The times., 1899-12-31

pride. and abroad il is used in recognition
OF the prestige which the great American
Republic has acquired and the prominent
place il VIII hereafter occupy among the
worlds leading nations.
With il have come into popular use such
other EXPRESSIONS as international era,
greater America" and the world-poNer
Republic" The last the most expressive OF
all. Il is well 10 study the full meaning Of
those words, and this-Can best be done by
examining few OF the facts and figures
upon which they rest. First, let US glance
al what nature has contributed 10 the
structure.
Its Commanding Position and Great
Na.-EgabIe Waterways.
As will be observed by glance at the &C
companying map, the United States is not
onlv centrally located in the Western Hem
isphere. but is between the two great
oceans. with the principal seaporta and
markets Of Europe facing II on one slde
and those of the Orient on the other. 10
make the position doubly valuable, nature,
while in 3 generous mood, endowed the
Republic with great navigable rivers, IN
tersecting the interior. and supplying cheap
TRANSFORMATION routes 10 the seaboard IN
this respect the United States has decided
ADVANTAGE over most other countries IN
competition for foreign markets for surplus
grain and other products Take, ior IN
stance the great interior Of asia, which IS
distant from the seab0ard. While supplied
with q few navigabie rivers, as in Asiatic
Russia they point the wrong way and How
into the Arctic Ocean, which is useless TOT
uurposes Of navigation and commerce. 10
reach the seaboard the Russian Govern
meur is al enormous cost, building me 81
beriau Railway across the great WIDTH OF
that immense continent 10 the PaeiLc
Ocean st Port Arthur
in the coming development OF Africa,
also. transportation routes 10 the sea
board viii be expensive. for, on account
of the tablelaud formation Of the lnterl-
or Of central and southern Africa the nav
-igatlon Of the rivers. such as the Congo
and others is interrupted by waterfalls
which prevent continuous navigation, ana
make necessary the transshipmenJ OF
freight
of the United States. the great
Mississippi Valley is covered with
a network OF rivers that are continu-
ouslv uayigable The Mississippi and us
seventy-four navigable tributaries are
together navigable 20 the extent OF nearly
l5. 600 miles. and. after tapping twenty
three great producing States. converge and
unite IN one grand trunk line 10 the sea
board. To this should be added about
2 600 miles OF other uavigaDle rivers How
Ing into the Gulf the Atlantic, and the
Pacific To appreciate the value Cf this
rrsseut from nature. suppose these 10000
miles Of navieable rivers had been con
struc.ad BIZ private corporations, CT By
the Government at a cost per mile equal
10 that OF the Erie Canal (the average Of
which up to date Is Si35.o55l. the total
would be s. 10 250 600. or nearly three
thousand million dollars.
Surrounding and supplemeutiug these in
teriCr waterways are the Gulf q Mexico
and its several seaUorts on the south, tnl
Atlantic and its deep and capacious har-
bors OF the east the Pacific and its sea
ports on the west and the Great Lake'
on the north These waterways, which
are the peoples transportation property
and free to their use. are very impor
tau- factor In the material development
and prosperity of the Republic, and iu th'
foundation Of its world power
4 Sea and Land Power.
In such commanding position on'
would naturally expect the United State
10 De great sea power. But until Gult
recently its power and prestige have beei
confined 10 the American Continent. Hom
affairs and internal development were frs
in order Of importance. and the outsld
world. both On land and sea, was mainl
left - the rival nations Of Europe.
But suddenly there is translormatIo
scene. and now. as shown on the accom-
pauyiug map. the United states has step
ping stones OF islands. across the Pacih
10 the markets Of Asia and Oceauica- IN
ACQUISITION of the Hawaiian Islands, ID
Philippines. Guam In The LadroLe Islands
and g portion of the Samoan group OF isl
ands all OF which are well located half
way houses for our naval and merchan
vessels gives the United States so man
KEYS 10 the Pacific. and its future develop
meut and commerce In the Atlantic ais
q strategic position was secured by IN
acGuisitt0u Of Porto Rico. The purehas
q the Danish West Indies, which is Ho'
feasible would be a still further eXpansio
Of the sea power Of the great Republic
This negotiation VIII doubtless be follow
ed by several other purchases IL the Wes
Indies which are so near that they are al
most part Of the continent bur which
nevertheless. are nearly al owned by EC
ropeau uatiOus-Spain being the only on
which has retired from the field. At pre-.
ent the ownership Of these neighbOring IS
ands rs as follows:
Jamaica Trinidad, the Bahamas, an
Great Britain. Martinique and two other
by France. Curacao and four others by th
Netherlands. santa Cruz and two other
by Denmark; three by Venezuela, one Isl
and independent and divided between II
two republics OF Haiti and San BomlngS
and one. the greatest and most lmportal
of all. cuba, awaiting independence
It cannot, Of course. be expected thi
such large European ownership
neiebboring American islands viii lor
continue. for in the nature Of things th'
should be a part Of the United States.
brief the new sea power republic shou
at least control half Of the adjacent IS
ands and doubtless viii acquire them fro
time 70 time by friendly negotiations a.
purchase.
It's Area and Population.
AZ a world power. in extent Of terri.or
the United States. at present ranks fourt
The area IN square miles Of the four prii
cipal nations Is as follows:
British Empire ...................-.-.. y .555 s
hissi4n Empire .--...-.......-...---,- e,bi4l
Chimes Empire .-........-.-.--.---.- A-zlh-4
Lllled states .-.-..----...... ....-..-..- as.2'rl
Even ia America the United States
sln outrauked by the British EmpiI
their relative areas. IN square miles. beii
as follows:
British Empire. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS sCz6f
United States --.--.,.-+--....-...-... B 6gOsa
OF the above totals the British posse
eions include forty-eight colonies scatt'
ed over the face OF the earth.
IN marked contrast Russia IS land
stead Of a sea power. and her possessio
are all on the continent in one solid col
pact body.