362 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1956 



In 1874 when the first survey of this area was made by Charles 

 Horetzky, surveyor of the railways, he wrote of these mountains — "A 

 terrible silence, broken only now and again by the dreadful crash of 

 some falling avalanche, reigned over this scene of desolation." When 

 he led a party of three white men and four Indians through a gap in 

 the mountains and saw beneath the water of Tahtsa Lake like a jewel 

 in the waste, he was immediately struck by its "brilliant light blue 

 colour" — the first excitement for the eye for many weeks. 



Now, 83 years later, "the terrible silence" is pierced by the high 

 hum of the turbogenerators and the "scene of desolation" is peopled 

 by a thriving community of many thousands. In 1955 (the first 

 complete year of smelting at Kitimat) over 90,000 tons of alumi- 

 num were produced. By the end of 1956, when six generators were 

 in operation, the output had increased to more than 180,000 tons. 

 And, if world demand continues to increase at its present rate, 16 

 generators producing power for 550,000 tons of aluminum a year may 

 soon be in operation. 



Reprints of the various articles in this Report may be obtained, as long 

 as the supply lasts, on request addressed to the Editorial and Publication 

 Division, Smithsonian Institution, Washington 25, D. C. 



