The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-07-04
THE CENTURY'S GAIN
TERRITORIAL ACQUISITIONS OF THE
UNITED STATES SINCE 1903.

FOur-hfths of the Area of the Country
Has Been Acquired by Purchase or by
OessiOn-LOuisiana Came First, Hawaii
May BE the Next.
The proposition to annex Hawaii to
the United States naturally calls up
some brief review of our previous terri
torial acquisitions.
Not including the Pacific group of is
lands, which may or may not become
the property of this country, there have
been since the beginning of the present
century not less than six acquisitions of
territory to the domain of the United
States. The first and most important
of these acquisitions was made in 1903
and is known as the Louisiana pur-
chase. Mr.. Jefferson, who occupied the
presidential chair at that time, nego-
tiated the purchase from Emperor Ma
poleon at a,cost of $15, $50, 900. While
the exact boundaries of the territory
thus acquired are not preserved either
on the map or in the state records at
Washington something over 1,198, 600
square miles were added to the national
domain, and from this vast extent of
territory the states of Louisiana, Ar
kansas, Missouri, Iowa, North and
South Dakota, Idaho, Wyoming, Ore
gon and Washington have since been
carved, besides Oklahoma and Indian
Territory and parts of Mississippi, Colo
rador Minnesota and Kansas.
Sixteen years elapsed before the next
opportunity to extend the borders of
the United States presented itself. In
1919 President Monroe, at cost of 3d.
900, 900, secured the purchase of Flori-
da from Spain. While the acquisition
of Florida added 58, $50 square miles to
the national territory its real value con-
sisted in the fact that it gave to the
government one continuous coast line
from Maine to Texas
The next important acquisition was
made in 1916, when the republic of
Texas became a member of the federal
Union. The mere act of admitting Texas
into the sisterhood of states cost the
government little, of course, but the
frontiers of the state were not clearly
defined, and this led to the Mexican
war of 1858, i'll which thousands of
American lives were lost and vast
sums of money expended. AS the result
of the Mexican war, however, the Unit
ed States made its fourth acquisition of
territory, partly by way of indemnity
and partly by way of purchase.
Texas added to the national domain
some $4,000 square miles, while the
territory acquired from Mexico added
not less than $50, 600 square miles.
This latter area has since been carved
into the states of California, Utah and
Nevada and parts of Colorado, Arizona
and New Mexico In addition to the
vast territory already mentioned the
United States also acquired as the result
of the Mexican war continuous Pacific
coast line. Still another result of the
Mexican war was the purchase in 1853
of 80, 900 square miles of territory at a
cost of $40, 900, 900. This territory now
forms part of Arizona and New Mex
leo.
The last extension of our national
territory was made i'll 1867, during the
administration of President Andrew
johnson, when Alaska was purchased
from Russia, the consideration being
$1,000, 900. In this purchase SIT, 800
square miles were included. Recapitu-
lating, the various acquisitions of ter
ritory to the United States have been
as follows:
From France, in 1903, 1,198,000
square miles; 58, $50 square miles from
Spain in 1919, 1875, 600 square miles
from Texas in 1915, $50. 900 square
miles from Mexico i'll 1913; 10000
square miles from Mexico in 1853, and
SIT, 800 squaremiles from Russia in 1867
making a total of 1850, 070 square
miles. In view of the fact that the
present area of the United States COM
prises only g, 500, 900 square miles, it is
evident that our original territory en-
braced only 1853, 800 square miles, or
barely one-ffth the area of our present
national domain. Atlanta Constitu
ton.
Rich and Made His Child Beg.
San,ra1 Ca1z of Vonkers N Y who