Karachi Guide Map – Published Under The Direction Of Brigadier R H Thomas – Surveyor General Of India 1929

Surveyor General: Brigadier R. H. Thomas D.S.O
Publisher: The Survey Of India, Calcutta
Price: £1750
Publication Date: 1929
Edition: First edition
Format: Heliozincograph
Condition: Near fine condition, unframed
Sheet Size: Sheet Size: 79.6cm x 102.8cm
Scale: 3 inches to 1 miles: 1:21120

Condition:

Original cream wrappers. Original fold lines into 32 sections. Map bright and clean. Reverse is blank. Wrappers slightly dusty and creased. In original and unrestored condition. In very near fine condition. Exceptionally scarce, especially in this condition.

Location: Map Drawer C: FS: Folder 1220

Description:

The first edition of the Survey of India Karachi guide map. A highly detailed map on a scale of 3 inches to 1 mile. Produced during a period of rapid urban growth, this 1929 Karachi Guide Map was a detailed map showing the city’s expanding infrastructure and residential areas. The map captured the city’s development into a cosmopolitan hub, with its road networks and key landmarks such as Frere Hall and the Empress Market. The distinction between the native quarters and the British cantonment area was clear, reflecting the colonial-era urban segregation. The map also highlights the growing importance of Karachi as a trade and military centre. It is an important document that reflects the city’s growing infrastructure and the increasingly structured urban planning. The map shows the layout of Keamari, the Karachi Port Trust area, and the Clifton and Saddar districts, which were important residential and commercial zones. The JISC library hub reports no copies of this 1929 first edition being held by institutions in the UK.

The 1929 Survey of Karachi: A Short Description

The Survey of Karachi in 1929 and the creation of the Karachi Guide Map were pivotal moments in the city’s development, reflecting its growing importance as a commercial and administrative hub under British rule. During this period, Karachi was rapidly expanding, driven by its strategic location as a major port city on the Arabian Sea and its role as the administrative capital of Sindh. The 1929 survey, conducted by the Survey of India, aimed to provide a detailed and accurate map of Karachi to support urban planning, governance, and infrastructure development.

Background of Karachi in 1929

By the late 1920s, Karachi had become a critical part of the British Empire’s trade routes, particularly for the export of cotton, wheat, and other agricultural products from the Sindh region and the broader Punjab province. Its port was one of the most important in British India, serving as a key outlet for goods destined for Europe and other parts of the Empire.

The population of Karachi had grown significantly, with a mix of communities, including Sindhi locals, Gujaratis, Parsis, and a significant British presence. As the city expanded, it needed improved infrastructure, updated maps, and better urban planning to manage its growth. The 1929 survey aimed to address these needs by producing a comprehensive guide map.

Purpose of the Karachi Guide Map

The Karachi Guide Map of 1929 was created with several specific purposes in mind:

1. Urban Planning: Karachi’s rapid growth required careful planning, and the map was intended to serve as a foundational document for urban development. It included detailed layouts of streets, public buildings, markets, residential areas, and industrial zones, making it essential for municipal planning authorities.
2. Infrastructure Development: The map was critical for ongoing and future infrastructure projects, including road building, railway expansion, and the development of port facilities. It provided accurate data on the city’s existing infrastructure and identified areas where expansion was necessary.
3. Land Revenue and Property Assessment: Accurate maps were essential for land revenue collection, property assessments, and resolving disputes over land ownership. The Karachi Guide Map helped in delineating property boundaries and identifying public and private landholdings.
4. Military and Administrative Use: Karachi was also of strategic importance to the British military, especially because of its port and its proximity to the Persian Gulf and British-controlled territories. The map was used for administrative purposes, helping officials manage various aspects of governance, from policing to military logistics.
5. Tourism and Navigation: As Karachi became more prominent, it attracted businessmen, traders, and visitors. The guide map served as a navigation tool for new residents, visitors, and foreign traders, highlighting key landmarks, roads, and public facilities.

Features of the Karachi Guide Map (1929)

The 1929 Karachi Guide Map was highly detailed and included various key features:

1. Topography and City Layout: The map detailed Karachi’s physical layout, marking important streets, neighbourhoods, and public spaces. It likely showed the city’s division between the British cantonment area, which was well-planned and housed military and administrative offices, and the “native town,” which was more densely populated and less orderly by colonial standards.
2. Landmarks and Public Buildings: Prominent buildings such as Frere Hall, Empress Market, Karachi Port Trust, Merewether Clock Tower, and various churches, mosques, and temples were highlighted. These landmarks were essential for both practical and navigational purposes.
3. Ports and Railways: Karachi’s port and railway lines were key infrastructural elements. The Karachi Port was one of the busiest in India, and the guide map provided detailed information on docks, harbours, and related infrastructure. The map also showed the city’s railway connections, including lines that connected Karachi to interior regions like Hyderabad and Lahore.
4. Roads and Transportation: The road network was a major focus of the guide map. Karachi’s main thoroughfares were mapped in detail, along with secondary roads, tramlines, and other public transport routes. The map helped in planning for future road expansion to accommodate the city’s growing population and commerce.
5. Neighbourhoods and Districts: The map identified various residential and commercial districts within Karachi. Wealthier areas, such as those occupied by British officials and the Parsi community, were well-delineated, alongside the more congested areas populated by local traders, artisans, and labourers.
6. Municipal Services: Essential public services, such as waterworks, power stations, hospitals, and police stations, were marked on the map. These were key to the city’s governance and were needed for coordinating the growth of municipal services as the population increased.

