SUBDIVISIONS. The Alps are commonly, but rather arbitrarily, divided into three portions. The Western Alps comprise that portion having a north and south trend, and extending north ward to the Great St. Bernard Pass; the Central Alps extend thence eastward to the Brenner Pass, while the Eastern Alps include the remain der. In the Western Alps the ranges and ridges are broken and irregular. while in the other parts of the system the secondary ranges trend more commonly parallel to the axis of the sys tem. The system is still further subdivided into groups or ranges separated from one another more or less completely by stream gorges. The following groups are comprised in the Western Alps: The Maritime Alps, near the 'Mediterra nean coast; the Cottian Alps, stretching from Mont Chamebyron. 11,155 feet, to the Col de Frejus. It contains several peaks exceeding 12, 000 feet in height. West of it is the small group known as Oisans, with Mont Pelvoux, 12,970 feet, and Les Kerins, 13,462 feet, the highest peak of Dauphine. The Graian Alps are the northernmost group of the Western Alps; here are Grand Paradis, 13,324 feet; Mont Pourri, 12,428 feet; La Grivola, 13,028 feet; the Grands Coulvirs, 12,567 feet ; the Grande Sassiere, 12. 430 feet; and, at the turning point iif the range, Mont Blanc, 15,781 feet.
The Central Alps are subdivided into many groups, of which only the principal ones can he mentioned. The Bernese Alps separate the up per valley of the Rhone from the Aar, and com prise many well known peaks, among them the Jungfrau, 13,672 feet; Finsteraarhorn, 14,026 feet; Aletsehhorn, 13,720 feet ; Muneh, 13,465 feet: Eiger, 13,040 feet ; Sehreeko•n, 13.385 feet, and Wetterho•n, 12,150 feet. This is one of the most rugged groups of the system, contain ing many peaks exceeding 12,000 feet in height, and having many glaciers, one of which, the Aletsch, is the longest in the Alps. On the opposite side of the Rhone valley is another splendid range, the Pennine Alps, in which, grouped about Zermatt, are the Matterhorn or Mont Cervin, 14,780 (14,705) feet; Weisshorn, 14,803 feet; Grand Corbin, 14,164 feet; Lys kamm, 14,889 feet; Mischabel, 14,941 feet; and
.Nlonte Rosa, 15,217 feet. The St. I tothard range stands at the sources of the Reuss, Rhine, and Ticino, separated on all sides by compara tively low passes. To the south and cast of it, and to the northeast of the Pennine Alps, are the Lepontine Alps, through from northwest to southeast extends the valley of the Ticino. Between the Aar and Reuss are the Emmenthal Alps, separated from the Alps of CM on the east by the Brilnig Pass. The Toth chain continues the line of Bernese Alps northeastward, with Tudi, 11,857 feet. The Rinetian Alps stand about the head-waters of the Inn River, and contain many fine peaks, exceeding 11,000 feet in height, while smith of them is the splendid Bernina group, with Mont Bernina, 13,294 feet. Still further south, on the south flank of the system and east of Lake Como. are the Alps of Bergamo. East of the RInetian Alps are the Otzthal and Ortler Alps, with peaks rising above 12.000 feet, the Ortlerspitze being 12,S00 feet, The Eastern Alps are of less height than the other two groups, and are broken into a great number of semi-detached groups and ranges; the North and South Tyrolese, Sarnthal, Dolo mite, Venetian, Carnic, and Julian Alps, Ilohe Tauern. Niedere Tauern, and the Salzburg, Sty rian, and Austrian Limestone Alps. The East ern Alps culminate in the Gross-Glockner, in the Holm Tauern, on the borders of Tyrol, Carin thia, and Salzburg, which rises to a height of 12,457 feet, and from which descend glaciers al most rivaling those of the Swiss Alps.
The highest part of the Alpine system. as ex pressed by the altitude of its summits, is in the western part of the Central Alps, in the Bernese and Pennine groups. and about Mont Blanc. From this region the altitudes diminish east ward and southward. Owing to the broken char acter of the system, passes are numerous; many of them ace comparatively low, and arc utilized as routes for roads and railroads. Some of them have been used as routes of travel for many cen turies.