14 REPORT OF THE UNITED STATES GEOGRAPHIC BOARD, 
portion, probably a majority, of the names of natural features 
have undergone alterations in spelling to a greater or less extent 
since they wore first applied, while of the names of political divi- 
sions, although established by formal act, a considerable projK>rtion 
have also changed, and such variations have, in thousands of cases, 
become firmly established. Therefore, the position assumed by 
some persons, that we should revert to the original forms of names, 
would, if carried out, result in changing the names of a large pro- 
portion of our natural and artificial features. 
POLICY OF THE BOARD. 
The Board is agreed that in general the name which is in com- 
mon local use at present should be adopted. This is a broad, general 
principle, and summarizes the policy of the Board, with the excep- 
tion of certain classes of names. It covers cases of changes or cor- 
ruptions of names, except whore they are considered to bo unworthy 
of perpetuation. 
The Board clearly recognizes that tho importance and value of 
its decisions dopend upon their general adoption. To change cor- 
rupted forms back to pure forms, after tho corrupted form has been 
established, is to make a decision which will not bo followed. Such 
decisions are not merely useless; they are positively harmful. They 
tend not to settle but to unsettle usage. To restore such names as 
Port Townsend to Port Townshend. Pysht to Psycho, Ozan to Aux 
&nes, Low Freight to L'eau frais, Sitka to Shitka, Possum to Opossum, 
is not always possible, however desirable. The aim, therefore, 
of tho Board is to discover and support by its decisions the forms in 
use in all cases, except those where specific and positive objections 
thereto aro found* to exist. That it should always succeed in this 
aim is obviously impossible. Changes are constantly occurring. The 
Board can not if it would, and would not if it could, oppose change. 
The difficulties encountered in carrying out this principle are 
found mainly in determining what is tho established usage, or the 
prevailing local practice where it is divided between different forms. 
^Vhore it is so divided, opportunity is afforded for the selection of 
the more appropriate and euphonious of the names in use. 
Tho Board considers it desirable to depart from local usage in 
certain cases in order to effect reforms in nomenclature. Among 
these departures approved by the Board are tho following: 
(a) Tho avoidance, so far as seems practicable, of tho possessive 
form of names. 
(6) The dropping of the final "h" in the termination of "burgh." 
(c) The abbreviation of "borough" to "boro." 
(d) The spelling of the word "center" as here given. 
