The common divisions of the Alps have been taken from the Romans, whose acquaintance with the Alps as the northern boundary of Italy was considerable, yet their classification, being formed mostly for practical purposes, was far from complete. Several modern divisions have been added. The Romans were acquainted with many of the best passes, to which from their altitude they gave the name of Mons. Before noticing these divisions a glance may be taken at the general direction of the main chain. The most convenient starting-point is on the Medi terranean coast, near Nice. Eastward the chain proceeds along the coast till it forms a junction with the Apennines, which may be con sidered as one extremity of the system. In the opposite direction it proceeds northwest, and af terward north on the boundaries of France and Italy to Mont Blanc ; it then turns northeast and runs generally in this direction to the Gross Glockner, in central Tyrol, between the Drave and the Salza, where it divides into two branches, the more northerly of which proceeds northeast toward Vienna. The southern chain subdivides again, one branch running in a southerly direction, connects itself with the mountains of Dalmatia, and by a southeasterly continuation- with the Balkans and the moun tains of Greece; the middle branch proceeds toward the Draw and Danube. With these con tinuations, which lose themselves insensibly in other ranges, the Alps may be considered to terminate.
The Maritime Alps.— The first great divi vision of the Alps extends from their junction with the Apennines to Monte Viso, a distance of about 100 miles. This mountain is the most prominent object from the basin of the Po, wherever the Alps are visible. The division of the Alps from the Apennines has been vari ously fixed at Col di Tende and Col d'Altare, near Savona. The northern limit of the Mari time Alps is to the south of Monte Viso. The culminating-points are the Aiguille de Cham beyron, 11,155 feet, and the Grand Rioburent, 11,142 feet. The principal pass is the Col di Tende (6,158 feet), which was made practicable for carriages by Napoleon. It leads from Nice to Turin. The road is dreary, but commands a view of the Alps from Col d'Iseran to Monte Viso. There are carriage roads over the Col di San Bernardo and Col di Nava. Numerous tributaries of the Po and the Durance with the Var and other lesser rivers rise in the Maritime Alps.
The Cottian Alps.— Anciently named after a chief of the district and extending from Monte Viso to Mont Cenis, these consist of numerous mountain masses irregularly grouped, the main line running northeast, and the prin cipal ramifications to the west of it. The length is about 60 miles. Modern geographers dis tinguish, as a separate group divided from the main chain by the valley of the Durance, the so-called Dauphinese or Dauphine Alps. These contain loftier peaks than the main chain. Principal peaks of the Cottian Alps: Monte Viso, 12,605 feet; Chardonnet 12,373; Ciama rella, 12,081- ' of the Dauphines Alps: Pic des &tins, 13,462; La Meije, 13,081; Pelvoux, 12,973. There is a carriage road by Mont Genevre (6,102 feet) between the valleys of the Durance and the Dora Ripaira, and by the Col de Sestrieres (6,335 feet) from Cesanne to Pignerolo. The road by the former, Cesanne to Bnancon, was constructed by order of Na poleon. The difficult pass of Col de la Roue, Bardonniche to Modane, is that supposed to have been traversed by Caesar in order to attack the Helvetians. The Durance and the Dora Ripaira rise in the Cottian Alps.
The Graian Alps.— From Mont Cenis this
group extends to Mont Blanc (50 miles) and has extensive ramifications in Savoie and Pied mont. The principal peaks are, in the main chain, Aiguille de la Sassiere, 12,326 feet; in the Piedmontese group, Grand Paradis, 13,300; in the Savoie group, Grande Casse, 12,780. Mont Cenis (6,765 feet), the most frequented of all the Alpine passes, was crossed by Pepin to attack the Lombards. A carriage road over it was constructed by Napoleon in 1803-10, lead ing from the valley of the Arc to Turin, and uniting with the road from Mont Genevre at Susa. A railway now passes through the mountain by a tunnel nearly eight miles long (See CENis). The pass of Little St. Bernard (7,192 feet) lies between the valleys of the Isere and Aosta. It was made practicable for cars by Augustus, but is now only available for mules. It appears to have been the road taken by Hannibal. The Col de Bonhomme (8,195 feet) communicates with the Col de la Seigne (8,327 feet) in the Pennine Alps. They lead by a mule path from Contamines to Cour mayeur. The Stura, and Orca, and the Arc and Isere, rise in the Graian Alps.
The Pennine Alps (Celtic, pen or ben, a hill) is the loftiest range of the whole system, having Mont Blanc at one extremity and Monte Rosa at the other (60 miles). Here also begin the most extensive ramifications of the system, some of the collateral ranges rivaling or ex ceeding in mass and altitude the main chain. The Alps of Haute Savoie form a northwestern continuation of this range. The northern bound ary of the Pennine Alps is the Valais, or upper valley of the Rhone. On the opposite side of this valley, and nearly parallel with the main chain, runs the great range of the Bernese Alps. Here the grandest panoramas of Alpine scenery arc exhibited. The great peaks of the two vast ranges are only about 20 miles apart, and be tween them run transverse ranges presenting innumerable secondary heights. Fr, om the Mat terhorn (Mont Cervin), betweer. \font Com bin and Monte Rosa, a series or great heights, including the Weisshorn and the Gabelhorn, run to the north. The main range contains Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa and Mont Cervin, three of the highest peaks in Europe. On the west the Bernese Alps are connected with the Jura range. The principal heights of the Pen nine Alps are Mont Blanc, 15,781 feet; Monte Rosa, 15,217; Mischabelhorner (Dom), 14,935; Lyskamm, 14,889; Weisshorn, 14,804; Matter horn, 14,780. In the Bernese Alps are the Fin steraarhorn, 14,026; Aletschhom, 13,803; Jung frau, 13,671. There are bridle passes, the Col de la Seigne, already mentioned, and the Col de Ferret (8,320), on each side of Mont Blanc. The pass of Great St. Bernard is celebrated for its hospice (See BERNARD, GREAT ST.). It was crossed by Napoleon in 1800, but it is not prac ticable for carriages. There are several passes, as the Col du Cervin, the Schwarzthor and the Col du Lys, from 10,000 to 14,000 feet in height. The most easterly pass is the Simplon, 6,595 feet, from Brieg to Domo d'Ossola. It has a carriage road made by Napoleon. This is about 36 miles long and 25 feet wide through out, and is carried over steep precipices and through six galleries hewn in the rock. The Grande Galene is 683 feet long. A double rail way tunnel, the longest and lowest tunnel through the Alps (121/4 miles long and 2,313 feet above sea-level), has bten driven through the Simplon. Numerous tributaries of the Rhone rise in the valley between the mountains, and on the Italian side the Dora Baltea, Sesia and other rivers.