Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-03-29
MEXICO EQUALS FIVE
OF OUR LARGEST STATES
Before Acquisition of Texas and Mex
lean War That Country was About
Size of United States.
Especial to The Builetin1

NJ
Washington. D. c.. March 2s.-'Be-
fore Texas became a part OF the Uni
ted States and the Mexican war add
ed nearly a million square miles TO
our territory, Mexico, then a Spanish
| colony, and the United States covered
| approximately equal areas Of North
America. Now the extent OF Mexico
is less than one-fourth OF that OF con-
tinental United States" Gays a buIle-
tin just issued by the National Geo
graphic Society at Washington. In
this statement there IS given some
! very interesting figures which con-
! trast the present size of the two
| countries.
| Mexico. however, still has territor-
| ial eH panse nearly equal to the ugsre-
gate OF France, Great Britain, and
| Ireland, Germany and Austria Hun
gary, but its total area, C767.OOO square
| miies) IS less than that of our five
| largest, states-Tcxas, California
| Montana. New Mexico and Arizona
| combined, al OF these except Mon.
40 years ago None Of the 81 politi-
| cal .uuC;yi'ionS of Mexico are as
| large ~ any one of the nvc states
named, tut fCur Mexican statca conti-
guouS to -he United states aggregate
an extent greater than that of Texas
chihuahua, the largest Mexican state
anFroSiinates in area tS7.OC0 s1uare
mlesl that of Utah, Sonora al, 900
square milCs) of Nebraska Coahuila
$4,000 square mi.es) of Georgia. and
| Durango. (4O,CO0 square miles) OF
Kentucky. Nine subdivisions Of the
United States G1clUding Alaska) arc
larger than Chihuahua, Is Of greater
magnitude than Sonora and 90 larger
than Durango The rugged and des-
ert Character Of the Mexican border
states. supports sparse populations,
except where mining explorations and
cities resulting therefrom have con-
ceptrated settlement
The mountainous ridge with lin
lted httorals, which as a narrow pen
Insula extends southwark about $50
miles from the United States bound
airy. and separates the Gulf OF Cali
fornia from the Pacific Ocean. is not
state, but is recognized as the ter
r1tory of Baja California, which in
area C5S,O0G square miles) closely ap-
proXimates that of Florida The Gulf
OF California and the shifting Colo
rado River practically isolate Baia
California from the balance of the
hepubhc and prevent overland COM
muntcation with it. Tepic~ on the
Pacific Coast G1,OOO square miIes),
smaller than Maryland. and Quintana
Zoo. adjoining Hucatan, are other ter
ritOries.
The United States is adjacent to
Mexico for 1900 miles and for n dis
lance equal to that of St Louis from
New York, the Rio Grande River
forms the boundary. Except wren in
Hood this river is apparently an I'M
important stream and readily crossed,
Tor the normal flow is well utilized for
irrigation in both countries: but IL has
carved in a part of its course can
yoEs difficult of exploration. The
changes wrought by freshet which
shift the channel, have demanded the
| attention of an international ks0m-
mission, whose function was to adjust
boundary along the Rio Grande to
meet the varying conditions. The
uncertainty of this is illustrated by a
claim once under investigation that a
portion of the important city of FL
Paso. Texas was Mexican soil. The
remaining 700 miles of the interna-
tloEal boundary to the west separat-
ing our Republic from New Mexico
Arizona and California. is through an
arid desert section, much of which is
mountainous. This is not a direct
line, but has five changes in align
ment, which have been accurately
surveyed and established by 25S perm
anent monuments easily distinguish
| able.
Allowing for impossible canyons,
mountain barriers, etc. probably 14OO
miles Of boundary must be under sur
Veilance to prevent smuggling or the
passage OF contraband articles. Rail-
ways in Texas, New Mexico and Ari-
iona are close to the border, and these
transportation avenues unite the two
nations at seven points"