The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-07-13

Prepared by the rational Geographic So
ctety. Washington. D. O.
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 COM
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 center Of all of the worlds
activities, Northward the sailing dis
lance to Japan is approximately 5000
nautical miles; to India, 900 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, 1874 miles.
From California ports the routes via
Samoa, or Fiji, or Tahiti cover a quar-
ter Of the circumference Of the earth.
Australians only large civilized neigh
Dor within a 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 study of 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 ant
the Islands Of the Pacific" on a scale
too small for the recognition of s:gnif
icant features.
One Of the first surprises awaitin:
the tourist from the northern hemi
sphere Is to find that Australia ant
New Zealand may not be grouped a
two islands of like appearance, differ
ing mainly In size; near neighbor
which may be treated as a unit. New
Zealand is nearly twice as far iron
Australia as Bermuda is from New
York, and is not only east but ais
, south.
The southern coast Of the Aus
tralian mainland has the latitude
central New Jersey, while the south
, ernmost Of the three islands whic
, comprise the Dominion of New Zel
, land occupies the position of souther
, Newfoundland.
Unique vegetation Of remarkabl
: variety and beauty, animal life Of b!
gone geological periods, and an al
!, original population. the lowest in tn
| scale Of beings having human form
stand out as features distinctly Au
tralian-a never ending source Of II
terest to the geographer.
Australia Is a large country. 1t
: about fourteen times the size
the size Of Italy, or Ecuador, and tw
q and one-half times the size Of A
l. gentina, its chief competitor In tt
$ southern hemisphere. Its area is eQu'
IS to three fourths of Europe, one-thil
f. Of all North America, or one-four'
+ Of the British Empire. The continel
II Is almost exactly the size and Is nea
u ~ the shape Of the United States.
: Level in Surface, Low In Elevatio
- Australia Is the most level In su
=. face and regular in outline Of all Il
~ continents, and even OF most large
: lands. It is also the lowest continer
;" with an average elevation about tn
!, Of Ohio. Its surface lacks variet
- The change from one type Of tOpo
n, raphy Is so gradual, and significa
natural features are so few and
widely spaced that, with the exec
ton of the Murray river, they are
utilized In marking the boundaries
III states.
ar The traveller in search Of duplicat
IS Of the Canadian Rockies, the Yosel
D, lite and the Grand canyon, of NJ
y wegian fjords and Alpine scenery. ne
IN not visit Australia. Its mounta
Is scenery is that Of the southern A
re palachians, the White mountains, a
n the low ranges Of Arizona. Its plat
5 and plateaus are comparable wi
those of the Rocky Mountain foothi
el and the arid expanses Of Utah. Ida
vi and Oregon.
ed Although the moutains are low co
no pared with those Of other continen
n their influence is great, for nowhe
m Ia their control of rainfall and CT
ID seQuent distribution Of vegetation a
Oh people better exemplified. A bird
q. eve view Of Australia shows belt
vses tation extending along its nor