Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 467 



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of Pennsylvania, at the expense of the state, for the purpose of con- 

 structing a geological map, and of exhibiting and reporting upon all 

 its mineral products and resources. I find my name is nominated 

 to this duty, in conjunction with two gentlemen; one of them, Col. 

 Long, of the U.S. Topographical Engineers, the other, Mr. Tanner, 

 a gentleman connected with the publishing Topographical depart- 

 ment. The assent of the Government is fully expected to this im- 

 portant proposition, and if so, it will go into operation very shortly. 



** This is a very interesting region, as I hope hereafter to show. 

 Mineralogically it has nothing to boast, except its vast deposits of 

 haematitic iron ore, which is dug out exactly in the same manner as 

 gravel out of the gravel pits in England. These accumulations 

 always occur in the limestone valleys. The average yield of iron 

 being about fifty per cent., numerous iron-works are established in 

 these valleys. I say valleys because they are numerous, and parallel 

 to the main Alleghany ridge, and are separated by long steep ridges 

 700 to 900 feet high, of red sandstone, stretching, I believe, hun- 

 dreds of miles from south to north. It will give you an idea of the 

 enormous thickness of these formations when I mention that nearly 

 the entire series of beds are upon their edges, sometimes vertical, 

 and very rarely less than 45°, rhe inclination being sometimes to 

 and sometimes from the Alleghanies, while all westward of that chain 

 (for many miles beyond the Ohio,) is horizontal, or slightly curving, 

 and comprises the great Central Coal Field of this continent. I have 

 scarcely seen anything in all this vast development of strata under 

 the coal which does not contain the mountain limestone fossils, such 

 as Producta, Spirifers, &c, the former in astonishing profusion, and 

 all having specific differences from the English. 



" There is now a project before the Congress at Washington, 

 submitted by the Secretary at War, and closely watched by Mr. 

 Featherstonhaugh ; no less than a geological survey of the entire 

 continent, under the government of the United States, to be con- 

 nected with the Engineer Department. For this purpose, or rather 

 in connexion with it, a Professorship of Geology and Mineralogy is 

 recommended at West Point Military Academy, for the initiation of 

 the cadets, who in time will he dispersed all over the Union, and 

 will carry their industry and zeal into a wide and useful field. Should 

 this plan be adopted, the Professorship will be offered to Mr. F., and 

 my aid has also been asked in cooperation in this grand undertaking. 

 1 should be proud to be an associate in such a gigantic project ; and 

 here the observations I made previously, with regard to assimilating 

 to your English map9, &c, are applicable, with even greater force*. 

 It will afford a grand opportunity for forming a national museum in 

 the capital. 



" I fear there is little chance of discovering formations in this 

 country less ancient than the coal, unless it be in those accumula- 

 tions in Maryland, containing shells resembling those of the Lon- 

 don clay and my old acquaintance the Norfolk crag." 



* Mr. Taylor here alludes, we presume, to the propriety of preserving 

 uniformity of colouring between the geological maps constructed in this 

 country and in America. — Edit. 



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