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public, and the solutions cannot be found by purely theoretical means. The lack of applied research 
on a sufficiently large scale makes the use of certain economic procedures unsure and clumsy and 
hinders their evolution. Form the economic and financial point of view the progress obtained is too 
slow. 
The insufficiency of suitable experimental tests limits productivity and reduces the economy 
of the projects. 
In order to obtain quick results directly useable by practicians, and to increase the progress of 
the methods, an experimental study should fulfil a certain number of requirements that guarantee 
the value of the data and enlarge their field of application. Moreover, the tests should give valid 
results within an acceptable time. The number and scope of the problems arising from the needs 
of the different countries make it desirable to have a permanent potential of experimental research. 
The achievement of applied research that can be controlled and used at all stages, not too 
special or too narrow to be statistically valid, imposes requirements that greatly exceed the means, 
in material and specialists, of individual countries: it demands close cooperation. The inter 
governmental character of the OEEPE has enabled teams of specialists to be set up, who are well 
informed of the problems and can rapidly assemble the equipment necessary and make the 
indispensable contacts. 
The OEEPE aims to furnish, at short notice, statistical conclusions that can be used in bulk or 
interpreted in detail. It pursues a plan of action that is balanced and directly dependent on the 
needs of its members, according to procedures adopted by common agreement in the different 
commissions, with the objectivity and reproducibility of its results guaranteed by carefully worked 
out rules and by the competence of the members of the scientific commissions. 
Every precaution is taken to allow for the analysis at all phases and the complete interpretation 
of the work performed, in order to further the progress of the methods and instruments. 
It is probably for these reasons that the rapporteurs of several commissions of the ISP have 
greeted the birth of the OEEPE as a happy event between the two congresses. 
At this congress, the presidents of the scientific commissions will describe their activities within 
the framework of the work of the different commissions of the ISP. An account has incidentally 
already been given in a special number of Photogrammetria devoted to the OEEPE. However, 
a brief history of the OEEPE may be in place here. 
In 1954?, the first scientific commissions met: Commission A for medium and small-scale 
triangulation: Commission B, large-scale triangulation: Commission C, large-scale plotting. A fourth 
commission, E, has been set up but has not yet functioned. It will deal with small scale plotting 
and the use of simplified instruments. 
At the first commission meetings plans, rules, and distributions of work were made. After this, 
photography of the different polygons was carried out during the same year. 
In Italy Commission A was assigned an experimental polygon about 100 kilometres in length. 
The blocks usually contain several strips (generally 3 bands). 
In Switzerland, another polygon was made for Commission A, and a polygon for Commission C 
with 600 control points. Meanwhile Austria arranged a polygon for Commission B. 
The publications and tables given in Photogrammetria or displayed at the exhibition illustrate 
the importance and variety of the equipment and apparatus, the number of polygons and strips 
flown over, and also give an idea of the work done by the OEEPE in 1954, in spite of unfavourable 
weather conditions. 
In 1955 all the preliminary operations for systematic observations in the different centres were 
performed, and during the period 1955—56 the observations were commenced in these centres in 
accordance with the distribution of work agreed upon by the six European countries. 
To sum up, the present situation is as follows: in Commission C the first stage decided upon by 
the Steering Committee has been reached: the plotting is completed, about 26 000 points have 
been calculated and the partial coordinates of all the tests are contained in 26 000 punched cards. 
The results have been translated in a first graph drawn on the basis of 26 000 calculated points. 
In Commission B several strips have been triangulated, the routings are completed up to 
85 % and the compensations are being worked out at the electronic computation centre of the 
Vienna Polytechnical College, in liaison with the topographical service of Professor Neumaier. 
Commission A is continuing its work and a large number of strips have been triangulated either 
by special processes or by the reference method. Others are under observation. The triangulations 
on grids are partly completed as well as the couples-terrain and other tests useful for the inter 
pretation of the results. Some compensations have already been completed by a first method of 
computation called the Standard Method. 
A table giving information on the specialists taking active part in the research work, the 
centres responsible for the observations, the instruments used and the methods tested can be 
consulted at the exhibition, and is also reproduced in the special number of Photogrammetria 
published by the OEEPE for this congress. 
The OEEPE has thus collected valuable material and performed a good deal of useful work. 
Of course, everything is not perfect: the OEEPE is fully aware of this and is striving to improve 
its efforts. 
A report on the results obtained would however not be complete without reference to the moral 
side of the OEEPE’s achievements. Its activities have given birth to a real teamspirit among the 
members of the different commissions. The specialists taking part in the work of the organisation