May 25, 1857.] GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. 409 



The surveys of tlie large towns of Glasgow and Dundee and many 

 others have also been finished in the last year. 



An outline map of London, on the scale of 6 inches to a mile, has 

 also been made within the last few months. The one-inch map 

 "proceeds pat^i passu with the maps on the larger scale, and great ad- 

 vantage is derived from the system of making all the reductions 

 from the larger to the smaller scales by the aid of photography ; 

 indeed, Lieut.-Colonel James expects to be able to get the ground 

 sketched on the 6-inch impressions in such a way that, when reduced 

 by photography, the reduced drawing will be the fac-simile of w^hat 

 the engraver is to produce. 



The general reduction in the estimates of the AVar Department 

 consequent upon the return of peace, has led to the reduction of the 

 proposed grant for the survey for the present year to the extent of 

 27,000?., and, as a consequence, the surveying force has been reduced 

 to the extent of 3 officers and 600 men, the parties destined for the 

 surveys of Cumberland, Stirlingshire, and the Western Hebrides, 

 having been broken up. 



Geological Survey of the United Kingdom. — Having directed the Geo- 

 logical Survey of the United Kingdom during the last two years, it 

 becomes me to say a few words on the progress of a branch of the 

 public service so intimately connected with geographical science. 

 The first object contemplated by my predecessor. Sir Henry de la 

 Beche, in founding this establishment, was so to colour the Ordnance 

 or Geographical Maps as to convey a clear idea of the rocks beneath 

 the surface in all parts of the kingdom, and further to illustrate 

 such structural character by coloured sections, both vertical and 

 horizontal. In this way, not only the order and succession of the 

 strata are delineated, but the dislocations they have undergone are 

 marked ; whilst all the rocks of igneous origin which had been in- 

 truded among them are clearly defined. 



As the work advanced, it became desirable, that these surveys and 

 sections should be accompanied by volumes explanatory of the 

 nature of the rocks, and their mineral and zoological distinctions, 

 with descriptions and figures of the imbedded organic remains. 

 To render the whole subject intelligible, it further became re- 

 quisite so to expose the fossils collected by the surveyors, that 

 the public might be led to understand the rationale upon which 

 the maps, sections, and descriptions were founded. Thus, a 