Challenges Faced in Creating the Karachi Guide Map

Several challenges likely arose during the creation of the 1929 Karachi Guide Map:

1. Rapid Urban Expansion: Karachi was growing at a fast pace in the late 1920s, and keeping pace with this growth was a challenge for surveyors and urban planners. Areas that were once on the city’s outskirts were rapidly being developed, requiring continuous updates to the map.
2. Diverse Land Use: Karachi was a city of contrasts, with well-developed colonial areas alongside informal settlements and densely populated markets. Mapping these different zones required a nuanced approach, capturing both the formal and informal aspects of the city’s urban fabric.
3. Complex Demographics: The city’s population was ethnically and religiously diverse, and this complexity needed to be reflected in the map. Different communities often occupied distinct neighbourhoods, which had to be accurately represented for administrative and civil purposes.
4. Port Development: Karachi’s port was undergoing continuous development in the 1920s, with new docks, warehouses, and facilities being constructed to handle increasing trade. Surveyors needed to keep track of these changes and ensure the map remained up to date.

Outcome and Impact of the Karachi Guide Map (1929)

The 1929 Karachi Guide Map was a valuable tool for the city’s planners, administrators, and residents. It provided a clear and comprehensive view of Karachi’s infrastructure, layout, and key features, which facilitated governance, trade, and public services. The map also helped guide the city’s future development, providing a foundation for urban planning initiatives in the decades that followed.

Moreover, the map contributed to the strategic management of Karachi as a key port city in the British Empire, particularly during a time when global trade was of immense importance to colonial economies. It supported military and civilian authorities in managing the complexities of a growing metropolis that was rapidly becoming a gateway to British India’s hinterlands.

Legacy of the 1929 Karachi Guide Map

The 1929 survey and the resulting guide map laid the groundwork for the future growth of Karachi. In the years that followed, the city continued to expand, eventually becoming the largest city in Pakistan after the partition of British India in 1947. The map is a historical document that provides insight into Karachi’s urban and infrastructural landscape during a crucial period of its development.

Today, the Karachi Guide Map of 1929 serves as a valuable resource for historians, urban planners, and researchers interested in understanding the colonial urban planning practices, the growth of port cities, and the socio-economic dynamics of Karachi during the late British period.

Heliozincography: A Short Description

Heliozincography is a printing process that was developed in the 19th century to reproduce maps, plans, and other illustrations with great detail. The term is derived from heliography (a photographic process using sunlight) and zincography (a method of printing using zinc plates).

Key Features of Heliozincography:

1. Combination of Photography and Printing:
   • Heliozincography involved transferring photographic images onto zinc plates, which could then be used to reproduce maps or drawings. The process started with a photograph of the original map or illustration, which was then used to prepare a printing plate.
2. Zinc Plates:
   • The process utilized zinc plates as the medium for printing, replacing traditional stone or copper plates that had been used earlier in lithography and engraving. Zinc offered a cheaper and faster alternative for producing detailed prints.
3. Application in Cartography:
   • Heliozincography was widely used for map reproduction, especially by government survey departments, including the Survey of India and the Ordnance Survey in Britain. It allowed the mass production of accurate and detailed maps.
   • For example, the Survey of India under Colonel Sidney Gerald Burrard would have used heliozincography or similar methods to reproduce maps from surveys like the 1911 Baramulla and Anantnag survey.
4. Advantages:
   • Cost-effectiveness: Zinc plates were cheaper to produce than copper or stone plates.
   • Speed: It allowed for quicker production of multiple copies, which was especially useful for distributing maps and technical drawings.
   • Precision: The photographic component of the process ensured a high degree of accuracy in reproducing details.
5. Process:
   • The original image (such as a map or drawing) was photographed, and the photographic image was chemically transferred onto the surface of the zinc plate.
   • The plate was then treated with chemicals so that only the lines or details to be printed remained on the surface, while the rest was etched away.
   • Ink would adhere to the raised parts of the plate, and the image would be transferred onto paper through a printing press.

Historical Use:

• Survey of India: The heliozincograph was widely used by the Survey of India for producing accurate and reproducible maps of regions such as Kashmir. Given the difficulty in producing detailed maps of mountainous terrain, the precision of this process was essential for both administrative and military purposes.
• Ordnance Survey: In the UK, heliozincography was used by the Ordnance Survey to reproduce topographical maps with the necessary detail for military and civilian use.

Conclusion:

Heliozincography played a crucial role in the mass production of accurate, detailed maps and technical drawings in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It combined the emerging technology of photography with traditional zinc plate printing, providing a fast, cost-effective method for disseminating important geographical and technical information, particularly in fields like cartography.

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