Indonesia

J. L. H. Luymes

This article introduces the newly published Atlas of the Tropical Netherlands by the Royal Netherlands Geographical Society. Compiled in collaboration with the Topographical Service of the Netherlands East Indies, the atlas aims to serve both general practical use and to provide a survey of the present state of important scientific fields and human activities. It includes general maps, chorographic maps, and thematic maps covering physical geography, meteorology, biogeography, geology, human and economic geography, and historical geography. The article details the cartographic principles, scale selections, contour methods, and data sources, highlighting the atlas's value for academic research and practical application.

H. Lehmann

This text comprises two book reviews. The first highly praises the 'Atlas of Tropical Netherlands', published in 1938 by the Royal Dutch Geographical Society in collaboration with the Topographical Service of the Dutch East Indies. The review highlights the atlas as a masterpiece of cartography, containing 31 sheets with over 70 maps, covering both purely topographical and scientific content. It details the atlas's topographical representation, scientific value (including thematic maps on volcanoes, earthquakes, plant geography, languages, and economics), and its multilingual explanations and index. The second review criticizes Frazer's 'The Native Races of Africa and Madagascar', arguing that the book is merely a compilation of excerpts from notebooks, lacking systematic critical analysis and failing to provide a coherent picture of individual cultures. It further challenges Frazer's simplistic view of the difference between 'civilisation' and 'savagery', asserting that it overlooks the complexity and diversity of cultural development.

Karl J. Pelzer

This review examines the Atlas of Tropical Netherlands, published in 1938 by the Royal Netherlands Geographical Society in collaboration with the Topographical Service of the Netherlands Indies. The atlas project, initiated in 1909 but not commenced until 1928, comprises 31 double plates containing 136 maps covering topography, geology, climate, flora, fauna, population, economy, and history of the Malay Archipelago. The reviewer praises the large map scales and comprehensive coverage, while noting inconsistencies in hypsometric coloring, the obscuring effect of shading on elevation representation, and the absence of a map showing European plantations in Java. Overall, the atlas serves as an invaluable reference for the colonial geography of the Netherlands Indies.