issue to the troops
on the outbreak of war. Of the northern parts of Natal two military
maps, produced during the previous wars on a scale of four miles and
one mile to an inch were available. But, though copies of one of these
maps were subsequently reproduced by the Boers and used by them in
their operations on the Tugela, it was well known that they were not
accurate and had not been corrected up to date. By arrangement,
therefore, with the Natal Government and at their expense, the
Director of Military Intelligence sent Major S. C. N. Grant, R.E.,
from England, in 1896, to execute a more careful reconnaissance of the
portion of Natal north of Ladysmith. Recognising that the map thus
produced might prove insufficient, Sir J. Ardagh, in 1897, urged
personally on the Right Hon. H. Escombe, the Prime Minister of Natal,
the importance of continuing this survey, and the latter promised to
endeavour to make such arrangements as he could, although he stated
that political considerations rendered it difficult for him to ask the
Natal Parliament to provide funds for a survey of the colony avowedly
for military purposes. Sir H. Escombe's Ministry subsequently went out
of office, and the only map of Natal existing at the outbreak of war,
besides those above referred to, was one on a scale of five miles to
an inch prepared locally for educational purposes.

[Sidenote: Intelligence map and Jeppe's.]

For the Transvaal and Orange Free State the compilation, from all the
material available, of a map on a scale 1-250,000 was commenced in
January, 1899, by the Intelligence division; twelve sheets were
completed and issued before October, 1899, and the remainder shortly
afterwards. In the same year a map of the Transvaal, compiled by C.
Jeppe from farm surveys, was produced under the auspices of the
Government of that State. A limited number of copies of this map were
obtained by the Intelligence division and issued on the outbreak of
war to the higher staffs. Subsequently in January, 1900, Colonel G. F.
R. Henderson, Lord Roberts' Director of Military Intelligence, was
fortunate enough to seize at Capetown a thousand copies of this
survey, and maps were compiled from them by the Field Intelligence
department. These proved of great service in the advance northward.

[Sidenote: A large question.]

The provision of maps for the many possible theatres of war in which
British troops may be employed is a difficult question. In the pres