Old Survey

This is a rather old comic (from 1893) that mentions "survey" in what appers to be a mapping context. The gentleman isn't terribly sober, so it's a play on the old "spirit level" piece of surveying equipment, which has long since been made obsolete, even before the advent of the all-conquering GPS.  It is a good example of a vintage map cartoon. And it's from an era when a large number of nations, Britain included) were engaged in aggressive surveying and mapping campaigns.  If I recall correctly, this was about the time Mt. Everest was identified as the world's highest peak.  The caption, by the way, is as follows:



Relentless youth: "'Ello 'ere guvnor, what 'yer up to naow? Takin' a hordinance survey o' the district I suppose!!"


Is that a globe the kid is holding?  I can't tell.