world. "Let this go into Ritter's archives," he would say, as if that was the surest way of securing scientific utility. But though their pursuits were kindred, they were also very different. Humboldt was endeavoring to interpret the physics of the globe, to study the laws which underlie all the purely natural phenomena. Heat, light, magnetism, earthquakes, volcanoes, the winds, the oceanic currents, were the themes of which he was most fond. The adaptation of the earth to human society, the effect of the world upon man, and the influence of man upon the earth, the laws of structure and climate in their relations to animal and vegetable life, the distribution of animals and vegetables subservient to man, the geographical basis in the progress of civilization, the differences of races and nations, were favorite themes with Ritter. One loved most the physical, the other the historical, study of the earth. One was emphatically a naturalist, the other a humanist. In other words, Humboldt was devoted to the study of the material creation, not indeed to the exclusion of man, but with a preponderating interest in natural phenomena; Ritter, on the other hand, was a student of history, and in all his geographical inquiries Man, his necessities, aptitudes, and deeds, was present. Humboldt was emphatically a scientific explorer, observing and collecting in distant climes where the structure of the globe is most remarkable and interesting, and then returning to work out his conclusions. Ritter was chiefly the man of books, the student at home, weighing the testimony of early and recent explorers, harmonizing their statements, and deducing general laws from the special researches of many investigators. In quoting the words of Professor Guyot, early in this article, respecting the little real knowledge of Ritter which there is in this country, we were disposed to make some qualification of his remark. We think that Mr. Guyot himself has done a great deal to make our countrymen familiar with the views of the German geographer. We well remember the delight with which, many years ago, we listened to his eloquent exhibition of the principles of Physical Geography as laid down by Humboldt, Steffens, and Ritter. We have read and re-read his "Earth and Man," one of the best presentations of this new science to be met with in any language, if not the very best. We have seen that, by his lectures in the Normal Schools and at the Teachers' Institutes, there has been awakened among the teachers, especially of New England, a real love of geographical science, and an earnest, intelligent inquiry for more detailed treatises than any which are now accessible in English, embodying the principles in their manifold applications. We are confident that in the next few years a great impulse will be given to studies of this character, and, as the years roll on, we look forward to increasing honor among our countrymen for the life and labors of Carl Ritter. ART. VIII.-1. Annual Report of the Western Sanitary Commission for the Years ending July, 1862, and July, 1863. St. Louis, Mo. 2. Circular of Mississippi Valley Sanitary Fair, to be held in St. Louis, May 17th, 1864. Major-General W. S. ROSECRANS, President. IN the article on the Sanitary Commission in our January number, our readers will have observed that the name of St. Louis, Missouri, does not appear on the roll of honor. The State is referred to, in a single line, as being the only loyal State out of the circle of sanitary allegiance. By what cause it has been thus left out does not appear. Nor is it said whether that State and city, which have been so prominent in the war for liberty, have done or attempted anything whatever in the work of humanity. Those of our readers who know nothing of the facts have probably concluded that the circumstances of peculiar difficulty under which Missouri has been compelled to play her part, the devastation of her territory by the Confederate invaders and guerilla bands of robbers, the destruction of her trade, the social dissensions among her own people, the prevailing "sympathy" of the wealthier classes for the Southern cause or trade, her rapid transition from slavery to freedom, changing all the relations and conduct of industrial pursuits, and the extraordinary demands upon her, especially at the commercial metropolis, in the prosecution of civil war upon a scale of unequalled magnitude, while her resources were nearly all cut off, that these and other causes furnish a sufficient apology for her exceptional position, which is to be regretted, but not too severely blamed. To others it is known that such apology is not needed. But probably very few are prepared to learn that St. Louis, so far from being delinquent, has stood among the foremost cities of the loyal States in the sanitary and relief departments of the war. The fact is, that, if we estimate the whole amount done by the United States Sanitary Commission and all its branches, including all the large central cities named in our last number, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Cincinnati, Louisville, Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo, Albany, Pittsburg, &c.,-taking the estimate as made by Rev. Dr. H. W. Bellows (Doc. 69 U. S. San. Com.), -the distributions and expenditures by the organization known as the Western Sanitary Commission at St. Louis have risen to between one fifth and one fourth of the whole amount. Its cash receipts, if California is left out of the estimate, have been almost as great as those at Washington. It has had, with trifling exceptions, exclusive (sanitary) care of all the armies west of the Mississippi, from the beginning of the war until