[Footnote 1: February 27, 1890.] A few words more in regard to the treatment of the Russian geographic names found in Alaska. This territory will in the course of time contain a large English-speaking population, and its geographic names of Russian and Eskimo origin should, in a certain sense, no longer be classed by us under the category of foreign names. The future official orthography of Alaska might, therefore, be treated liberally, that is to say, complicated spelling following from a strict transliteration might be simplified to a certain extent, as has been done with the spelling of many aboriginal Indian names. Of the geographic nomenclature of Asiatic countries none has become so rapidly well known as that of the Japan Archipelago, and we can already now class Japan among the countries having an official geographic nomenclature in Roman character. Within less than twenty years, the wonderfully progressive Japanese have established a geographic service for the survey of their domain, and a hydrographic service for the survey of their coasts and navigable waters. They have now published several hundreds of nautical charts, which are as good and practical as any published by other nations. On those Japanese charts, which are based exclusively on their own surveys, the names are printed in the signs of the '_Kana_' with the transliteration of the name in Roman character added. It is this feature which has materially helped us to a better and correct knowledge of their geographic names. Within the last few years the _Romaji-Kwai_[2] has made immense progress, and I understand that the society's system forms already part of the instruction in a number of schools in Japan. Hence, we may look forward to the day when Japanese books printed in Roman characters will supersede, to a large extent, the books in the signs of the '_Kana_.' [Footnote 2: Society for the introduction of the Roman character for writing the Japanese language.] One of the best authorities for writing and pronouncing the names of the districts, cities, towns and villages of Japan is a very recent publication[3] by our honored countryman, Mr. W. N. Whitney, interpreter at the U. S. Legation at Tokyo, who compiled this admirable book with great care and labor from the official records of the Japanese empire. It not only contains the names in the original Japanese print, but what is of chief value to us, also the transcription, in accordance with the _Romaji-Kwai_ system. We cannot do better, at present, than to follow this book in determining the orthography of geographic names in Japan. [Footnote 3: A concise Dictionary of the principal _roads_, _chief-towns_ and _villages_ of Japan, with _populations_, _post-offices_, &c.; together with Lists of _Ken_, _Kori_, and _Railways_. By W. N. Whitney, M.D., Interpreter of the U. S. Legation, Tokyo.]