Nowadays modern-equipped ocean-going vessels, huge tankers and pelagic fishing boats are making safe voyages on a boundless ocean. What are they relying upon to carry out thei missions? Their resort is a chart, guide map of the sea. The chart is presently less known to the public than expected. In this number featuring the chart, we try to explain from our specialistic standpoint what the chart is in order to make it widely known.
For the first place we make explanations on (1) the position of the Hydrographic Division of the Maritime Safety Agency which is the only office responsible for producing charts in Japan and (2) recent developments in charts. Then, articles on (3) a navigator's experience on charts and (4) the utilization of charts as school-teaching materials are of great interest to the reader. Further, (5) historical retrospect of various stages of chart development, and brief explanation of the present status of (6) hydrographi survey, (7) compilation of chart original and (8) reproduction for preparation of a chart are given. Finally, (9) internationally adopted technical resolutions for chart production are outlined. We add (10) a illustration as a guide to look over the charts annexed for general comprehension of charts by those readers who are studying maps. The annexed are reproductions of past and present chart of Yokohama Ko, the one published in the early period of Meizi Era and the other the latest edition.
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