The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-09-16

. prepared by the National Geographic s
ciety. Washington. D. c.
/, TASMANIA, one of the mo-
} pleasant spots touched by an
part Of the American fleet in II
course in Pacific waters, Is tn
only point visited which gave tn
sailors taste of the southern wiz
ter while their friends back HON
were In midsummer. The island ex
tends more than 300 miles closer I,
the South pole than Melbourne ant
reaches 200 miles farther south thar
wellington, New Zealand. Its south
ern tip is in latitude that CORE
spends with that Of Portland, Maine.
Tasmania Is small island COM
pared to Australia, and Australians
sometimes facetiously refer to it as
The Speck." But for all that 1t has
an area Of $4,000 square miles, which
makes 1t larger than the state of West
Virginia. Its northern shore lies
nearly 200 miles south of Australia
across Bass strait
When the Australian commonwealth
was formed In 1901, the people of the
mainland seemed to feel that Tas-
mania would be merely hanger-on.
It's real role, however, appears to be
to furnish what Australia lacks. 1t is
veritable fruit garden for the prod |
ucts of the temperate zone, producing
to perfection apples, pears, plums.
peaches, apricots, cherries and all
sorts OF berries. Australia's climate
q a little warm to produce some of
'hese fruits at their best.
While Australia Is deficient IN
possibilities, Tasmania
las much Of such potential power
mere Is heavy precipitation on the
entral plateau of the island, which
as an average height Of 5000 feet.
nd from this numerous streams
lunge over short courses to the sea.
ne big power plant has already been
81 miles from Hobart, cap
al OF Tasmania, and the energy at 8
lgn voltage Is sent into the city. As p
result of. this development hobart o
IS one of the cheapest supplies Of o
ectricity Of any city In the world I
might be inferred from Tasmania's m
undant water power, the island ia a
I'll watered and, unlike parts of m
'straEa, never knows a drought. "
A third field In which Tasmania sun- IL
es factors lacking elsewhere In the ne
Is In mining. Australia ra
Its own gold mines and certain
Ter metals and minerals but some to
'tais that are lacking or insufi- tn
ntiy supplied are by good fortune =
nlshed BY Tasmania. In this list int
Included tin, copper, lead. coal inl
wolfram' an ore of tungsten. sal
Variety lts Keynote. str
ne Keynote Of Tasmania is variety. not
hough the island Is only 1870 miles res
and 2OO long, 1t has a consider the
range Of climate, SO much so mo
"hen crops In certain places Val'
ready to harvest, plants of the Z
KIND In other sections NAV he cap
starting their growth. Such con- an
10 are due to differences In height the
e sea level. Along the northern few
Is a belt of low plains from ten mar,
'r1y miles wide. Along the other qua!
IS the strip Of lowland Is narrou hug,
no In some places the hills meet the
YEA Hills cover a large part NJ waite
lext zone inland and In the cen.
Of the island Is an ertons,r Ne
oppeu oy mountains rising Tasn
49, peOp
sood part OF the inland countrv of h
voted to sheep ranching. The back,
i, climate Is admirable abort
o'eeuihe, and some very fine Tasm
8 OF sheep have been deveioped bart
aiian ranches are constantly VIII
az upon Tasmania for new blooJ 1870
Inanias propensity for variety was
itseif by the fact that there 10 nama
mlnant Industry or crop. n - tpr,a.
:, 81. 'an' as grain lished
- wool coun- land |
"a mining country; and ,ha ahou+
u OF these Industries are on ~
ateiy equaled by hay, vecs ne
no dairy products. In th. 80 u'ania
* OF industries such diverse ~. oil
an lnmher,n, 'erse ac- rhymes
reservine and .us,., siowing' the m,
In importanc. are on times,
NAV 49,. ne near Of the
project Of rnnn,n. power. strong
pdsr Basa strs,t electric peared.
ID II being ser,or.,- utnern Of the
rhs development - ceosid- history
W~se' 10. iaAda