But these, as we have seen, cover all the available portions of the eastern continent.
Another consideration pointing to the locality of this power is drawn from the fact that John saw it arising from the earth.

If the sea from which the leopard beast arose, Rev.13:1, denotes peoples, nations, and multitudes, Rev.17:15, the earth would suggest, by contrast, a new and previously-unoccupied territory.
Being thus excluded from the eastern continent, and impressed with the idea of looking to territory not previously known to civilization, we turn of necessity to the western hemisphere.

And this is in full harmony with the ideas already quoted, and more which might be presented, that the progress of empire is with the sun around the earth from east to west.

Commencing in Asia, the cradle of the race, it would end on this continent, which completes the circuit.

Bishop Berkley, in his celebrated poem on America, written more than one hundred years ago, in the following forcible lines, pointed out the then future position of America, and its connection with preceding empires.
"Westward the course of empire takes its way; The four first acts already past, A fifth shall close the drama with the day; Time's noblest offspring is the last." By the "four first acts already past," the bishop had undoubted reference to the four universal kingdoms of Daniel's prophecy.