(85) 
NATIONAL REPORT ON SWITZERLAND 
by 
H. Harry. 
Mr. President, 
Ladies and Gentlemen, 
I have the honour and much pleasure in conveying to you the greetings 
and good wishes of Switzerland, of my Government and of the Swiss Society 
of Photogrammetry. 
As you know, Switzerland is but a small country, as far as its surface is 
concerned. I should not in the least be cross with any American school boy if 
he did not find my country on the world map. Nevertheless, Photogrammetry 
has obtained also with us great significance. 
I suppose, however, that the technical tasks in a large country such as for 
example the USA, are in many respects different' to those of a small country, 
such as Switzerland. From this fact emanate differences in the means of work 
ing, in the instruments and methods used, and in the opinions of the specialists 
regarding a number of questions. Whilst we are over here, at this Congress, to 
discuss in a friendly way these problems, we shall do well always to remember 
the differences in our tasks. Thus we shall show understanding for conditions 
foreign to ours and be willing to learn from one another. 
In a small country like Switzerland, the available soil is scanty and we are 
compelled to know our land well and to administer it judiciously. This is why 
we have good maps as far back as 80 years for scales 1 : 25.000 and 1 : 100.000, 
and since 30 years a triangulation 1st and 4th order with a density of 3 points 
per square km. We are at present busy with a new, and already the second, 
general map of Switserland for scales 1 : 25.000 and 1 : 50.000, and also with a 
cadastral survey with plans for scales 1 : 250 (for towns) up to 1 : 10.000 (for 
alpine pasture). In accordance with these requirements, science and technique 
of geodesy and surveying are well developed. Nor is it surprising that in our 
country an industry should have grown for surveying and photogrammetric 
instruments and reached the same high-quality standard as for instance the 
Swiss watchmaking industry. 
A question might well be asked: what has photogrammetry to do in a 
country so well provided for as far as its surveying is concerned. A large-spaced 
exploration or colonisation is not possible with us and also the laying-out of 
traffic arteries is limited to single dispositions in a small area. Yet, Photogram 
metry has achieved economic importance also in Switzerland, because by means 
of this method we can solve our surveying and topographic tasks quicker, in a 
more reliable way and cheaper. The main problems in my country lie with 
cadastral surveying, engineering work and natural science. The most important 
development resides in photogrammetry of highest precision for the produc 
tion of large-scale maps. 
Our practical experience has brought us to the conclusion that we can 
attain further progress in the application of photogrammetry if we succeed in