Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-22
TERRITORIAL EXPAN SION
Series Of Lectures Under Auspices of Ma
tional Geographic Society.
The First Delivered Yesterday After
noon by Assistant Secretary
of State-His Theme.

The first Of a course Of lectures on the
territorial growth of the United States was
delivered yesterday afternoon in Columbia
Theater by Mr.. David j. Hill, assistant sec
rotary of state. This course, which has
been arranged by Prof. w. j. MCGEE, acting
for the National Geographic Society, will
be completed during Lent. a large audi
ence assembled yesterday afternoon to lis
ten to Mr. Hills lecture on The Original
Thirteen States" 1t was Illustrated with
lantern slides and proved to be highly in
terestng. Alexander Graham Bell, the
president of the society, introduced the lee
turer, who said. in part:
1.-The discovery of this continent was des-
tined to defect all the currents of human
history and to offer a home to new nations;
vet for more than a century after the
voyages of Columbus there We're but two
settlements within the present limits of
the United States, and both of Spanish ORR
gin. The Atlantic slope, whose streams
flow eastward from the Allegheny noun
tains, abounds in safe harbors and land
locked bays, in whose restful waters the
ships of the early French and English
navigaIors found shelter after their long
and perious voyages; but the dense forest
frowned beyond the coastline, the shore
seemed unattractiye, and the ships sailed
southwark to the tabled land of gold and
precious stones. 1t was with surprise that
shores bearing the way to India, for they
believed that north of Florida, supposed
to be an island the, open sea led on to the
Indian ocean ocean A YaiI{ieE%a,y voyage across
belief that America, if not an island. was
but a projection Of Asia and John Smith
expected by ascending the James, the Po-
tOmac, or the Hudson, TO emerge upon the
South sea. Among his commissions was
one to seek a new route to China by ascend
ing the Chickahomny.s'
The Early Explorers.
Mr.. Hill described the work of discovery
of the early explorers and discussed the
territorial claims AND cessions Of the states.
Following the battles of the war, said he,
fought with equal skill and daring.
In conclusion he said:e
mo wonder the Constitution has baen
called the finest specimen of constructive
craftsmanship that the world has ever
seen. 1t has character OF universally
about it like the great laws of nature. II
vas conlpacted of historic liberties won in
a thousand battles, and rendered sacred
by colonial memories and Revolutionary
struggles, yet was made for indefinite
growth and future expansion, in view Of
vast stretches of unoccupied Wilderness
threaded by mighty rivers estined TO bear
upon their bosoms the commerce of unfold
millions when these tracklass wilds should
DO peopled by the makers of the great
west
The history of the United States is the
history of its continued benedictions.
Ampler vision has broadened the interpre-,
tation of its meaning, and enlarged ex-
perience has widened the application of its
stitution is flexible enough to admit of
adaptation to all the changing conditions
of our national development, vet strong
enough to hold in one harmonious system