The Cordova daily times., 1920-01-10

U. 5. Coast ana GeOQetlc survey, .dC- companied by a personal letter from Dr. Jones in which he says:
 First I would particularly call your attention to pages 63 and 65 inclusive of the report whereby text and illus tration and effort has been made to show with some precision within the limits of the space allowed just what has been accomplished in Alaskan waters, and what remains to be done.
 AS you probably know, have tried by every possible means to center at tention on the need of the develop mnt of Alaska through more accurate and more comprehensive surveys of her navigable waters, over which the commerce to and from her ports must pass. When these are made safe and her natural resources are developed tire is no reason to believe that Alas ka shall not take her place and be as important as the northern nations of Europe, and I believe that the most fruitful means of bringing this about is continually keeping before the pub lie the need of these surveys and of this development, and in this the press of Alaska can lend a powerful influence"
 The reference to Alaska, in the re- port is as follows:
 Alaska, general-An important diff ference between Alaska waters and those of continental United States is that scarcely enough work has been done to let us know just how much must be done to complete the charts. The development of the country has far out-stripped the progress of sur veys, not only because of the few vessels and parties engaged in the work, but because of the great length of coast over which the various acti- vities are 'scattered and the intricate system of channels for so much of it's extent. In order to appreciate the need of rapidly extending the surveys of these waters, it should be clearly understood that Alaska's only connec- tion with the rest of the world is by water routes. The amount of natural resources of Alaska ripe for exploita- tion has been so great and the prize they offered so tempting that trans portation could not wait for the government to make the way for them secure It has gone ahead, find ing it's own paths to new fields, suf- fering big losses in so doing, but con- tent to suffer them because the re- turns were so immensely greater.
 Steamer routes, southeastern Alas ka.-In Southeastern Alaska the first and most obvious need is to complete the wire-drag work. Most of these waters have been sounded, so that only dragging is necessary to con- plete the survey. This drag work should be taken up in the order of it's importance, beginning with the main steamer route through the re- zion and then taking up the various tributary waters leading to the areas of commercial importance. For some years past, two parties have been ac- lively engaged in dragging the main steamer routes, and this work is now about 55 per cent complete.
 The outside coast waters of the is- lands bordering on the open Pacific. These and their connecting chan ne1s are largely unsurveyed and should be navigated with great eau tion. A navigator, seeing chart on which the shore line is stretched, no1 soundings, several rocks and shoal| banks, notes as to rocks and breakers reported, and a statement on the chart to the effect that the area is unsurveyed is, to say the least, un- able to proceed with confidence; and this situation is by no means unusu- al The same pressing need of such regions is complete Photographic survey followed later in places by wire-drag work. The rapidly in- creasing commercial importance of this region and the exceptionally dan gerous character of the waters through which traffic must pass, ren-- der surveys in the near future imper- ative.
 Cross Sound to Prince William Sound-From Cross Sound the north ernmost channel from the inside waters to the sea, to Prince William Sound, the coast has few features of present or prospective importance. There is, however, urgent need for surveys to insure the safety of yes coIc chino opd nacoino a1Onp