of those that do not agree with the reading
are very useful, as 2—3, which is often required to reduce a drawing
from a scale of 20 to one of 50.
“In the reverse manner of setting the pantograph, the reduced
copy appears reversed, or upside down, to the original. The fulcrum
pin is placed in the socket upon the short central rule, and the pencil
holder is placed in the socket upon the outside rule. This is generally
the most convenient way of using the pantograph for large
drawings, as the original and copy come edge to edge, and need not
overlap each other, which is often compulsory in the erect manner;
the range of scale is also much greater, as the proportions include the
unit proportions of the erect scale, and continue in ratios up to full
size.
“The following Table will give the readings of the instrument
which accord with the reverse setting, and those which may be used
to this setting, obtained by calculation.
Table of Reductions by the Pantograph in the Reverse manner, the Fulcrum being
placed in the Socket on the Central Rule, and the Pencil in the Socket upon
the Outside Rule.
| |
Reading given upon the Scales. |
Reduces in the Proportion of |
|
| 1 |
— |
2 |
1 |
to |
1 full size |
| 1 |
— |
3 |
1 |
„ |
2 |
| 1 |
— |
4 |
1 |
„ |
3 |
| 1 |
— |
5 |
1 |
„ |
4 |
| 1 |
— |
6 |
1 |
„ |
5 |
| 1 |
— |
7 |
1 |
„ |
6 |
| 1 |
— |
8 |
1 |
„ |
7 |
| 1 |
— |
9 |
1 |
„ |
8 |
| 1 |
— |
10 |
1 |
„ |
9 |
| 1 |
— |
11 |
1 |
„ |
10 |
| 2 |
— |
3 |
2 |
„ |
3 |
| 3 |
— |
4 |
3 |
„ |
4 |
| 4 |
— |
5 |
4 |
„ |
5 |
| 5 |
— |
6 |
5 |
„ |
6 |
| 6 |
— |
7 |
6 |
„ |
7 |
| 7 |
— |
8 |
7 |
„ |
8 |
| 8 |
— |
9 |
8 |
„ |
9 |
| 9 |
— |
10 |
9 |
„ |
10 |
| 10 |
— |
11 |
10 |
„ |
11 |
| 11 |
— |
12 |
11 |
„ |
12 |
“The above Table and the previous one give the proportions for
reductions, the tracing point being in every instance considered upon
the outside rule. If it were required to produce an enlarged copy,
which the pantograph will do but very imperfectly, the pencil and
tracer would have to change places; the proportions of course would
read the same.
“In using the pantograph some care is required in setting the
fulcrum weight in the best position to allow easy action of the instrument
over the space required. It should always be roughly tried
over the boundary before commencing the copy.
“The ordinary pantograph will in no instance work over a large
drawing at one operation, but it may be shifted about as required,
using care, and testing the copy after the fulcrum is moved, to see
that the tracer and pencil correspond in those parts already produced,
that the pantograph will reach in its shifted position. The fulcrum
weight being generally made with needle points to attach it to the
drawing will be found very difficult to shift so short a distance as is
frequently required. This may be easily remedied by attaching with
gum a piece of indiarubber over each of the sharp points, when it is
required to be used for large drawings. The rubber will hold the
paper sufficiently if the pantograph work freely in the joints and
casters, as it should do.
“In copying the buildings which frequently occur in plans of
estates, &c., a straight slip of transparent horn will be found very
convenient to guide the tracing point. Some draughtsmen have the
horn cut with an internal angle, by which one side and one end of a
building may be traced without shifting the horn.
“Architects and mechanical engineers seldom use the pantograph;
however, it may perhaps be sometimes used with advantage
for tracing in the most difficult and tedious parts of a drawing with a
precision impossible by hand. This applies particularly to such parts
as are frequently repeated, as capitals, trusses, bosses, tracery, &c.,
upon drawings to very small scales. In these instances it is only
necessary to make a detail sketch, say six times the size required, and
to place the fulcrum weight in such position that the pencil will pass
over the parts required to be filled in, the tracer at the same time
resting on a corresponding part of the detail sketch, which may be
placed in position under the tracing point, and be held sufficiently by
two lead weights. For a second ornament on the same drawing, the
detail may be shifted without moving the fulcrum.
“To follow the outline of any object of the ornamental class, or
for the reduction of mechanical drawings to a size suitable for wood or
other engravings, the strip of horn will be found particularly useful;
indeed, to obtain any degree of precision, it will be better, generally,
to let the tracer follow a guiding edge placed over the original for
that purpose. French curves are particularly useful, although perhaps
only a small piece may be available at once. The tracer may rest on
the surface until another part of the curve is found to correspond with
the continuation of the line.
“In some old pantographs a guide is fixed to the tracing point.
The guide is a kind of handle similar to a drawing pencil, the point
of which is hinged to the point of the tracer. This gives a convenient
and firm hold of the point, and appears to the author a useful appendage.
“Pantographs have been made in many shapes unnecessary to
describe, as they are all of one principle—that of a parallelogram
jointed at the four corners; the principal difference being in the
position of the points and fulcrum in relation to the parallelogram.
