CONTENTS.
The Arctic Cruise of the U. S. S. Thetis in the Summer and Autumn of1889: Lieut. Comdr. Chas. H. Stockton, U. S. N.
(Illustrated with view of Herald Island, and one map.)
The Law of Storms, considered with special reference to the NorthAtlantic: Everett Hayden, Marine Meteorologist, Navy Dept.
(One View and seven Illustrations.)
The Irrigation Problem in Montana: H. M. Wilson
THE
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE.
THE ARCTIC CRUISE OF THE U. S. S. THETIS IN THE SUMMER AND AUTUMN OF1889.
A German writer of note once said, in the course of a discussion uponcertain French characteristics, that "the trouble with the Frenchpeople is,—they do not know Geography."
Whether this is still true of the French, as a nation, or whether theauthority may be considered a good one, it is not pertinent for me hereto say; but I feel that of the nations of the world, this country,above all others (England, perhaps, alone excepted), should not havethe want of knowledge of geography classed among its national failings.
We have, however, very much geography yet to learn, as individuals andas a nation; not only of countries beyond our own but particularly ofour own continent and our own domain, while commercial geography isalmost an unknown and forbidden study.
Professional geographer as I am, as member of the naval service, I findthat every cruise adds to my geographic knowledge, and in giving anaccount of the cruise during last summer of the ship which I had thehonor to command, I trust that I may be enabled to present somegeographic facts as interesting to my fellow-members of the GeographicSociety as they were novel and instructive to myself.
Before beginning my narrative, however, let me give you an idea of theextent of the shore-line of the territory or semi-colonial provincealong which so much of our cruise was made.
Alaska has an area of about 580,000 square miles, consisting of a largemainland with a coast-line 6,650 miles in length, and also of more than1,100 islands, with a coast-line of 2,950 miles, the entire coast-linebeing 9,600 miles. The coast-line of the rest of the United States,including islands, is only 6,580 miles, thus making the coast-line ofAlaska 3,020 miles more than the coast-line of all of the rest of theUnited States.
Of this great country the part known best and visited annually bytourists is that insignificant portion of southeastern Alaska whichconsists of the Alexander archipelago and its neighboring maincoast-line, differing in its scenery, topography, climate, and nativeinhabitants, from the greater part of this vast territory.
It is fortunate, however, that this corner of Alaska is so easily andcomfortably reached by the summer traveler, as, with the exception ofthe coast-line and inlets between Sitka and Kodiak, which includes theFairweather ground and the St. Elia