Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-22
ASIA'S FUTURE.
Mr.. Gardiner G. Hubbard's Address
Before the Geographic Society.

At the meeting at the Columbian university
last night to commemorate the second ami
versary Of the incorporation Of the National
geographic society there was a large and
distinguished audience in attendance.
Mr.. Gardiner G. Hubbard, the president of
the society, delivered his annual address. taking
for his subject Asia, its past and future" He
said in the course of his remarks: 81 have
taken for my subject Asia-the mother of man
and the cradle of nations; the birthplace OF the
four great eligions-Judaism. Buddhism
Christianity and Mahommedanism." He dis
cussed the geography Of the land with its
great mountain ranges. deserts, plateaus and
river systems. The great mountain chains.
vast as they are. give Asia an average elevation
OF 1850 feet, greater than that of any of the
other great divisions of the earth's surface.
The mountains surround and form great basins
with total area of six millions of square miles.
All the rivers which flow into these basins have
no outlet to the sea- but empty into great salt
lakes In steadily diminishing streams or are alb
sorbed in the deserts. One of these basins, the
Arai Caspian, was once the home Of dense
population and was known the garden of
the world" 1t is now vast uninhabited bar
rem waste.
SIBERIA.
Mr.. Hubbard, in speaking of the great natu-
raj divisions of the country, said that Siberia
has the most extensive but least serviceable
water system of any country in the world The
southern part of Siberia is crossed by strip of
rich black earth where are extensive prGiries
which with little cultivation make rich returns.
The northern part, known as the Jundia, has
rainfall greater than the evaporation. the
rivers constantly overflow, il is ice bound nine
months out Of the year and presents most
desolate appearance. The temperature varies
from 100 in summer to 40 in winter. a greater
variation than any other country of the world.
1t is colder than the north pole aud hotter than
the equator. Siberia could offer subsistence
for vast population, but unfortunately the
only outlet to large part of its territory is by
the Arctic ocean, an impracticable highway for
commerce.
CHINAs POPULATION.
The population of China is 400. 0O0 900, a
fourth of the earths population. This i'm
mense people is supported by the two great
rivers, the Hoang Ho and the Yang Tse- Kiang
The land is fertile and highly cultivated and
raises magnificent crops with the aid OF irriga-
ton. japan consists of four large and four
thousand small islands For centuries the mikado
relgned with despotic power until the seventh
century, when the popular power gained the
ascendancy. This they held until 1868, when
the ofgarchical power was overthrow and
the mikado was restored with limited powers.
More recently the democratic feeling has
gained the ascendancy and popular assembly
has been formed, which meets for the first time
this year. India has population of $50, 600, 900
or about one-sixth of the earth's people, while
parts OF Asia are among the dryest in the
world The peninsulas of India and Indo-China
are among the very wettest
INDIA AND ARABIA.
India is largely fertile land, and, as a wheat
growing country. can compete with Europe or
America. Ii there is any country that seems
to be away from the moving streams of the
earths advance that country is Arabia. Still
there are traditions of very early civilization
and culture. Yet there are some things which
have generally been accredited to Arabia to
which she cannot properly lay claim. 1t was
formerly supposed that we owe to Arabia our
numeral system, but later investigation has
shown that it originated in India and only came
to Europe through Arabia. The commerce of
Asa has for centuries brought wealth and
Ger to her cities. II was the commerce of
India that Columbus sought. But when he
failed the Portuguese succeeded, and for Gen.
turtles Portugal was the richest country Of the
world. Yet the whole course of Asiatic COM
merce was changed by the building of the Suez
canal.
EUROPEAN DOMINATION.
In discussing the future of Asia Mr.. Hub
bard said that France had striven in vain with
England for supremacy in Asia. The power of
Russia in Asia is the power of a race Asiatic by
origin and tendencies, but the English in Asia
is an alien. They are merely sojourners in Of
fetal capacities and every Englishman longs
for the expiration of his time of dwelling
there that he may return to his native home
Thus the question as to whether England, with
all she has done IN that land, will hold her
sway there, is one not easy to answer. 1t is
generally admitted by intelligent Englishmen
that the people of India would much prefer
the lawlessness they formerly had to law and
order under English government. China and
Japan are the only countries In the world that
have successfully resisted the encroachments
OF European nations. Again and again people
think they have gained an entrance into those
conservative countries but they are invariably
repulsed by their inhexible hatred to foreign
intermeddling.
He Rode the POlicernan's Horse.
George Jordan yesterday volunteered to ride