United Kingdom英国

L. Dudley Stamp

This review assesses the 1963 Atlas of Britain and Northern Ireland, a landmark in British cartography produced by private enterprise after earlier government-backed proposals failed. Covering the whole United Kingdom at a standard scale of 1:2,000,000, the atlas maps contemporary national resources, with population based on the 1951 Census, agriculture and industry from mid-1950s data, and specialized maps using the latest available information. Its innovative approach combines conventional geological maps with original thematic treatments, while quantitative representation relies mainly on acreage, production, and employment rather than monetary values. The reviewer notes occasional over-ambitious map design and minor defects, but concludes that the atlas is monumental and essential for any serious library or reader seeking to understand Britain.

This article consists of three book reviews. The first review praises a work on the history of British hydrographers, highlighting the contributions of such figures as Greenville Collins and Murdock Mackenzie, and commends the superb collection of reproduced original charts. The second and most extensive review examines the Atlas of Britain and Northern Ireland, describing its comprehensive coverage of physical, economic, and social data, its map arrangement, and cartographic techniques. The reviewer regards the atlas as an outstanding resource atlas, while acknowledging minor errors and discussing issues of information presentation and user adaptability, as well as the broader question of map use. The third review compares two introductory textbooks on photogrammetry, noting that both attempt to fill the gap for a comprehensive yet accessible text, but with different strengths: Crone's Elementary Photogrammetry offers rigorous theoretical definitions, while Kilford's Elementary Air Survey provides a practical overview. The reviewer concludes that no perfect textbook exists and recommends consulting both.

Niels Nielsen

This review assesses the Atlas of Britain and Northern Ireland, planned by D. P. Bickmore and M. A. Shaw and published by the Clarendon Press, Oxford, in 1963. Using mainly 1:2,000,000 and some 1:1,000,000 scales, the atlas presents about two hundred themes covering physical conditions, climate, industry, population, transport, trade and communications. The reviewer stresses its innovative cartography: station-based climatic data with deviation diagrams, quantitative industrial and demographic maps, and bold visualizations of domestic and international flows of goods and passengers. Although the work is dense and expensive, and at times pushes established limits of legibility, its exceptionally detailed and accurate presentation offers an unrivalled source for studying Britain’s population and economic structure. The review concludes that the atlas will be valuable not only for education and information, but also for public and private administration.

Arthur H. Robinson

This review by Arthur H. Robinson assesses the Atlas of Britain and Northern Ireland (1963), a comprehensive thematic atlas rather than a government-produced national atlas. The review outlines the atlas’s broad topical coverage—physical geography, agriculture, industry, demography, communications, and regional reference maps—at multiple scales, with a gazetteer and transparent national grid overlay. Robinson commends the atlas for its impressive data compilation, thoughtful organization, and imaginative cartographic designs. He identifies, however, a notable tension between the desire to present only observed scientific facts and the need for effective graphic interpretation. The non-isarithmic climatic maps, which avoid interpolated isolines, are singled out as less effective for revealing geographic patterns. He also criticizes insufficient base data on many maps, inconsistent use of terrain-model halftones, illegible small lettering on coloured backgrounds, and range-graded symbols whose visual sizes distort actual magnitudes. Some insets are overly bright, and the 1:500,000 regional maps’ colouring does not clearly indicate relief. Conclusively, Robinson considers the atlas an outstanding compendium of information and a major cartographic achievement, whose faults are minor relative to its scope and execution. He suggests that Britain’s decision not to compete with this work through an official national atlas is fortunate, since a government agency would likely have produced a less effective volume. The review serves as both a detailed cartographic critique and a recognition of the atlas’s lasting value.

Norman J. G. Pounds

This is an academic review of the Atlas of Britain and Northern Ireland, published by Oxford University Press in 1963 at $100. The atlas presents a mid-20th-century cross-section of Britain through 200 pages of maps, covering physical geography (geology, relief, climate, soils) and human geography (population, agriculture, industry, transport). Most maps are at 1:2,000,000 scale, with some thematic maps at 1:1,000,000, based on extensive research by a team of experts. The presentation is ingenious, with notable examples like agricultural holdings and coal mine maps. The review notes that while not an official national atlas, it surpasses similar works in scope and precision, and holds historical value, though its detail makes it quickly dated. It concludes that for the next decade or two, it will be the standard reference on Britain's economic activity distribution.

This review introduces The Atlas of Britain and Northern Ireland, published by Oxford University Press in 1963. The atlas was first proposed in 1938, interrupted by the war, and revived in 1944; in 1952 the Oxford University Press assumed editorial and financial responsibility, and after 11 years of work the atlas was completed. It contains 200 pages of colored maps, mostly at 1:2,000,000, using a transverse Mercator projection. A notable feature is the regional comparative maps covering seven regions at 1:1,000,000, each designed as four facing pages on physiography, industry, and transport. Small-scale index maps at 1:500,000 are also included. The reviewer praises the effective use of 8–10 colors, the innovative sector/radius symbols, and the transparent overlay grid. Detailed evaluations are given for maps of relief, geology, climate, vegetation, agriculture, industry, population, and transportation, with special appreciation for the world map of British merchant shipping activity (June 1, 1960). The review concludes by urging Japan to produce its own national atlas. A brief note follows introducing the bibliography of geographical studies on mainland China by Japanese scholars, compiled by Mutsuyoshi Hōyū.

Jean Rossano

This review evaluates The Oxford Atlas of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1963), a 200-page cartographic inventory of Britain compiled over ten years from diverse sources. The maps include general sheets at 1:2,000,000, regional series at 1:1,000,000, and a 1:500,000 index map. Coverage spans geology, climate (still in Fahrenheit/inches), land use, agriculture, coal mining, population, and transport. Although the presentation is clear and information-rich, some data are dated (notably the 1951 census and atomic-power stations), and the fixed binding prevents future updating. Overall, the atlas fills a long-standing gap as a valuable reference work.

Charles B. Hitchcock; O. M. Miller

This article reviews the *Atlas of Britain and Northern Ireland*, published by Clarendon Press in 1963. Although not officially compiled, the atlas effectively serves the function of a national atlas, comprehensively presenting the resource overview of mid-century Britain, covering geology, climate, vegetation, agriculture, industry, population, and transportation. The reviewer commends its innovative segmented symbols and dot-method statistics, clear design, and meticulous arrangement, while also noting that the binding hinders cross-page reading, the font size is too small, and educational, scientific, and cultural resources are omitted. Overall, it stands as a milestone in British thematic cartography.

R. A. Gardiner

This review examines the recently published National Atlas of the United States (1970) within the broader context of national atlas production. It recalls the 1939 British definition of a national atlas and traces subsequent developments, comparing the U.S. volume with the International Atlas (1969) and with loose-leaf national atlases such as those of Spain and Australia. The review discusses key design decisions: the use of 1:2,000,000 reference maps, the absence of relief on reference sheets, the inclusion of administrative boundaries, the choice of firm binding, and the very limited textual commentary. The author acknowledges the atlas’s exceptional thematic coverage—especially in economic, demographic, and socio-cultural maps—and its practical value for planners and researchers. However, he criticizes the fineness of some lines and lettering, the questionable inclusion of rapidly changing or highly specialized topics, and the tendency to use symbols rather than built-up-area depictions for urban regions. The article concludes that the National Atlas is a major achievement and an indispensable reference source, while arguing that the time is now opportune to create a National Atlas of the United Kingdom, given the establishment of the Department of the Environment and the completion of the 1971 census. The review thus combines an evaluative critique with a forward-looking argument for national atlas development.