New Britain herald., 1927-12-23
TWELVE LONGEST
 RIVERS IN WORLD
Six Of These Are Located in
 Far Oil Asia

W dSlllIlElOll, L. 'r.H l''t. VI the worlds dozen longest rivers. six are in Asia and three in Africa. The New World is represented only by the Amazon in south America and the Mississippi and the Mackenzie in North America. though If the Mis- souri be considered apart from the Mississippi it would take rank in it's own right.
 The longest single river is the Nile, measuring some 4,ooo miles from head to mouth. The Nile is further distinguished in than it has no tribu- taries for the last 1,50J miles of it's course 10 the sea. During this i stretch it's waters are considerably reduced in volume by evaporation and irrigation, so that it grows smaller instead of larger toward its mouth.
 All Climates Represented Other African rivers among the | length scoring twelve are the Niger and the Congo. both fed by the trop- ical rains of hot regions near the Equator. In q general way they more nearly resemble south Amer ica's representative, She Amazon, ! than the great streams ot the colder northern continents.
 l Of Asia's six longest rivers four are in Siberia, the Ob, 1enisei. and Lena flowing north into the Arctic Ocean and the Amur emptying into an arm of the Pacific. The other 1 two are the Yangtzc and Hwang. or 1 Yellow. River of China.
 These twelve river basins repre- sent the greatest variety of climate and civilization. The Amazon and the Congo flow through lush equa- torial jungles inhabited by birds of brilliant plumage. wild animals and savage tribes, while the mouths Of the Yenisei and the Lena are above 1 the northern timber line and their valleys support the sparsest popula- | tion The Mississippi and the Yanetze flow through established, if divergent, civilizations, with rich cities along their banks like jewels on a string. The Nile is one of the cradles of world history; the Mac kenzia is still frontier stream.
 "Up-Hill' Rivers
 From the point of view of q world map five of the dozen rivers flow uphill" that is. flow to the north. i These are the Nile, Mackenzie Oh, Yenisei and Lena. The Mississippi and Niger flow south. The Amur. Yangtze. Hwang and Amason run ,.l nal, IA rHnpn nnirfG toward the west.
 All these streams overflow their banks at intervals but the results are strangely different. In the case of the Mississippi and the Iangtzc, floods are national disasters bringing untold suffering 10 millions. The annual overflow Of the Nile with re- sulting fertilization Of the valley by the deposit of silt Is the source Of the wealth Of Egypt The Hwang, or Yellow river. from it's habit Of over flowing it's banks and changing its entire course at intervals is known as the "scourge of China.
 The Amazon and the Congo lie all most under the equator, and the other ten longest rivers are ill the northern hemisphere. Four no" into the Arctic ocean. reason IS not far 10 seek. The greatest land masses are in the northern half or inc world. and without large land areas long rivers are impossible. The smaller continents of Australia and Europe are not represented Ill the dozen. Similarly. tho reason Tor tho longest rivers flowing to the north> and east is that the longest continental slopes extend in those directions.
 Highways of Civilization
 The Yangtze and the Mississippi are lined with wealthy cities largely because of their location in the tenn
 perate zone. The tropic Amazon
 Niger and Congo are too hot: the Mackenzie and the Siberian rivers :. are too cold for the favorable growti
 of towns. The Nile valley beyond
 Cairo is q mere strip of green froc f5 to 30 miles wide between twc
 burning deserts. The Hwang is tof variable In its habits 10 encourage :, navigation of river ports.
 From the earliest times these lon: rivers have furnished high roads fo the exploration Of continental in :, teriors. Nero sent an expedition t'
 discover the headwaters of the Nil
 which failed 10 reach its objective
 Russian penetration of Siberia fol
 lowed the great river beds. Tn