478 DECISIONS OF U. S. BOARD ON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES 



earthquakes was accompanied by large mechanical disj^lacements of 

 solid materials, the safety of the dee])-sea cable systems of the present 

 and the future calls for the definite localization of the regions of 

 most frequent and serious disturbance. Analysis of earthquake 

 records has increased our knowledge respecting the rates at which 

 motion is transmitted through the earth, and indirectly thrown new 

 light upon the earth's rigidity. The distance of a place of origin 

 from a given station can now be determined, either fromjthe interval 

 by which the preliminary tremors outrace the larger surface waves, or 

 from the interval between the arrivals of waves which have traveled 

 from their origin round the world in opposite directions. 



Among other noteworthy papers to which only passing reference 

 can be made were Mr E. G. Ravenstein's on Foreign and Colonial 

 Surveys and on the Geographical Distribution of Relative Humidity ; 

 Dr H. R. Mill's on the Treatment of Regional Geography, which 

 seems to have brought out a general expression of opinion that the 

 most convenient unit for such descriptions is the county rather than 

 the map-sheet, and Sir Thomas Holdich's discussion of Railway 

 Connection with India. These, however, are only a few of the inter- 

 esting topics to which the attention of the Section of Geography was 

 directed, and it is impossible to look over the report of the proceed- 

 ings without a feeling of regret that in our own American Association 

 there is no separate section devoted to a science that alike on its 

 physical, its economic, and its i)olitical sides is of the most profound 

 interest and consequence to the })eople of the United States. 



J. H. 



DECISIONS OF THE U. S. BOARD ON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES 



The following are the decisions rendered by the U. S. Board on Geographic 

 Names at its eighty-sixth meeting, held October 10, 1900. The decisions ren- 

 dered at the eighty-fifth meeting, lield Jane 5, 1900, were printed in the 

 National Geographic Magazine for Angnst, 1900, pp. o29-330. All prior de- 

 cisions, covering a period of about 10 years, are contained in tiie Second Report 

 of the U. S. Board on Geographic Names, printed by Congress last May as 

 Senate Ex. Doc. No. 472, 5()th Cong., 1st session. The Board has no copies of 

 this report ; application should be made to Members of Congress. 



Ansley; island in Swanson Harbor, Chatham Strait, S. E. Alaska. (Not 

 Astley.) 



Carmichaels; borough and post-oflice, Greene County, Pa. (Not Carmi- 

 chael nor Carmichael's.) 



