San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-03-12
ASIA'S FUTURE.
Gardiner G. Hupbard'S Address at
the Columbian University.

to commemorate the second auniver-
sary of the incorporation of the Ma
tional Geographical society there
was, says the Star, a large and dis
tinguished 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: II have taken for my
subject Asia-the man and the era
die OF nations; the birth place OF four
great eligions-Judaism, Buddhism,
Christianity and MahOmmedanism. "
He discussed 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 ele-
walton of 1850 feet, greater than that
OF any of the other great divisions of
the earth's surface. The noun tains
surround and form great basins with
4 total area of 5000, 900 OF
square miles. All the rivers
which flow into these basins have no
outlet to the sea, but empty into
great salt axes in steadily diminish
ing streams or are absorbed in the
deserts. One of these basins, the
Aral Caspian, was once the home of
dense population and was known as
the garden of the wOrld.N tits now
Il vast uninhabited barren waste.
Mr.. Hubbard. in speaking of the
great natural divisions Ofthe'cOuntry,
said that siberia has the most extern
sive, least serviceable water sy stem of
any country in the world. The south
ern part OF Siberia is crossed by strip
# rich black earth, where are extern
sive prairies, which with little cult
walton make rich returns. The
northern part, known as the Jundia,
has rainfall greater than the eVap-
grafton, the rivers constantly over
flow, it is ice-bOund nine months out
of the year and presents most desc
late appearance. The temperature
varies from 1922 in summer to 4Oo
below in winter, a greater variation
than any other country o. the world.
1t is colder than the north pole and
hotter than the equator. Siberia
could offer subsistence for a vast pO-
pulation, but unfortunately the only
outlet to a large part of its territory
ca BILE highway for commerce.
The population of China is 100000,
900, fourth of the earth's popula-
ton. This immense people is sup
ported by the two great rivers, the
Hoang-Ho and the Iang-Tse-kiang.
The land is fertile and highly cult
waited and raises magnificent crops
with the aid Of irrigation. Japan
consists of four large and 1000 small
islands For centuries the MikadO
reigned with despOtiC power I'M
til the seventh century, when the
popular power gained the a5CendanCy.
This they held until 1865, when the
Oligarchical power was OVerthrOwn
and the Mikado was restored with
limited powers. More recently the
democratic feeling has gained the as
cendancy, and popular assembly
has been formed, which meets +,
the first time this year. India has Il
population of go GOO 900, or about one
sixth of the earth's people. while
parts OF A STA are among the dryest IN
the world, the peninsulas of India
and IndO-Chna are among the very
Wettest.
India is largely a fertile land, and,
as a wheat growing country. can
compete with Europe and America.
If there is any country that seems
to be away from the moving
streams of the earth's advance, that
country is Arabia. Still there are ira
ditiOns of a very early civilization and
culture. Yet there are some things
which have generally been accredit-
1 III II, L,
properly lay claim. 1t was formerly
supposed that we owe to Arabia our
mineral system, but later inVeStiga-
ton has shown that it original, q in
India and only came to Europe
through Arabia. 1t was the commerce
India that Columbus sought. But
when he failed the Portuguese sue
ceeded, and for centuries Portugal
was the richest country in the world.
Yet the whole course of Asiatic COM
merce was changed by the building
Of..the SueZ canal.
In discussing the future of A sia,
Mr.. Hubbard said that France had
striven in vain with England for SUI
premacy in Asia. The power of Rus
STA in Asia is the power ..Of raj 9
Asiqtic by origin and tendencies, but
the Eng ish in Asia is an alien. They
are merely sOjOurners in official Capa-
cities, and every Englishman longs
for the expiration of his time of dwell
ing 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
EngIishmen that the people of India