REPOKT OP THE UNITED STATES GEOGRA.PHIC BOARD. 17 
It is unquestionably desirable and proper that local usage should 
be followed in these cases as well as in others, i. e., that the home 
names should be the ones universally used; but in most of these 
cases it is obviously impracticable to introduce this reform, at least 
at present. The people of the United States can not be induced to 
change from Germany to Deutschland, or even from Italy to Italia, 
or The Hague to 's Gravenhage. It is a reform, however, to which 
we may look forward and work toward and which may be attained 
in the future. 
It is understood by the Board that our charts of the coasts of 
foreign countries using Roman characters, made for the use of our 
Navy and merchant marine, generally require the use of the local 
forms of these names, while on the other hand popular usage in this 
country, especially in om- atlases and textbooks, requires the angli- 
cized form. The Board practically leaves this matter on the same 
footing as heretofore, approving the use of local spelling of foreign 
names upon our charts and the anglicized forms upon maps de- 
signed for use in this country. It hopes, however, that the way may 
be open in the near future to the adoption throughout of the local 
and the rejection of the anglicized forms. In such specific cases as 
have been brought to its attention it has decided uniformly in favor 
of the local forms. 
Most of the nations of Europe, either through national boards or 
geographic societies, are engaged in the regulation of the orthog- 
raphy of geographic names. Their attention has been particularly 
directed toward producing uniformity in the transliteration of 
aboriginal names written in characters other than Roman. 'These 
nations have practically agreed upon a system of transliteration, 
which, with one or two exceptions, has been adopted by this Board, 
thus coming into practical agreement in this matter with the rest of 
the civilized world. 
PRINCIPLES. 
Under the Executive order of January 23, 1906, the United States 
Geographic Board was given jurisdiction over the estabhshment of 
new geographic names, and as a guide in the selection of names the 
Board adopted and issued a circular of "Principles," as foUows: 
Euphonious and suitable names of Indian, Spanish, or French 
origin should be retained. 
Names suggested by peculiarities of the topographic features 
designated — such as their form, vegetation, or animal Hfe — are gen- 
erally acceptable, but duphoation of names, especially within one 
state, should be avoided. The names "Elk," "Beaver," "Cotton- 
wood," and "Bald" are altogether too numerous. 
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