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Show THE GREATEST RIVER. Every body knows that the Amazon is the greatest river in the world; but lew people have any idea of the enormous extent to which it may be utilized for navigation. naviga-tion. The largest ocean steamers may ascend the Amazon itself for as great a distance as the total length of the Mississippi River. At Iquitos, the principal Peruvian port on the Amazon, the river is 200 feet dee). This is 2,500 miles from the sua and several steamers trade regularly to Iquitos whose business with Para amounts to $2,000,000 a year. It is well known that for several hundred miles up the main river no sounding line has ever yet touched bottom. The river and its tributaries offer about 25,000 miles of navigable waters j for very large vessels, and over ! 45,000 miles for light-draught river , boat propelled by hand. j |