Adjustment of Areas of the United States, States, and Territories: Bulletin No. 302, 1906, Slides of Printing

Download Adjustment of Areas of the United States, States, and Territories: Bulletin No. 302, 1906 and more Slides Printing in PDF only on Docsity! ftflpfy of the- «ed States ovscnnigit Bulletin No. 302 Series F, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR THE AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES, THE STATES, AND THE TERRITORIES BY HE3STR.Y G-ANNETT WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1906 U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO.302 PL.I J _.': ! * 1 - -U V l> i> i 1 ' ! %, yirwirfi.^jC\-/-'Vr*iiy#~to^.Bj^i<rl S^^rS^^ 7<r* !«s; \ ^<^P^-fr^-^-vv-r* r'C-^^^l"\ -v>- -' * 1 \ -^H'^A'J^J^ -r^Pr^r,^^^ " ~~it*rZ,'nlnti?* 1.i » -yS \ **»/ -. - -t MAP OF THE UNITED STATES, DEFINING THE ADOPTED LIMITS OF THE GROSS AREA Scale 100____ 200____ JQJ ___mo_____500 1906 JULIUS BIEN aCO.LITH N.Y. THE AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES, THE STATES, AND THE TERRITORIES. By HENRY GANNETT. In 1881 the Census Office published in an extra bulletin tables show­ ing the areas of the United States and of the several States and Terri­ tories. The measurements and computations upon which these tables were based were made with care, according to methods described in the bulletin, and the results probably represented the areas as closely as they could be determined from the maps and charts of that time. In 1899 the General Land Office printed similar tables, which were also prepared with great care and thoroughness. The tables presented in these two publications differ from each' other. Most of the differences are trifling, amounting to only a few square miles or a small fraction of 1 per cent, being well within the limits of error of the planimeter and of the maps used. Some of them, however, are considerable, and a few are explained by the fact that more recent maps, which changed the position of boundaries between States, had been used by the Land Office, and its measurement was, therefore, more nearly correct. Other discrepancies arose from differ­ ences in determining the coast lines; as an example of this, the Land Office measurement of the State of Washington included half of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, while that of the Census Office did not, involv­ ing a difference in area of 1,500 square miles. Realizing the desirability of the Government issuing but one state­ ment of areas of the States and Territories, the offices concerned, through their representatives, Mr. Frank Bond, chief draftsman of the General Land Office, Mr. C. S. Sloane, geographer of the Census Office, and myself, representing the Geological Survey, have been at work for several months in the endeavor to come to an agreement on these figures, and in the course of our discussion many new measurements have been made from the most recent and best maps. An agreement has been reached, the results of which are set forth in the accompany­ ing table. 5 6 AEEAS OF STATES AND TERRITORIES. By this adjustment the area of the United States proper is increased over the Census Office figures by 1,188 square miles, or about three one-hundredths of 1 per cent. The question, "What constitutes the area of the United States?" is by no means a simple one. Jurisdiction extends to a line 3 nautical miles from the shore, but this strip of sea can not properly be regarded as a part of the country. Supposing our country to be restricted to the sea and lake coast, there remains a question regarding the bays and estuaries. To what extent should the coast line be fol­ lowed strictly, and where should we begin to jump across the indenta­ tions made by the sea? In this matter one can only follow his own judgment, making in each case as natural a decision as possible, as ho definite criterion can be established. This applies also to those States bordering the sea and the Great Lakes. The method of measurement may be characterized in a few words. The areas of all square degrees included entirely within a State or the United States are taken from tables of such areas. Where a square degree is crossed by a boundary line, so that only part of it is included, both the part included and that excluded are measured from the best maps by planimeter, and the correctness of the measurement is.tested by comparing their sum with the tabular area of the square degree. The entire boundary of the United States has now been mapped or charted with accuracy, so that, aside from uncertainties due to the interpretation of the coast line, there can be little or no question as to the correctness of the measurement of the country as a whole. The situation as regards the individual States is not so satisfactory, however, although the boundaries of most of them are now well mapped. Certain States are bounded by parallels and meridians, and the ascertainment of their areas is merely a matter of reference to tables of areas of square degrees, assuming that the boundary lines were accurately run and marked in accordance with the statute. The boundaries of a few of the States, however, have not been accu­ rately mapped, and it is probable that changes will be made in the computed areas of these States. The area of Alaska, measured in this office from the large Coast Survey chart, is subject to considerable modification in the future as the position of the coast line becomes better known. The area given for the Philippine Islands is that determined by the Coast Survey of that archipelago, prepared at the instance of the Philippine Census and published hi that report. It also is subject to modification as accurate charts of the archipelago are made. The areas of Hawaii and Porto Rico are probably subject to only slight change, as the charts from which they were measured are quite accurate.