Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-10-29
ESTABLISHED 1873
Monday, October 20, 1906.
GETTING the Area of the Country.

II would seem a relatively easy mat
for tn determine the exact area of our
country but the problem presents many
difficulties which the layinan would
hardly think Of. In late bulletin Of
the United States Geological survey
some of these are pointed out. Juris-
diction extends 20 a line three nautical
miles from the shore, but this strip Of
sea can not properly be regarded as 4
part OF the country. Surprising our
countrv to be restricted to the sea and
lake coast. there remains question
regarding the bays and estuariea. 10
what extent should the coast line ne
followed strictly, and where should
we begin to jump across the indenta-
tons made by the sea? In this matter
one can only follow his own judgment,
making in each case as natural deci-
sion as possible, as no definite crlte-
rion can be established. The absence of
an absolute standard is in large meas
tween the tables of the Census Office
made in 1881, and those of the Gen.
eral Land Office. prepared in 1889.
10th of which show the areas of the
United States and of the several states
and territories.
The measurements and computa-
ta1.
based were made with great care and
thoroughness in each case, and the
results probably represented the areas
AS closely as they could be determined
from the maps and charts in existence
at both times. Most of the differences
in these two sets of tables are trifiing
amounting to only few square miles
or a small fraction of one per cent, be-
ing well within the limits of error Of
the planimeter and Of the maps used.
Some of them however, are consider
able, and a few are explained by the
fact that more recent maps. which
changed the position of boundaries
between states, had been used by the
land Office, and its measurement was,
therefore, more nearly correct. Other
discrepancies arose from differences in
determining the coast lines. Realizing
the desirability of but one Government
Territories, an attempt has been made
by NJ. Frank Bond, chief craftsman
of the general land office, Mr.. c. S.
Sloane. geographer of the census office,
and Mr.. Henry Gannett. geographer of
the Geological survey to come to an
agreement on these figures. The re-
suits of their conference and coopera-
ton are set forth in the aforemen-
toned bulletin.
United States proper, which is given
as $685. square miles. IS increased
over The Census Office figures by 11SS
suuar, miles. The area given for Alas
XII is 590.SS4 square miles 1t is sub
future as the position of the coast line
becomes better known. The area Civ
en- for the Philippine Islands is 115,026
square miles. and was determined by
the Coast Survey of that archipelago.
prepared at the instance of the Philip
pine Census. 1t also is subject to
modification as accurate charts of the
archipelago are made. The areas of
Hawaii. GAG square miles. and Porto
Rico. 3435 square miles. are probably
subject to only slight changes, as the
charts from which they were meas
ured are quite accurate. The areas
given for the other small possessions
Of the United States. Guam. 20 square
miles. Samoa. a. square miles. and the
Panama Canal strip, 474 square miles.
will. probably be changed In the future
rs their limits become more correctly
defined.