The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-30
A NEW MAP or SIBERIA.

1t Is only fourteen years since the world
has been able to see the mountain systems,
the valleys and plains Of the entire Balkan
peninsula spread accurately on map.
Hero was the great, wide bridge joining
Asia with western Europe, the theatre OF
intensest political interest; but until 1889
it had been so inadequately studied that the
maps failed to show many vital facts as 10
its topography. The truth they revealed
was no more abundant than the truth they
failed to express.
1t is an advantage to the whole civilized
world when knowledge Of any great lana
mass il advanced SO far that all its important
surface features may be depicted on map.
This stage of geographic research beng
reached we may see the whole region spread
before us, with all its variety of surface
forms, accurately presented on atlas sheets
We may gain from the study of these maps
clearer and more vivid idea OF the region
in all it's geographic aspects than from the
reading of many volumes OF description.
The knowledge of Siberia has now adj
vanoed to this stage. For some years past
the Russians have been pushing their scieh-
tfc surveys over all that vast territory ana
especially through the large areas that were
almost unknown. The results of these years
of labor are now before us in atlas sheets
executed in the best style Of the carto-
graphic art.
The new edition of the most famous OF
German aliases has just appeared with
map OF Siberia in two sheets on scale that
is nearly three times az large as its earlier
map of the country. The larger scale is
rendered necessary by the great and de-
tailed accumulation of accurate geographic
facts. The smaller maps sufficed ~ long
as the surveys were less completes; but their
day has passed in an atlas which pretends
to depict what is really known OF Siberia.
The future map Of Siberia will be the
result Of still more detailed surveys; but
the new map as it is, is a revelation. For
the first time we see the great swamp re-
gion Of northwest Siberia which covers
most Of the government OF Tobolsk and the
northern part Of Tomsk; and it Is presented
not only in outline but also in its interior
qualifications We see also that the whole
Of western Siberia, south OF the swamps,
ia region of many hundreds OF lakes large
numbers OF them SO small that they can
be shown only by dots of blue while many
of the larger lakes were never found before
on an atlas sheet. The aspect OF noun
famous eastern Siberia is completely
changed on the new map, for it shows the
scores of mountain ranges with their val
leys and spurs and transverse ranges. We
Zee the sources Of the rivers, can trace all
the water divides. and observe the slope OF
all parts Of the country. Thousands Of miles
OF ,ivers are mapped for the first time. No
earlier maps have been able to show any
but the most prominent water partings OF
the drainage system of Siberia.
A competent geographer with this new
map before him can write clearer and
more accurate account OF the topography
of Siberia than he can derive from any OF
the existing books. These two atlas sheets
in the latest edition of the Stieler Hand
Atlas are worthy Of mention as a new and
valuable facility in the study OF the whole
| Of north Asia.