The Wrangell sentinel., 1921-11-03
Prepared by the National Geographic So.
 ciety. Washington. D. c.)

Prepared by the National Geographic So.
 ciety. Washington, D. c.)
 The summer conference of the pre- miers of British dominions, including the premier of Australia, and the gen. eral understanding that Australia Is In close sympathy with the United States in the matter of oriental i'm migration, makes that far-away con- monwealth of more than ordinary in- terest to Americans just now.
 Australia Is the most isolated of all inhabited continents and is remote from the celter of all of the worlds activities. Northward the sailing dis tance to Japan is approximately 5000 nautical miles; to India, 2.500 miles. South America is 1000 miles to the east; and Africa an equal distance west.
 From London to the capital of Aus tralia ships by the Suez route traverse approximately 1000 miles of water and by the Panama canal, 12, 134 miles. From California ports the routes via Samoa. or Fiji, or Tahiti cover q quar- ter of the circumference of the earth. Australia's only large civilized neigh Dor within radius of 1000 miles is Java.
 Few Americans Go There.
 The continent lying thus far out side the ordinary routes of travel, is rarely visited by Americans. For most of us knowledge of this fascinating land is obtained by a study of a few pages in the back of school geog- raphies-pages descriptive of Aus tralia and New Zealand" and accom- panied by a map of Australia and the Islands of the Pacific" on a scale too small for the recognition of signif- icant features.
 One of the first surprises awaiting the tourist from the northern hemi- sphere Is to find that Australia and New Zealand may not be grouped as two islands of like appearance. differ Ing mainly in size; near neighbOrs which may be treated as a unit. New Zealand Is nearly twice as far from Australia as Bermuda is from New York, and is not only east but also south
 The southern coast of the Aus tralian mainland has the latitude of central New Jersey, while the south ernmost of the three islands which comprise the Dominion of New Zea- land occupies the position of southern Newfoundland.
 Unique vegetation of remarkable variety and beauty, animal life of by gone geological periods, and an ab- original population, the lowest in the scale of beings having human. form. stand out as features distinctly Aus tralian-a never-ending source of in- terest to the geographer.
 Australia Is large country. It is about fourteen times the size of France or Germany, twenty-five times the size of Italy, or Ecuador, and two and one-half times the size of Ar gentina, it's chief competitor in the southern hemisphere. Its area is equal to three-fourths of Europe, one-third of all North America, or one-fourth of the British Empire. The continent Is almost exactly. the size and is near ly the shape of the United States. Level in Surface, Low in Elevation.
 Australia is the most level in sur face and regular in outline of all the continents, and even of most large is lands. It is also the lowest continent, with an average elevation about that of Ohio. Its surface lacks variety. The change from one type of topOg- raphy is so gradual, and significant natural features are so few and so widely spaced that, with the excep- ton of the Murray river. they are not utilized in marking the boundaries of states.
 The traveller in search Of duplicates of the Canadian Rockies, the YoSem- wegian fjords and Alpine scenery. need not visit Australia. Its mountain scenery is that of the southern Ap- palachians, the White mountains, and the low ranges of Arizona. Its plains and plateaus are comparable with those of the Rocky Mountain foothills and the arid expanses Of Utah, Idaho and Oregon.
 Although the mOutains are low com pared with those of other continents, their influence is great, for nowhere Is their control of rainfall and con- seuuent distribution of vegetation and people better exemplified. A birds eye view of Australia shows belt of vegetation extending along It's north.