COMMITTEES ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT 273 
veys in the different departments of the government.” ** He 
considered that however proficient the members of the com- 
mittee might be in their several professions, with one exception, 
they were not sufficiently familiar with survey work to form an 
opinion as to its requirements. 
The committee deliberated some three months, inviting and 
considering the views of the directors of the surveys of the 
territories, the Acting Chief of Engineers and other officers of the 
Army, the Commissioner of the General Land Office and others 
interested. We learn from the documents which accompany the 
Academy’s report that the War Department thought that its 
topographic and geodetic surveys should be continued and that 
they might advantageously be made the basis of the land-par- 
celling surveys of the General Land Office, and that the scale and 
topography of its maps might be such that they could be used for 
plotting the geological data collected by the geological surveys. 
The General Land Office was of the opinion that “‘ combining a 
geological and geographical survey with the survey of the public 
lands might be most beneficial and economical.” Dr. Hayden, 
representing the Geological and Geographical Survey of the 
Territories, questioned the practicability of a comprehensive 
plan of surveys which should include all the scientific organiza- 
tions of the Government engaged in such work. He considered 
that the combination of the geological and geographical surveys 
with the land-parcelling surveys would be fatal to both, and that 
the separation of topography and geology would be unwise. 
Major Powell representing the Geographical and Geological 
Survey of the Rocky Mountain Region, reiterated the opinion 
expressed in an earlier report, that such surveys “should be 
unified and a common system adopted ”’; and considered that 
they should embrace a geographical department, including “ all 
methods of mensuration in latitudes, longitudes and altitudes, 
absolute and relative”; and a geological department, including 
“all purely scientific subjects relating to geological structure 
and distribution, and practical subjects relating to mining and 
*© Sen. Exec. Doc. no. 21, 45th Congress, 3d Session, p. 3. 
