Plans for a National Atlas: Discussion

Summary

This paper records a discussion meeting on the plans for a National Atlas of Britain. The Chairman, Professor Kenneth Mason, opened the session by recalling the Royal Geographical Society's evidence to a government commission, which strongly recommended the creation of a National Atlas. Professor Taylor, as chair of a committee originally formed at Cambridge, presented preliminary proposals. In the ensuing discussion, Dr. L. Dudley Stamp noted that Britain lagged behind many countries in atlas production and cited the Ministry of Health's interest, suggesting the inclusion of maps on mortality, health services, and environmental amenities. Major-General M. N. MacLeod discussed publication options, advocating for an official or semi-official production by the Ordnance Survey, and emphasized the unique value of maps in displaying distributions. Later, Professor A. G. Tansley stressed the importance of cartographic representation for understanding phenomena and planning development, while Dr. H. C. Darby called for historical maps to contextualize modern distributions. In her summary, Professor Taylor welcomed the positive suggestions, including serialization and loose-leaf format, and considered establishing a permanent organization to ensure the Atlas's continuous growth. The Chairman concluded by thanking participants and noting that Britain was behind countries like Finland and France, urging geographers to collaborate on the project.