328 SIR RODERICK I. MURCHISON'S ADDRESS— AMERICA. [May 23, 1859. 



Government of the United States has set an example which 

 might certainly be imitated by the mother country. In treating 

 of Australia, I have directed your attention to a proposal of the 

 enlightened Governor of New South Wales, who has endeavoured to 

 rouse the British Government to a sense of the importance of pursu- 

 ing a similar conduct in our vast colonies. 



In the first volume of this remarkable series of ' Explorations and 

 Sui-veys for a Eailroad Route from the Mississippi to the Pacific,' 

 the reader will be much struck with the introductory State paper 

 by Mr. Jefferson Davis, then Secretary of War, and addressed to the 

 Speaker of the House of Eepresentatives. The explorers are therein 

 directed to observe and note all those objects and phenomena which 

 have an immediate or remote bearing on the railway, or which 

 might seem to develop the resources, peculiarities, -and climate of 

 the country. They were, in fact, ordered to determine all geo- 

 graphical positions, to lay down the topography of the lands, to 

 observe the meteorology, including data for barometric profiles, and 

 two of the party were to determine the direction and intensity of 

 the magnetic force. Other individuals were ordered to make geo- 

 logical surveys and to collect all the plants and animals of the 

 country, as well as to obtain the statistics of the tribes of aborigines. 

 Now that these directions have been well and efficiently worked out 

 by zealous and able men, let us render all honour to the nation which 

 contributes such a great amount of fresh knowledge to the world of 

 science. 



Another of these very important documents recently issued by the 

 American Government is the Report on the United States and 

 Mexican Boundary Survey, by Major Emory and his assistants, 

 whose descriptions of the natural appearances of the country are 

 vivid, and its features pictorially delineated ; the fossil remains hav- 

 ing been collected and partially described by Mr. Parry. Besides 

 many woodcuts representing various landscapes, the work is further 

 embellished by a profusion of lithographic views, as well as by 

 tinted and coloured sketches of the inliabitants. The geological 

 desciiption of the country was prepared by Mr. Arthur Schott, 

 and specimens of the fossil remains having been brought to New 

 York, have been described in this volume by the celebrated pa- 

 laBontologist Mr. James Hall. The accompanying map, embracing 

 all the region included between the British boundary on the north 

 and 23° north latitude on the south, and between 84° and 126° east 

 longitude, is a great addition to our previous cartography. 



