GEOGRAPHY REVISED 1922 BY J. RUSSELL SMITH PROFESSOR OF ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK CITY 4-15-25 11680 PREFACE This book aims to interpret the earth in terms of its usefulness to humanity. Since the primary interest is humanity rather than parts of the earth's surface, the book deals with human activities as affected by the earth, rather than with parts of the earth as they affect human activities. The mass of facts pressing upon geographers is so great that space for discussion, as distinguished from description, is always. too short, and this space is still further reduced by the repetitions involved in the usual regional arrangement of matter. That is one reason why I have employed, in the first part of this book, the alternative arrangement by industries. The wheat industry, for example, proceeds from certain environmental conditions and exists in every continent. Its treatment as a unit brings causes and results together in their explanatory relation and makes the facts not only appeal to the reason but also grip the memory. Such a conspectus of the world industries, when properly illustrated by charts and diagrams, should give a sound knowledge of the trade activities of each country, without sacrificing the no less valuable knowledge of the industries themselves. In the second part of the book there is an attempt to increase and reinforce this regional knowledge by a description of the commerce of the world. Here the great ports of traffic are considered and the geographic and economic reasons for their greatness indicated. The description of the principal trade routes and the commerce that passes over them is still another means of making the various countries of the world stand out in the mind of the reader in their commercial individuality. I believe this method permits results that cannot be attained in the same space by the more usual method of presentation. In the preparation of this book, I am greatly indebted to Professor Walter S. Tower, of Chicago. It is impossible for me to estimate the influence that he has had upon it through years of friendly conference and cogent criticism. He has also rendered |