Certainly the geological variations found in the study of these- lands have great value, not alone in the line of science, but also in regard to' the present orographic surfaces, to their per manency and to .their mineral and vegetable products, with all the consequences that ensue in the various regions owing to the habitation of man. Geography shows us primarily that the mountains of the peninsula, as tompared with the Alps, •arc not of any great extent or elevation, none of them attaining a height of 9,750 feet--except Mount dEttia, which is out of the peninsula and is a volcano; and that the greater number of them are scarcely 6,500 feet high. The highest peaks are found in the most mountainous park within the 'limits of Abruazo, which contains the greatest mountain masses of the Apennines and the highest tablelands in the peninsula. In this region is Mount Vettore (8,043.feet) in the Sibilline Mountains between Nera (Tiber) and Tronto; the Peak of Sevo (8,050 feet) to 'the right of the source of the Tronto; Terminillo to the right of Upper Velino (Nera Tiber) ' • the Gran Sasso d'Italia (The Great Rock of Italy) to the right of Upper Vomano, with many points higher than 6,500 feet, and Monte Corno (9,493 feet), which is the highest peak in the peninsula, Majella has also similar altitudes, among which the highest is Amaro (9,084 feet) to the left of the source of Aventino (Sangro); then Mount Velino, Sirente, Mount Petroso, Mount Meta, Viglio, and about 10 others. There arefew considerable altitudes in the rest of the penin sula, one or two in the southwest of the Basili cata, none in the islands except lEtna, and a few summits in Corsica, among which. the high est is Monte Cinto (8,807 feet).
Compared with other and less mountainous countries useful minerals are relatively scarce in Italy. A young country, from a geological point of view, it does not possess in its Apen nines such mineral products as are furnished by more ancient formations and which are an element of power to other European nations. Iron ore is mined specially in the not extensive island of Elba; other metals, but not in large quantities, are found in Sardinia, and in the Alps of Lombardy and Venetia. Fossil coal of the best quality is found nowhere; on the other hand, much sulphur is found, especially in Sicily. Statuary marble is found in Tuscany, in the Apuan Alps•and alivaysisir plabes-where the mountains are not of the formation assigned by geologists to the Apennines. But the fact remains that the Mineral products do not con, stitute a factor in the wealth of Italy.
If we finally consider the Apennines in their general external aspects, the observing traveler who has, crossed the Alps will find that the mountains of the peninsula differ from .them not alone in height, but also in other special characteristics. There is wanting in the Apen nines, in almost ail their extent, the fearful and wild grandeur of much Alpine scenery; there are wanting the glaciers and the perpetual snow; there is wanting the vegetation, so rich in varied tints and extending in some parts to the most unusual altitude. The Apen
nines,• on the contrary, are. less ponderous, less dentated; less varied, less severe and precipitous, the valleys less narrow and hemmed in, but also with-scantier and less varied vegetation, and with many barren tracts, showing the bare sides of rock.
. But as a eonipensation there are numerous large and pleasant valleys in almost every di rection, where the regular sections of land, with a variety of cultivation, with veridant hills and mounts covered villages, with a sky that is almost always bright, make a pleasing contrast to the barrenness of the distant maim tains.
Rivers.— The outline and character of the Italian mountains, is pretty clearly found in the physical hydrography, in the climate, in vegeta tion and, finally, in the great lines of Italian history.
Beginning with the waters we find in the north, as well as the largest plain, the largest river of Italy, the Po, which crosses the entire valley in its' greatest extent from west to east, and which, inproportion to the modesty of its length,(only 200.9 miles in a straight line), may be considered to have the greatest volume of water of any river in the world. The hydro graphic basin of the PO and its tributaries is relatively of great extent; for to every kilo meter of its coarse there are more than 104 kilometers of tributary area.
The amount of water that the Po carries to the sea (greater in the seasons of the heavy rains and the melting of the snows) is always quite large, for the reason that when the con tribution of the Alpine tributaries, the Adda, Ticinus, etc., is less abundant, i.e., in winter, that of the Apennine tributaries, the Panaro, Taro, etc., is more so. The volume of Water is greater in October and May, and it often does great damage to the surrounding regions. How ever, notwithstanding all this abundance of water, the Po, as a medium of navigation, does not present the facilities that might be expected, for it works potently and unceasingly to change not only its banks, but also the position and ex tent of its many sand and mud banks; and its i various outlets into the sea are neither ample, nor deep, nor permanent. Its waters carry and deposit around and about its mouth in the Adri atic great quantities of mud, which gradually form an extension of its mouths into a belt of land estimated to increase about 244 feet a year. These deposits would be larger still, if the waters contributed by its most important Alpine affluents, the Adda, Ticinus, Oglio and Mincio, were not purged of all detritus, which they get rid of in crossing the Lombard lakes.