F. GEOGRAPHY. 297 



tern of triangles Was carried eastward as far as approximately 

 to the 120th meridian of longitude, in a three-tier belt. 



Although the appropriation made by the last Congress 

 was exceedingly meagre, still, principally through the assist- 

 ance of the Quartermaster's Department, the greater per- 

 centage of the regular force was kept in the field, so the 

 government was enabled still to avail itself of the skilled 

 persons engaged in tills work. 



The publications of the Survey now advancing to comple- 

 tion consist of six quarto volumes ; and two atlases one 

 topographical and one geological are being rapidly ad- 

 vanced. Two volumes those on geology and zoology 

 will be presented in January, 1876, and two others are in 

 press, while the remaining two are being pushed with vigor. 

 The sheets of the topographical atlas, now nearly com- 

 pleted, are twenty -four. Those of the geological atlas 

 will number fourteen. 



Lieutenant Wheeler, in his report submitted to the Chief 

 of Engineers for the present year, recommends an additional 

 volume upon the subject of Ethnology, Philology, and 

 Ruins, based upon examinations made upon these subjects 

 during several years, to be published as soon as provision is 

 made therefor by Congress. 



fritsche's travels in china. 



Fritsche, who, since leaving the imperial observatory at 

 Pulkova in 1866, has been very actively engaged in geo- 

 graphical, magnetic, and meteorological work, as director of 

 the Russian observatory at Pekin, China, has recently pub- 

 lished the results of observations during an extensive jour- 

 ney in Mongolia, Siberia, and Russia, undertaken in the sum- 

 mer and fall of 1873. His travels in Mongolia and North- 

 ern China carried him through countries as yet almost en- 

 tirely unknown, the most important journey in this region 

 having been that of the Archimandrite Palladius. This 

 portion of Fritsche's exploration was performed by him on 

 foot and horseback, although he states that his subsequent 

 experience assured him that he could have made it, with 

 safety to his instruments, in the Chinese two-wheeled wagon. 

 The most important town on his route is Siwantsee, a large 

 Chinese city, where is founded the central Belgian Catholic 



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