Quarter-master.Staff-sergeants.Sergeants.Bugl.Rank and File.
DublinDrawing, tracing, printing, and contouring0021 20
EnniskillenRevision survey0030 30
Belfast Ditto and contouring 0030 41
Total008191
General Total—Great Britain and Ireland.12296408

There was also a civil force, working with the survey companies, of upwards of 1,700 persons, more than 600 of whom were labourers. The remainder, for the most part, were engravers, surveyors, draughtsmen, computers, and clerks.

For the last thirteen years the strength of the corps on the duty has been disposed of as follows: The totals calculated from the monthly records are the annual averages. Of this force a strong detachment has always been employed in the work of the triangulation, at one time amounting to fifty-four men, who alike visited the mountains of Scotland and England. Such also was the case with the contouring detachment, which in the early part of 1853 and down to October, 1856, numbered about forty men of all ranks. Both parties are included in the averages for England, as their location, from being constantly on the move, has not been determined in the general monthly returns of the corps:—

North America.
England.Scotland.Ireland.Bound.Explor.Paris.ErzeroumTotal.
Surv.Surv. & Danube.
184419962620000251
1845209142510000258
1846198282371300269
1847206302901100276
1848216432801000297
184923371280000332
185020279280000309
185120361280000292
185219057260000273
185316984350000288
185418289750000346
1855180123850030391
1856173147880002410

The greatest strength of the sappers employed on the survey duty, was, in October, 1856, 446 of all ranks.

The division of labour is perfect in detail, and as comprehensive as its delicate minutiæ will permit. To each department of duty a proportion of sappers is attached with reference to their acquirements and experience, and the wants of the service. In the principal triangulation recently finished, the sappers always took an important part. Young soldiers newly posted to the companies, who displayed no particular aptitude for finer work, were usually sent upon it. The duty was arduous and severe, and the men invariably slept in tents or portable huts, on mountain slopes at high altitudes. A sketch of a survey hill encampment may be seen in the Aide Memoire, which graphically illustrates the rugged character of the site, and by inference, the difficult and trying nature of the duty.[[219]]

In the great triangulation, the 3-feet, 2-feet, and 18-inch theodolites are used to make the required observations. At the several stations selected for the work, each instrument is fixed in a “crow’s nest” on some mountain peak or crag, or perched upon the turret or narrow towering steeple of some country church or city cathedral, or stayed by guy-ropes among the battlements of some deserted old castle.[[220]] For the last thirteen years, non-commissioned officers with strong camp parties under them have fulfilled this duty, and have visited, in every vicissitude of weather, nearly all the leading trigonometrical stations in Great Britain. “It is, perhaps, right,” says Captain Yolland, “to mention, that whereas formerly, it was deemed necessary to employ general officers of the army and scientific individuals to make the required observations with the theodolite to carry forward the principal triangulation, the whole is now done by non-commissioned officers of sappers, the only difference being, that in the one case the general officer worked out his own results, and in the other the non-commissioned officer simply forwards his observations to Southampton for computation. That” continues the captain, “is a very important economical result of employing sappers and miners.”[[221]] “In justice to the highly meritorious body of non-commissioned officers of the corps of royal sappers and miners,” writes Colonel James, “I should state, that whilst in the early part of the survey the most important and delicate observations were entrusted solely to the commissioned officers, these duties have of late years been performed by the non-commissioned officers with the greatest skill and accuracy.”[[222]]

Several parties are also employed in conducting the secondary and minor triangulations. In prosecuting the former, theodolites of 12 and 10 inches diameter are used, in the latter 9 and 7 inches. The use of the smaller instruments was commenced about 1826 by the sappers, who carried on the observations in connection with the chain survey. Next year a few sergeants were entrusted with 12-inch instruments. In 1833 some expert men were attached to the mountain party of Captain Portlock, who thoroughly trained them as observers. About 1838 a selection of some forward and enterprising sappers was sent to Lieutenant Downes, to replace the civilians in charge of the observing parties. From this time is dated the general employment of sappers in the use of the secondary class of instruments. “The system of employing trained sappers” in the work of the triangulation, and in the use of the zenith sector was “introduced by General Colby, and attained during his time its fullest development.”[[223]] Here it should be noted, however, that the sappers in the field are confined to the practical duty of observing only, and consequently take no part in the responsibility of the calculations, which are entirely carried out under the direction of the officers of royal engineers. As mere observers the non-commissioned officers have succeeded eminently, and their observations will bear the strictest comparison with any previously made either with the great instruments or the zenith sector.

The other duties of the companies comprise the computation of distances, areas, altitudes, latitudes and longitudes, the detail survey of the kingdom, and the drawing and colouring of the necessary plans for engraving and publication. Several men have the important duty to discharge of examining the work on the ground, before the plans are fairly finished; and a number are constantly employed in contour levelling. The great bulk, however, of the companies is dispersed on the detail survey and in plan-drawing.

A few non-commissioned officers are also engaged in the perambulation and notation of public boundaries—a branch of duty demanding from those selected to carry it out a good understanding, a habit of sifting and weighing evidence of a confused and contradictory character, and mental vigour sufficient to bear up against the hard and depressing study of wearying and uninteresting details and registries. Long-standing litigations between parishes and townships respecting the demarcation of certain lands have often been investigated by the non-commissioned officers, and upon the accuracy of the reports drawn up by them depended the decisions of the superintending officer. In elucidating the features of particular territorial disputes, dry legal enactments and charters, corporate and manorial records and histories, have not unfrequently to be consulted. Some important cases, shrouded in difficulty and complexity, have called for a more lengthened inquiry and application; and the plodding perambulators, to make themselves masters of the points at issue, have even extended their researches to the study of old and abstruse authorities, such as Pope Nicholas’ Taxation, the Valor Ecclesiasticus of Henry VIII., and the MSS. of Torre and Archbishop Sharpe. Some of the reports display a more than average amount of talent, argumentative skill, and antiquarian information.[[224]]