One thing is essential in every construction,—that is, that the fulcrum,
tracer, and pencil should always be in a true line when the instrument
is set for use. The parallelogram may be in any position on the
instrument, to the fancy of the maker.
“The Eidograph was invented by Professor Willis in 1821. It
is a most ingenious and exact instrument, for many purposes superior
to the pantograph, within the range of its working powers, which,
however, may be considered to be limited to reducing or copying off,
between the full size of the original and one-third of the size; for
greater reductions, the balance of the various parts is thrown so far out
that it appears clumsy to use, and is really inferior to the pantograph.
The great merit of the eidograph is, that within its range it reduces
conveniently and exactly in all proportions; for instance, we may
reduce in the proportion of 9 to 25 as readily as 1 to 2. It is also in
every way superior to the pantograph in freedom of action, there
being no sensible friction on the single fulcrum of support, and in its
movement it covers a greater surface of reduction.
“It is somewhat curious that an instrument of such great merit
should be little known in the profession, where its uses would be so
constantly convenient. This may partly be attributed to the very
few published descriptions which are to be found in works treating
on mathematical instruments. It is not intended, however, to infer
that there are not many eidographs in use, but that the writer presumes
they are comparatively little known, from his personal acquaintance
with professional men, and from the number of large pantographs that
are made and sold to perform work that could be done so much more
exactly and conveniently by the eidograph. This remark will not
apply to the small pantograph, which is less expensive than a small
eidograph, and answers perfectly for the reduction of small plans—as,
for instance, those frequently attached to leases and conveyances.
“The details of the construction of the eidograph are as follows:—The
point of support is a heavy, solid, leaden weight, which is entirely
covered with brass; from the under side of the weight three or four
needle points project, to keep it in firm contact with the drawing.
Upon the upper side of the weight a pin, termed a fulcrum, is
erected, upon which the whole instrument moves. A socket is ground
accurately to fit the fulcrum, and attached to a sliding box, which fits
and slides upon the centre beam of the instrument. The sliding box
may be clamped to any part of the beam by a clamping screw attached.
Under the ends of the beam are placed a pair of pulley wheels, which
should be of exactly equal diameter; the centre pins of these revolve
in deep socket fittings upon the ends of the beam. The action of the
two wheels is so connected as to give them exact and simultaneous
motion. This is effected by means of two steel bands, which are
attached to the wheels. The bands have screw adjustment to shorten
or lengthen them, or to bring them to any degree of tension. Upon
the under side of each of the pulley wheels is fixed a box, through
which one of the arms of the instrument slides, and is clamped where
required. At the end of one of the arms a socket is fixed to carry a
tracing point, at the end of the other arm a similar socket is fixed for
a pencil. The pencil socket may be raised by a lever attached to a
cord, which passes over the centres of the instrument to the tracing
point. The two arms and beam are generally made of square brass
tubes, and are divided exactly alike into 200 equal parts, which are
figured so as to read 100 each way from the centre, or by the vernier
cut in the boxes through which the arms and beam slide they may be
read to 1000.
“There is a loose leaden weight which fits upon any part of the
centre beam, packed in the box with the instrument. The weight is
used to keep the instrument in pleasant balance when it is set to
proportions which would otherwise tend to overbalance the fulcrum
weight.
“In the above details it will be particularly observed that the
pulley wheels must be of exactly equal diameters. It is upon this that
chiefly depends the accuracy of the instrument, the periphery of these
wheels being the equivalent to the parallelogram, which has been
already described as the essential feature of the pantograph. The
adjustment of the wheels to size, by turning in the lathe, is, perhaps,
the reason the results of the eidograph are more exact than those of
the pantograph, which has no equivalent compensation for the always
possible inaccuracy of workmanship.
“From the details just given, the general principle of the eidograph
may be easily comprehended. Thus, the wheels at each end of
the beam being of equal size, the steel bands connecting them being
adjustable, so as to bring the wheels into any required relative position,
it follows, that if the arms fixed to the wheels be brought into exact
parallelism, they will remain parallel through all the evolutions or
movements of the wheels upon their centres; consequently, if the
ends of the arms be set at similar distances from the centres of the
wheels, any motion or figure traced by the end of one arm will
be communicated to the end of the other, provided the fulcrum of
support be placed also at a similar distance from the centre of one
of the wheels.
“To adjust, or ascertain if the eidograph is in adjustment, is very
simple, from the reason that when the arms are parallel the adjustment
is perfect for all proportions. The manner of ascertaining this is as
follows: place all the verniers at zero, which will bring them to the
exact centres of the arms and the beam, place the arms at about right
angles with the beam, then mark simultaneously with the tracer and
pencil point, turn the instrument round upon its fulcrum, so that the
pencil point be brought into the mark made by the tracer; then, if the
tracer fall into the mark made by the pencil the instrument is in
adjustment. If it should not fall into the same mark, the difference
should be bisected, and the adjusting screws on the bands should be
moved until the tracer fall exactly into the bisection, which will be
perfect adjustment.
