The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume IX, No. 4 [‎232r] (134/172)

THE MONTHLY RECORD.
451
that they are of Portuguese and Spanish origin. Tie explains the northward exten
sion of Australia on these maps by a desire, for purposes of policy, to represent the
seaway as blocked by land in those parts, and quotes a statement of Barros in
support of this theory. Perhaps the most useful feature in the book is the facility
which it gives for tracing the course of evolution of early maps, although the
author’s conclusions in this respect too will not always be accepted by the reader.
GENERAL.
Wagner’s Geographical Year-book.— The nineteenth volume of this
standard work has been published. Following the usual custom, only a portion of
the departments into which the survey of geography is divided is dealt with each
year. The present issue includes a list of the latitude, longitude, and height above
sea-level of 237 astronomical observatories brought together by A. Anwers, and
reports of the progress of geography in the department of cartography by Prof.
E. Hammer, plant-distribution by Prof. 0. Drude, and ethnological research by
Prof. G. Gerland. The recent works on the geography of Europe are dealt with
by different authorities, the British Isles being reported on by Dr. H. G.
Schlichter, but that of Russia is relegated to the next volume. Dr. E. Ober-
hummer gives a report on the progress of our knowledge of the geography
of the ancient world, and Dr. Wolkenhauer contributes a geographical necrology
for the years 1893-1895. Prof. Wagner gives a list of professorial chairs of
geography, Hauptmann Kollm has compiled a list of geographical societies
and serials, while a series of map-indexes of the official surveys shows the
present state of publication of the official maps of Europe and India. From the
information given, it appears that there are 150 professors or lecturers on geography
in 96 universities or colleges, as compared with 126 and 82 in 1891. The greatest
progress made during the five years has been in Russia, where geographical pro
fessorships'have been created in the universities of Kief, Moscow, and Odessa; and
in Switzerland, where professors have been elected in the universities of Freiburg,
Neuchatel, and Zurich. The list of geographical societies has been corrected by
the omission of some purely commercial or political associations formerly included,
the deletion of a few that have ceased to exist, and the addition of some new ones.
The total number in 1896 was 107 societies, with 38 branches, shared by 22
countries, and situated in 137 towns. The French geographical societies had,
together, 16,500 members, the British over 8000, and the German over 6000; the
greatest membership is that of the Royal Geographical Society, the Paris Geo
graphical Society coming next with 2000 members. The number of geographical
serial publications in 1896 was 153, of which 125 were published by societies.
With regard to language, 48 of these are piinted in French, 42 in German, and
only 15 in English.
The Twelfth German Geographical Congress.— The details of this Con
gress, which will meet at Jena, as previously announced, in Easter week, have now
been arranged. At the first meeting on Wednesday, April 21, Dr. Neumayer will
present his report on Antarctic exploration, and papers will be read upon travels in
Brazil and Asia-Minor. The afternoon will be devoted to considering the question
of geography in schools. On April 22, geophysics, especially the study of earth
quakes” will be discussed. On April 23, biological geography, and the report of the
committee for the scientific geographical description of Germany, will occupy the
time of the meeting. Social gatherings will take place each evening, and geo
graphical excursions to Weimar and also to the Saalthal have been arranged.
A Journal of School Geography—Mr. Richard E. Dodge, of New York, has
commenced with January, 1897, the publication of a new geographical serial of
2 ir 2