now. For the first year of the war, the time of greatest difficulty, it had almost a monopoly in fitting up and supplying hospital steamers and all other Western river work, including supplies to the gunboat flotilla on the Mississippi, and has kept its agents and stores of hospital supplies at every important point in the Western department. It has established soldiers' homes in different places, in which six hundred guests, chiefly invalids and convalescents, are taken care of, as the daily average, provided with whatever help they need, and forwarded to their destination. It has labored indefatigably, and at great expense, particularly in the earlier half of the war, in the establishment of hospitals, and in providing all the necessary means for the comfort of the patients, and has shared the labors of medical directors and purveyors, of surgeons, nurses, and attendants, almost never coming into conflict with them, or receiving anything but their thanks. Under the commission of Miss D. L. Dix, it has had charge of selecting and assigning to places of duty all female nurses in the Western Department, a labor of great importance and difficulty, but which could not be declined. In two recent months, one hundred certificates to female nurses have been issued. Against all prejudices, and notwithstanding real and unavoidable difficulties in the way, the employment of female nurses has steadily grown in favor, and the Western Commission regards them as an indispensable part of every good hospital, both in the sick-wards and in the special diet-department. By special orders of Generals Halleck and Schofield, this Commission has also had superintendence at St. Louis of the interests of the Union refugees from Rebel States, and has provided for many thousands of that unfortunate class. During the last few months, by what has seemed a providential necessity, the Freedmen's cause has come under its care, with the cordial approval of the Secretaries of War and the Treasury, and by its prompt and efficient attention to the claims of the oppressed the most satisfactory results have been already attained. The outlay of the Western Sanitary Commission, for over two years, has averaged, in money and goods, fifty thousand dollars per month, the whole of which has gone to the direct prevention or relief of suffering, deducting one and a half per cent, which covers the total costs of all salaries, agencies, and distribution. Of course, a great deal of the labor, especially the more responsible part, has been done gratuitously, and every facility has been afforded by government officers, by free transportation, "detached service," and in every other practicable way. From St. Louis to New Orleans, from Pea Ridge to Chattanooga, by every commander of the Department of the Missouri and every general in the field, by the head of the Western Medical Department and the various medical directors, by quartermasters and transportation-masters, and all other officers, the Commission and its agents have been most kindly recognized, and have scarcely ever solicited a favor in vain. It has received far more credit from them than it could have claimed as its proper due. Its co-operation has often been asked, and never refused. Its representations of official neglect, and its suggestions of change, have been uniformly attended to, and, except where it has ignorantly violated regu lations, or neglected proper official etiquette, no complaint or hard feeling has ever been expressed. In fact, the whole medical administration in the West has been admirably managed for two years past. Before that time it was a divided management, without a general head. But since the reorganization of the Medical Department, by which the whole region west of the Alleghany Mountains was placed under direction of the Assistant Surgeon-General, Dr. R. C. Wood, everything has been well ordered. Probably no armies have ever been more amply or promptly provided with medical supplies than those of the West. The surgeons in field and hospital have been held to strict responsibility, and although many abuses and negligences have arisen, they have been corrected as soon as known. Comparatively few complaints of inefficiency have been heard at the West, and from the testimony of both officers and men we are satisfied that just cause of complaint has seldom been found. Dr. Wood has given the most ample proof both of mental and physical capacity, and we have known few men who have so perfectly united the suaviter in modo with the fortiter in re. The outlay, and of course the income, of the Sanitary Commission at St. Louis, since the war began to the present time, has amounted to nearly the value of a million and a half of dullars, which has been distributed in hospitals and camps, for the purposes of prevention and cure, among all the armies of the West. In these distributions no sectional or State lines are recognized, and no discrimination for or against any one, on the ground of nationality, lineage, social position, or color, has ever been permitted. The Legislature of Missouri, from its exhausted finances, has contributed $75,000 for relief of Missouri troops, through the Commission; but this sum has been used so as to accomplish the end without any practical discrimination being made. The money was passed into the general fund, and distributing agents were instructed that all soldiers should be treated alike, but to make such memoranda of supplies to Missouri soldiers, wherever found, as would enable them to show the amounts so expended. When the last estimates were given in, it appeared that already over $100,000 had been so expended, and the best evidence was thus afforded |