housand miles. In its trade with Chinese ports,
Seattle, the chief port of Puget Sound, reaches as far eastward as
London and Hamburg.

=Water-Power as a Factor.=--The presence of water-power has brought about
the establishment of many centres that have grown into populous cities.
The water-power of the New England plateau had much to do with the rapid
growth of the New England States. At the time of the various embargo and
non-intercourse acts preceding the war of 1812, a great amount of
capital was thrown into idleness. The water-power was made available
because, during this time, the people were compelled to manufacture for
themselves the commodities that before had been imported.

The manufacturing industry at first was prosecuted in the southern
Appalachians as well as in the New England plateau. It survived in the
latter, partly because of the capital available, and partly owing to the
business experience of the people. In the meantime villages sprang up in
pretty nearly every locality in which there was available water-power.

Since the use of coal and the advent of cheap railway transportation,
steam has largely supplanted water-power, unless the latter is unlimited
in supply. As a result, there is a marked growth of the smaller centres
of population along the various water-fronts. In such cases the
advantages of a water-front offset the loss of water-power.

=The Effects of Metals on the Growth of Cities.=--The character of the
industry of a region has much to do with the character of its
manufactures. Thus, coal is absolutely essential to the manufacture of
iron and steel; and, inasmuch as from two to eight tons of the former
are necessary to manufacture a ton of steel, it is cheaper to ship the
ore to a place to which coal can be cheaply brought.

The coal-fields are responsible for the greater part of Pittsburg's
population, and almost wholly for that of Scranton, Wilkesbarre, and
many other Pennsylvania towns. Iron and coal are responsible, also, for
many cities and towns in the vicinity of the Great Lakes. Birmingham,
Salford, and Cardiff in Great Britain, Dortmund and Essen in Germany,
and St. Etienne in France have resulted from the presence of coal and
iron.

In many instances man is a great factor in the establishment of a centre
of population. Chicago would have been quite as well off in two or three
other locations; its present location is the result of man's energy and
is not likely to be chan