GEOGRAPHIC LITERATLRE 
43 
inoes, 14,866 miles, 857,600; Italy; 8,496 miles, 8114,600; Argentine Re- 
public, 8,161 miles ; Mexico, 6,624 miles ; Brazil, 6,388 miles ; Spain, 6,169 
miles; Belgium, 3,379 miles, 8131,000. 
The information concerning the railways of South and Central Africa 
is of especial interest, although great progress has been made in the ex- 
tension of transportation lines during the past year. The value of the 
report is enhanced by the insertion of the well known map of the world 
issued by the Hj'drographic Office of the United States Navy Department 
in June, 1891, which shows tracks of full-powered steam vessels, with dis- 
tances, and probably contains a larger amount of information on this 
subject than can be found elsewhere within an equally limited space. Its 
presentation on the map in both graphic and tabular form increases its 
usefulness. The distances between different ports on the east and west 
coasts of North and South America and the shores of the gulf of Mexico 
and Caribbean sea are also shown. The volume contains a full topical 
index. 
EXECUTIVE REPORTS 
The annual reports of the cabinet officers, recently transmitted 
by the President to Congress, contain some items of geographic 
interest. 
War Depart.mext. — The Secretary of War states that since 1879 
829,500,000 has been appropriated for the improvement of the Mississipi^i 
river, of which 88,400,000 has been directly applied to general improve- 
ments to aid navigation. The greater jmrt of this amount has been spent 
on two reaches of the river, each 20 miles long, one situated 80 miles above 
Memphis and the other 80 miles above Vicksburg. The result has only 
been to increase the depth of the river at low water by 18 inches. For 
the improvement of the IMissouri river, which for years has had practi- 
cally no navigation, 88,900,000 has been appropriated. The Secretary 
questions the propriety of further appropriations for this river. 
With regard to the propo.sed Chicago drainage canal, a board of engi- 
neer officers state that the abstraction of 10,000 cubic feet of water ]ier 
second from lake Michigan will lower the level of all the great lakes ex- 
cept Superior, and reduce the navigable capacity of all harbors and shal- 
lows, but to what extent cannot be foretold at this time. 
The Yellowstone National Park has now 170 miles of good highways, 
permitting easy acce.ss from the railways to the principal points of interest. 
It is proposed that 25 miles of additional roads, now impassable for ve- 
hicles, be opened, which will complete the general scheme of highways. 
Tlie .\pache Indian jirisoners, comprising about 70 families, have been 
removed to the Fort Sill reservation, which is being gradually brought to 
a self-sustaining basis. 
The defensele.‘<s coinlition of the principal harbors is dwelt upon and 
the nece.ssity of liberal aj)p ropriations strongly ju-esented. 
