THE LEWIS BROOKS MUSEUM. 33 



producing one empire out of these nationalities would have 

 beeu far easier had the geology of the country been simpler. 

 We would have had a great German empire long ago if the 

 country were a plain or gently undulating land, penetrated 

 by great navigable rivers. In any forecast of the stability 

 of the empire now formed, we must take into account these 

 features. Notwithstanding the strength of the common 

 German sentiment and the overshadowing power of Prussia, 

 we may safely conclude that a lasting homogeneous German 

 empire is almost impossible. 



In the United States we fin/3 an example of the oppo- 

 site order of things. Here the geological character forbids 

 the formation of numerous small distinct nationalities. The 

 geological structure is such as to bind together the greater 

 portion of the country. The principal mountain barriers 

 are placed in the east and west sides, close to the Atlantic 

 and Pacific oceans, This arrangement determines two long 

 slopes, drained by numerous large rivers, which flow into a 

 central lower portion occupied by the Mississippi river. 

 The structure of the continent compels this river to empty 

 into the Gulf of Mexico, which is an appendage of the At- 

 lantic ocean. Thus the commercial relations of the great 

 interior are the same with those of the Atlantic slope. 



Only, a comparatively small portion of the territory of 

 the United States is isolated by its geological structure. 

 The Pacific slope faces Asia, and its natural outlet is to that 

 continent. Again the distribution of the material resources 

 of the United States is such as to promote intercourse be- 

 tween the different parts, and to bind them firmly together. 

 The geological structure has caused along the Atlantic 

 slope, near and above the head of tide, an immense display 

 of water-power. This fact, and the easy access to market, 

 naturally cause the location here of great manufacturing 

 and commercial cities. Most of our great Atlantic cities 

 are placed just at the eastern margin of the crystalline 

 rocks* 



