Reisz T. Csaba: Magyarország általános térképének elkészítése a 19. század első évtizedében - Lipszky János és segítői térképészeti vállalkozásának ismertetése (Budapest, 2002)

IDEGEN NYELVŰ ÖSSZEFOGLALÓK - The Making of Hungary’s First General Map in the first Decade of the 19th Century. The Cartographic Enterprise of János Lipszky

however, only makes general reference to the existing map — it is likely that they wished to keep the map’s nature and content secret. In 1785, the Court Military Council even prohibited the publication of this map. Although only one and a half decades had passed in the meantime, the same central authority warmly endorsed similar cartographic endeavours. Nevertheless, the Gubernium continued to hinder the publication of new maps about this part of the country. Lipszky repeatedly applied to the governor, to no avail.

As a consequence of the Gubernium’s decision, Lipszky was unable to complete the materials about Transylvanian territories with as careful attention to detail as for the other parts of the country. He could only utilize already available works for the preparation of the map and, although these cannot be considered entirely useless sources, the accuracy of the map is uncertain. In addition to territorial independence, this also contributed to the fact that Lipszky compiled the Repertorium in two independent parts: Hungary, Croatia, Slavonia and frontier-territories in one part, while Transylvania and the Partium in the other. An analysis of the Reper- torium’s quality also indicates the vast qualitative and substantive difference between its two parts.

The involvement of military authorities (1799— 1810)

Military authorities took part on four occasions in the process: first during the time of the Bogdanich-expedition, then in correcting sketch maps, later granting permission for the completed units, and finally in 1809 concerning subscriptions and distribution of the map when it was repeatedly published for military personnel.

1. Military command units were informed about the Bogdanich-expedition in a letter dated 10 December 1798 by the Council of the Governor-general, which requested safe and unobstructed passage for the scientist. Units in frontier territories could not decide whether to comply with the letter, as they lacked information concerning the details of the undertaking. They therefore turned to their superior authority, the Court Military Council, which in its letter dated 29 January 1799 addressed to the Hungarian Chancellery stated that it had not even been informed of the relevant imperial decree, had no information at all about the undertaking and requested information the venture and the imperial decree in order to issue the necessary order to command units.

2. Not long thereafter, the Croatian command unit referred Lipszky’s application to the Court Military Council in which the author requested correction of settlement maps and registers based on regiments. The Military Council once again expressed its surprise over the making of such a map, stating that it had not heard of it previously. It requested detailed information about the nature of the map and about whether the author is truly working at the order of the emperor or if the officer is carrying out a private venture. Both the Court Chancellery and Lipszky

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