16 PROCEEDINGS OF TORONTO MEETING. 



are not familial with the history of the past forty or fifty years, and are not 

 aware of the influence originally exercised by geologists in the organiza- 

 tion of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, from 

 which this Geological Society has lately emerged — not originated, for it was 

 the primary integral pari of that organization. 



Without special reference at this time to an older geological society, 

 organized, a> I think from recollection, about the year 1824, and which 

 ceased to exist a few veins later, the first knowledge which I have of a 

 national or general organization for the advancement of geological science, 

 the pursuit of geological investigations, the harmonizing of opposing views 

 held by different men, and thereby reaching some system of nomenclature 

 upon which all could unite, was in 184<>. At that time the geological sur- 

 veys of Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts, and of other States, 

 were in progress. Upon going into the field we found that our previous 

 knowledge and teachings in regard to the geology of the State of New York 

 were far from correct, and were even valueless for leading to any general 

 conclusions regarding the order or age of our geological formations. In this 

 state of affairs it was natural that we should look about us lor counsel and 

 assistance to those engaged in similar work, and some of whom had been 

 longer in the field than we had been. I would like to say in this place what I 

 suppose is not known to a dozen people in the country, that with au earnest 

 desire to procure the best available talent in the country, Governor Marcy 

 offered the first position on the geological survey of New York (the State 

 being divided into four districts) to Prof. Edward Hitchcock, in recognition 

 of hie services in geology. There was no sectional feeling at that time, as you 

 will observe from this act. All the partizanship and rancour that may have 

 existed among politicians were forgotten when the organization and interests 

 ,,)' the geological survey came before the governor, and he appointed the 

 men whom he believed to be best fitted for the positions and for bringing to 

 the people the besl results from tie- new work, without regard to locality or 

 political affiliation. I mention this incidentally a- a matter of interest his- 

 torically. 



Referring to our organization, we were afterwards informed that there 

 had previously been Bome correspondence between Prof Hitchcock and some 

 other geologists in regard to forming a geological society or association for 

 the discussion of geological questions. Without this knowledge, however, 

 tie Bubjecl of Buch an association was considered by the four geologists of 

 New York in their semi-annual meetings, which were held for the discussion 



of questions arising in their own districts and their relations to the. adjacent. 



districts of their co-workers. Sin. m- geological series extended into 



Pennsylvania on the one hand and into Massachusetts on the other, it was 

 deemed \> vy important that we should know something of the experience 



