Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-04-17
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

most valuable of his comprehensive works
| 1t possesses the quality of brevity without
| lack of detail In style it is more matter
of-fact than any of the preceding volumes.
Altogether too little is known of this new
possession. The popular idea that it is a
cherries and inhospitable climate is not
only erroneous, but damaging to the de-
velopment of region of large capabilities,
great resources and inexhaustible wealth.
| As he says, the area of Alaska is greater
| than that of the thirteen original States of
| the Union, its. extreme length being more
| than 1000 miles, and its extreme breadth
about 400 while its coast line, including
bays and islands, is greater than the cir
conference of the earth The island of
Unalaska is almost as far west of San Fran
cisco as San Francisco is west of the Capt.
tai of the United States while the distance
! from the former city to Fort ST. Michael.
the most northerly point in America in
habited by the white man, is greater than
to the city of Panama.
At the time of its purchase the idea pre-
vailed that it cost us dearly, though we
paid but two cents an acre for all its lands.
| On this point the historian remarks
| Though it must be admitted that the
greater portion of Alaska is practically
worthless and uninhabitable, yet my labor
has been in vain if | have not made it APP
1 pear tlldI AldShd ldChS IOL resources Dut
Development. Scandinavia her old-world
counterpart, is possessed of far less natu-
raj wealth, and is far less grand in natural
| CONFORMATION. In Alaska we count more
| than eleven hundred islands in a single
| group. We can trace the second longest
water-course in the worl1. We have large
sections of territory where the average
yearly temper allure is higher than that OF
| Stockholm or Christiania, where it is
nilder in winter, and where the fall of
| rain and snow is less than in the southern
| portion of Scandinavia. 1t has often been
stated that Alaska is incapable of support
| ing white population. The truth is that
| her resources though some of them are not
| yet available, are abundant and of such
nature that, if properly economical, they
will never be seriously impaired The
| most habitable portions of Alaska, lying as
| they do mainly between $50 and co. north.
are in about the same latitude as Scotland
and southern Scandinavia The area
of this portion of the territory is
| greater than that of Scotland and
southern Scandinavia combined, and vet
it contains to-day but few hundred, and
has never contained more than thousand
white inhabitants; while the population of
| Scotland is about 3,500,0 900, and that of
! Norway and Sweden exceeds 5000 900. The
day is not very far distant when the coal
| measures and iron deposits of Scotland,
and the mines and timber of Scandinavia,
| will be exhausted and it is not improba-
bic that even when that day comes the re-
sources OF Alaska will be but partially
opened. The little development that has
! been made of late years has been accom-
plished entirely by the enterprise and CAPT.
tai of Americans, aided by few hundred
hired natives. Already with a white popu-
lation of 500, of whom more than four
fifths are non-producers, the exports of the
Territory exceed 100000 a year, or an
average of $1,000 per capita Where else
in the world do we find such results. 1t
| may be stated in answer that the bulk of
| these exports comes from the fur-seal
grounds of the Prybilof Islands, which are
virtually stock farm leased by the Gov
| eminent toa commercial company but the
present value of this industry is due mainly
! to the careful fostering and judicious man.
/ agement of that company and there are
| other industries which, if properly directed,
i promise IN time to prove equally profita-
| BILE. Apart from the seal islands. and apart
| from the trade in land furs that is diverted
| by the Hudson's Bay Company, the pro-
| duction of wealth for each white person in
the Territory is greater than in any portion
! OF the United States or of the world. This
wealth is derived almost entirely from the
| land and pelagic peltry, and from the fish
cries of Alaska; for at present her mines
are little developed, and her forests almost
intact. And yet we are told that the coun-
try is without resources
In this history Mr.. Bancroft has pursued
the same scholarly exhaustive system of
preparation that characterized his works
on California, Mexico and Central America
and yet it is more concise, compact and
practical than those volumes. 1t is forti-
fed by an array of cited authorities of
great extent testifying to the wonderful
research engaged in predatory to sending
the pages to print. Alaska is every dav
coming into greater prominence, the truth
about this long sealed Territory being made
known, its capacity, wealth and life-sup-
porting quality becoming better and better
known, and the advent of this book will
greatly augment popular knowledge on the
subject and disabuse the public mind of
many erroneous ideas. 1t is the first real
history written of the region, and we ven
ture to prophesy that it will remain the
standard of authoritative reference concern
ing 1t.
The Political Science Quarterly y is the
title of a new review issued by CHM & Co..
Boston. and edited by the Faculty of Polit-
ical Science of Columbia College. On no
other subject is there more need for intelli-
gent treatment The initial number March,
contains these papers q Introduction by
Professor Munroe Smith 1.-THE American
Commonwealth" by Professor John y
Burgess ~ COLLECTION of Duties" bv
Frank ]. Goodnow; American Labor
Statistics" by Professor Richmond M.
Smith; Legislative Inquests,n by Freder-
lex w. Wittridge; The Berlin Confer
ence,' by Daniel De Leon, PHI D. In ad-
dition there are reviews of many late books
and papers on political economy We trust
that this magazine will succeed 1t has a
free field. The realm of science admits all
candidates, and that political economy is
| science, and that to political questions the
methods of scientific inquiry NAV be ap-
piled is undeniable. If the q Review" is
maintained it will be by the generous and
prompt support of patriotic reading and
thinking people, VINO esteem the study of
governmental ethics and systems duty of
the citizen.
The first number of a new magazine
The Path y" devoted to the brother
hood of humanity, theosophy in America.
| and the study of occult science, philosophy
| and Aryan literature is at hand. Il is
edited by William Q. Judge, and pub
llshed under the auspices of the Aryan
Theosophical Society of New York. In
addition to the scope of the magazine as
| above given, following are the contents of
| the present issue: This Magazine -
Aum" by Hadji- Erinn; Kabbalah,"
by Seth Pancoast. NJ. d.. Seership," by
Murdhna Joti; The Nature and Office of
Buddha's Religion, by Ri Rev. H. Suman-
gala A Prophecy About Theosophy; y
review notes, etc.
The "a Musical Herald y for April, in ad-
dition to the usual departments and vari-
| Gus articles on the art universal" has
| three good pieces of music" My Heaven
in Thee" arranged by Irving Emerson
Abide With Me" by Summer Salter, and
Last Night" by Halfden Kjerulf Also
an easy instrumental piece" The Dance
on the Lawn" by Tn. Kullah. Musical
Herald Company, Boston.
"The Voice" for April, published by
| u 90