Page:The National Geographic Magazine Vol 16 1905.djvu/148

Rh With the opening of the Pacific Cable the exact longitude of Manila has been determined from San Francisco during the year, and several other points hitherto in doubt have been cleared up.

The bureau will compile data from which it will eventually plot an accurate coast line. In two cases the actual surveys show a discrepancy of nearly four miles over the previous reports.

THE GARDENS OF THE WEST

HERE is now lying in the Treasury vaults the sum of nearly $30,000,000, which is reserved exclusively for the government irrigation projects of the West. This immense sum has been realized during the past three and one-half years from the sale of public lands, and the amount is increasing daily at a very rapid rate. Work has already been begun on eight great projects which will make gardens of nearly one million acres, an area equal to the State of Rhode Island and probably capable of generously supporting a population of several million people.

From F. H. Newell, U. S. Geological Survey

Salt River Canyon, Arizona

Looking down stream from point about half a mile above dam site. A giant dam 240 feet high and costing $3,000,000 is to be built across the canyon. The water is reserved for Phoenix, 60 miles down the river, where about 200,000 acres will be irrigated. The project also includes a series of power plants which will supply water to nearly 60,000 acres in Salt River Valley.