Inaugural Lecture 1889 9 



or dangers to be faced. Oceanic investigation in low latitudes 

 is, so far as natural causes are concerned, always carried on 

 under the most favourable and most comfortable conditions. 

 Communication and Population. In the history, especially 

 the quite recent history, of the world the cultivation of science 

 and art has resulted in such an enormous development of industry 

 and commerce that geography can no longer rest satisfied with 

 the mere objective contemplation of lands and seas as statical 

 items ; it has to do with, if not the countries themselves, certainly 

 with a large amount of their population and productions in a state 

 of motion from place to place. The communications therefore of 

 nations, and the economical circumstances which attend them, 

 have a distinct and important geographical significance. 



Until within the last fifty years the population of the world 

 increased and spread over the land slowly and gradually, 

 and the method and rate of spreading had probably under- 

 gone no serious change from the earliest times. Especially 

 ured districts like the shores of the Mediterranean became 

 comparatively crowded, and the people collected in title-. 

 producing the artificial conditions of a population living on an 

 area which produces nothing for its support. In order t<> 

 maintain a multitude so situated, food had to be raised in and 

 ved from other districts where, as a necessary condition, 

 the population was smaller than could be supported by the land 

 on which it dwelt and which it cultivated. The industry 

 of the peasantry in the environs of villages and small town- 

 ;iti( icnt to provide food for the inhabitants of tin- 

 D. But where the only means of transport is by road 

 i limit to the radius of tin- an-a from \\lii- h tin- daih 

 food of the town can be drawn, an.l con>-<|urntly to the numlv 

 of people that ran b<- kept alivr in it. But for the contimiou- 



: tiling (if a citv it i- nrrrssarv not onlv to have a ! 



area of Mipplv. but aK<> easy means of communication. 1>\ 



which to transport the produce. Hi IK < while villages and 



m fertile countries could ea^ih ' on th< 



ultural imlustrv of tin- nri^lil.. MM In ><>.!. large cities, whose 



IT th. in could be Mipplird bv anv dt ' 

 within a moderate distance, or than could be collected from 



