The National tribune., 1891-01-08
SPELLING REFORM.
Uncle sam at Last Begins the Work or Regulatir
FNh

UrthoEraphJs
The Government has taken one long stem
toward simplifying our villainous photography
by establishing Board of Geographic Names,
which shall prescribe the proper spelling by all
employees Of the Government OF the widely
varying names Of that class. The board con
sists of the following officials, who are TO serve
without extra compensation:
Prof. Thomas G. Mendenhall, United States
Coast and Geodetic Survey, Chairman
Andrew II. Allen, Department of State
Capt Henry l.. HoWison, Lighthouse Board,
Treasury Department.
Capt. Thomas Turtle, Engineer Corps, War
Department.
Lieut.. Richardson Clover, photographic
Office, Navy Department.
Pierson III. Bristow, Postoffiee Department.
Otis +. Mason, Smithsonian Institution.
Herbert G. Ogden, United States Coast and
Henry Gaunett, United States Geological
Survey.
Marcus Baker, United States Geological
Survey.
The Board adopted the following rules for its
guidance:
Il. That spelling and pronunciation which
IS sanctioned by local usage should in general
be adopted.
"2. Where names have been changed or cor
rupted, and such changes or eOrruptions have
become established by local usage, il is not in
general advisable to attempt to restore the
original form.
g. In cases where what was evidently orig
inally the same word appears with various
spellings, sanctioned by local usage, when APP
piled TO different features. these various SPELL
ings should be regarded as in effect different
names, and, as rule, it is inadyisable to
attempt to produce uniformity.
"a. Where a choice is offered between two or
more names for tho same place or locality, all
sanctioned by local usage that which is most
appropriate and euphonious should be adopted.
.. The pOssessiyo form should DO avoided
whenever 1t can be done without destroying
the euphony OF the name or changing its de-
seriptiye application.
g Geographic names in countries that use
the Roman characters should be rendered in
the form adopted by the country having juris-
diction, except when there are English equiya-
Tents already fixed By usage. In cases where
the English equivalent is so different from the
national form that the identity of ibe latter
with the former might not be recognized, both
forms may be given.
z. The spelling Of geographic names that
require transliteratiOn into Roman characters
should represent the principal sounds Of the
word as pronounced in the native tongue, in
accordance with the sounds Of the letters in
the following system.
g. An approximation only to the true sound
is aimed at in this system. The vOwels are to
be pronounced as in Italian and on the CONT
nent of Europe generally, and the consonants
as in English"
The Board has issued its first bulletin, from
which we select few Of the more common
names:
ming of the lines in CAPITALS. The dis
carded are at the end in common type.
AKKRA. West Africa. Accra.
ALASKA PENINSULA. Alaska Alaska
Aliashka.
AMCHITKA ISLAND. Alaska. Amitkhitka,
Amtchitka.
AMUKTA ISLAND. Alaska. Amoughta,
Amoukhta, Amuchta.
ANACOSTIA RIVER. District Of Columbia
Eastern Branch.
ATKA ISLAND. Alaska. Atkha.
ATTU ISLAND. Alaska. Attoo Alton.
BALUCHlSTAN. India BelOOehistan, Bel
ouchistan, BalOuehistan, Belutchistan.
BERING SEA. Alaska. Behring, Behring's,
Kamchatka, etc.
BONITA POINT. San Fancisco Entrance, CAL
Boneta
BRITISH KAFFRARIA. South Africa. Brit
ish Cafiraria.
CHIACHI ISLAND. Alaska. Chiaeht, Chi
ache
CHICHAGoF HARBOR. Attn Island, Alaska
Tschitschagof. Tchitchagof.
CHILE, REPUBLIC OF. South America.
Chilli.
CLIMAX BAY. Kadiak Island. Alaska.
Chiniatskov.
COLOMBIA. Republic Of South America.
EATON POINT. Camden Harbor, coast of
Maine. Easton.
FIJI ISLANDS. South Pacific. Feejee. VIII,
Fdischi.
GREAT sITKIN ISLAND. Alaska. Great
Sitchine. Great Sithkin.
elOupe.
HAITI. Republic of West Indies. Hayti.
HELGOLAND ISLAND. North Sea- Heligo-
HUDSON BAY. Canada. Hudson's.
IKTI CAPE. Alaska. Itkhi, Itkbi.
KHORYA MORYA ISLAND AND BAY. East
africa. Kuria Muria, Kurian Murian.
KINGEGAN. Alaska. King-a- ghee.
KONGO RIVER AND STATE. West Africa.
LONGS PEAK. Colorado. Long.
NORTON ISLAND AND NORTON ISLAND
LEDGES. Penobscot Bay, Ne. Norton's Is
landand Norton's Island Lodges
NUWUK. Alaska. NoowOOk, NOo-wook,
Moo wOOh.
oGIER POINT. Coast of Maine. Ojier.
OUDH. British India. Dude.
POINT ARENA. Coast of California. Punta
Arenas.
PORT TOWNSEND. Washington. Port
TOwnshend.
PRIBILOF ISLAND. Alaska. Pribyloff, Pri-
bylOv.
PUNJAB, British India Panjab, Punjaub,
Pandjab.
RAINIER MT. Washington. Tacoma
SALVADOR. One Of the Central American
States. san Salvador.
SaUSALITO. pOstOtiice in California.
SauceitO, and other forms.
SlNDHlA. British India. Sinde, Seiude,
SiHdh. Sindy, Sindia.
SORRENTO HAKBOR. Coast Of Maine.
Point HarbOr.
SPEARS ROCK. Roekland Harbor, coast of
Maine. Spear.
STIKINE RIVER Alaska. Stikeen, Stick
cen, aud others.
THE GRAVES. Maine. Graves.
UNALASKA ISLAND. Alaska. Ounalashka.
Oonalaska, Ooanalashka, Unalashka.
UPPER CEDAR POINT. Potomac River.
Cedar Point.
The Boys.