Liivimaa Üldkasulik ja Ökonoomiline Sotsieteet ning teadmiste areng Eesti ala kõrgussuhete kohta 19. sajandil

Abstract

The Livonian Public Welfare and Economic
Society and Studies in the Estonian Relief
in the 19th Century

It is remarkable that the history of Estonian cartography is at the same time the history of Estonian agriculture, not that of military sciences with which the development of cartography is usually connected in many countries of the world. Military science did have a roll in mapping the western governorates of Russia, i.e., Estonia, Livonia and Courland, but the Estonian, Livonian and Curonian agricultural societies were more important in the early 19th century and its second
half.
The first detailed hypsographic map in Estonia was completed
upon the initiative of the Estonian Agricultural Society in the years 1868–1869 with the purpose of determining the paludified areas in the governorate of Estonia. The Livonian Public Welfare and Economic Society did not want to fall behind its sister organisation.
Carl Johann von Seidlitz, owner of the Meeri estate, physician and naturalist, was responsible for the general levelling of Livonia from the part of the Society. He headed the respective commission which determined the main principles of levelling by early 1874 and tasked that the measurements to be taken be more precise than in Estonia. They did achieve that purpose, although the work was prolonged and
financially exhausting for the Society.