“When the eidograph is in adjustment, if the three verniers be
set to the same reading on any part of their scale, the pencil point,
fulcrum, and tracer will be in a true line. If it should not be so,
it will show the dividing of the instrument to be inaccurate. Thus
we have a simple way of testing the eidograph in every important
particular.
“The divisions upon the eidograph do not positively indicate the
reductions required to be performed by the instrument, but merely
give a scale, which, with the assistance of the vernier, divides the
beam and arms into 1000 parts. To obtain the quantity to which the
verniers are to be set, it is necessary either to apply to a table of proportions
relative to divisions, or to simple arithmetic, as will be shown.
A printed table is very generally placed inside the lid of the box in
which the instrument is packed, which contains part of the following
proportions:
Table for Reducing or Enlarging Proportions.
| |
Proportions. |
Divisions on Bars. |
|
| As |
1 |
is to |
2 |
33 |
·333 |
| „ |
1 |
„ |
3 |
50 |
|
| „ |
1 |
„ |
4 |
60 |
|
| „ |
1 |
„ |
5 |
66 |
·666 |
| „ |
1 |
„ |
6 |
71 |
·428 |
| „ |
1 |
„ |
7 |
75 |
|
| „ |
1 |
„ |
8 |
77 |
·777 |
| „ |
1 |
„ |
9 |
80 |
|
| „ |
1 |
„ |
10 |
81 |
·818 |
| „ |
2 |
„ |
3 |
20 |
|
| „ |
2 |
„ |
5 |
42 |
·857 |
| „ |
3 |
„ |
4 |
14 |
·285 |
| „ |
3 |
„ |
5 |
25 |
|
| „ |
4 |
„ |
5 |
11 |
·111 |
| „ |
5 |
„ |
6 |
9 |
·09 |
“The table here given answers for the general purposes of
reducing, such as the bringing of a plan from one chain scale
to another, the quantities of which are found by the following
rule:
“To find the quantity equal to any given proportion for the setting
of the eidograph.
—Subtract one sum of the proportion from the other,
and multiply this difference by 100 for a dividend; add the two
sums of the proportion together for a divisor: the quotient from the
working of this will give the number to which the arms and beam are
to be set.
“For instance, let it be required to reduce a drawing in the
proportion of 3 to 5.
| 5 - 3 |
= |
2 |
|
| |
× |
100 |
|
| 5 + 3 = 8 |
) |
200 |
( |
25 |
“The centre beam is to be set to 25 on the side nearest the pencil
point, the pencil arm is also set to the 25 nearest the pencil point,
and the tracer arm is set to the 25 farthest from the trace. If it
were required to enlarge in the same proportion, each side would
have to be set at the opposite 25.
“To clearly illustrate the subject, it may be well to give another
example. Let it be required to reduce an ordnance plan of five feet
to the mile to a scale of three chains to the inch. First, we must have
like terms, therefore to reduce both proportions to feet to the inch
will, in this instance, be the most simple way; thus:
| 5 feet to the mile |
= |
88 |
feet to the inch. |
| 3 chains to the inch |
= |
198 |
„ |
| 198 - 88 |
= |
110 |
|
| |
100 |
|
| 198 + 88 = 286 ) |
11000 |
( 38·461 |
“If the slides of the instrument be set to 38·46, it will be, practically,
sufficiently near.”
Photography is also frequently resorted to for the purpose of reducing
and enlarging drawings. The results are satisfactory within
certain limits of size; for it is obvious that when the drawing is large,
the parallel lines will converge in the photograph, for reasons which
will be understood from the laws of perspective. For enlarging small
and intricate drawings, photography is very useful. In preparing
drawings for reduction by this process, all lines and shadows should
be put in in Indian ink only. For optical reasons, colour cannot
be reproduced by photography, and as certain colours produce
an effect which might not be anticipated by the inexperienced, it
will be well to warn such against these effects, to prevent disappointment
at the results obtained. Thus blue, for instance, shows
very indistinctly, and yellow surfaces in coloured drawings come out
very dark.
—The drawings required
by the lithographic draughtsman are simply outline drawings
or tracings, with the shaded drawing for reference when such is
required. The shaded drawing should be traced when in outline only
with a fine-pointed pencil, not too hard. The engraver prefers such a
tracing to the drawing itself, unless he can have the latter before it is
shaded. He will, however, require the shaded drawing as a guide in
copying in the shadows. As the drawing always gets soiled under
such circumstances, unless protected, it is prudent to place it upon a
board of the exact size, with a glass over it to fit, the glass being kept
in its place by a strip of paper pasted round the edge. The drawing
will not be required at all if only an outline engraving is to be made.
In that case, the lines that are to be shade lines must be indicated on
the pencil tracing; a dot in red ink on each of such lines will be
sufficient.
A scale should always be put upon lithographs and engravings,
instead of merely stating that it is drawn to some particular scale,
because the paper just before receiving the impression is damped, and
consequently expands. For this reason, no engraving is of the same
size as the original drawing; and as the degree of moisture varies, no
two engravings from the same plate ever are exactly equal in size.
Hence the necessity for drawing the scale is obvious.
The Plate relating to this Section is No. 26.