Geographic Nomenclature. 26 
GEOGRAPHIC NOMENCLATURE. 
REMARKS BY HERBERT G. OGDEN, GUSTAVE HERRLE, MARCUS BAKER, 
AND A. H. THOMPSON. 
Mr. Oapren: It was expected that Professor Mendenhall 
would be with us this evening to address the society on the sub- 
ject of Geographic Nomenclature but he is unavoidably absent, 
having been called to Philadelphia, and has requested me to 
represent him, and present to you an apology for his absence. 
Professor Mendenhall has been greatly interested in this ques- 
tion since he assumed charge of the Coast and Geodetic Survey. 
Questions of orthography and nomenclature have been before 
him almost constantly, and the variety of views elicited in 
response to his inquiries confirmed him in the opinion that the 
subject is of serious import. He has had, of necessity, to decide 
a great many cases for publications which were being made: 
finally a long list relating to Alaska came from the Hydrographic 
office, which led to a discussion and the suggestion that a board 
should be formed consisting of representatives from the different 
departments and bureaus in Washington that were interested in 
this matter, and that were issuing maps, charts and other publi- 
cations requiring geographic names. It is too true that the 
different bureaus are now using the same names spelled in differ- 
ent ways, sometimes different names for the same place, and 
the same name for different places ; indeed, the confusion is so 
great you may even read publications relating to the same 
locality and at first not realize the fact. 
The object that Professor Mendenhall had in view in organiz- 
ing a board was to secure harmony; that all might come 
together; and that when a question arose between different 
bureaus it might be referred to this board to settle, with the 
concurrence of all. Such a board would also secure stability, as 
no bureau would undertake to make changes in names that have 
been accepted, as may now be the case when a bureau falls under 
new management, or the determination of the questions is re- 
ferred to new officers without experience. This board, as proposed, 
was to be formed by representatives from the Hydrographic 
Office, Smithsonian Institution, War Department, Geological Sur- 
vey, Coast and Geodetic Survey, Light-house Board, The National 
Geographic Society, Post Office Department, and the General 
VOL. II. 18 
