Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1916-04-03
Be GUARDED BY u. S.
i14OO MILES MUST
Along the Boundary Between
Mexico and This Country.

Washington, D. c., April g." BE
fore Texas became part of the
United states and the Mexican war
added nearl a million square miles to
our territory, Mexico, then Spanish
colony. and tho United States cover
ed approximately equal areas OF
North America New the extent OF
Mexico is less than onefourth of
that of continental United States" =.
says a bulletin just issued by the
National Geographic Society at Wash
ington In this statement there is
given some very interesting figures
which contrast the present size OF
the two countries.
"Mexico, however. stin has terri
tarial expanse nearly equal TO the
aggregate OF France Great Britain
and Ireland Germany and Austria
Hungary, hut its total area. C76T000
square miles) is less than that of our
1--WE largest States-Texas, Califor-
mia, Montana, New Mexico and Ari
aona-combined, all OF these except
Montana having been part Of New
Spain rs years ago. none OF the 81
political subdivisions of Mexico are
as large as any one OF the five States
named. but four Mexican States con
tiguous to the United States aggre-
gate an extent greater than that OF
Texas Chihuahua, the largest MeXi
can State, opportunities in area
$4,000 square files1 that OF Utah
Sonora t77000 square milcs1 OF Ne
brnska, Coahuila $4,000 square
rniles) OF Georgia and Durango, t4a-
600 square miles) OF Kentucky. Nine
subdivisions OF the United States
uncluding Alaskan are larger than
Chihuahua, 10 or greater magnitude
than Sonora and 80 larger than Ru.
range. Tho ragged and desert char
acter OF the Mexican border States,
supports sparse population, except
where mining EXPEDITIONS and cities
resulting therefrom have eoncentrat-
ed settlement.
THE mountainous ridge with lin
tied littorals, which as a narrow pen
insula extends southwark about 75Q
miles frot the United States boun-
dairy. and separates the Gulf of Cal
norma from the Pacific Ocean, is
not State, but is recognized as the
territory Of Baja California, which In
area $4,000 square miiesl closely
approximates that OF Flclida.. The
CALI of Calitirnia and the shifting Col
Uado River practically isolate Baja
California from The balance OF the
Republic and prevent overland COM
munication wish it. Topic, on the Pa
ctfo coast III 900 square miles)
smaller than Maryland and Quintan
Roo, adjoining Yucatan, are other ter
yitofies.
The United States is adjacent to
Mexico for 1900 miles and for a dis,
lance equal to that OF st Louis from
New York, the Rio Grande river
forms the boundary Except when in
food this river is apparently an IN
important stream and readily cross
cd. for the normal dow is we'll util-
lied for irrigation in both countries.
but II has carved in r part OF its
course canyons difficult OF explora-
ton. The changes wrought by fresh
OF which shift the channel. have de.
handed the attention OF an interna
tional commission, whose function
was u adjust a boundary along the
Rio Grande % meet the varying con-
ditions. The uncertainty OF this IS
illustrated by claim once under in.
vestigation that portion Of the i'm
pUrant city OF e Paso, Texas was
Mexican soil. The remaining 700
miles OF the international boundary 10
the west separating our neighbor
Republic from New Mexico, Arizona
ard California is through an ard des-
err section, much o. which is noun
famous This is not a direct line.
but has five changes in alignment
which have been accurately survey
ed and established By 256 permaa-
ent monuments easily l4stlugu9 sh-
able
Allowing for impossible CANYONS.
mountain barriers. etc. probably
1i00 miles OF boundary must be I'M
ID. f.,