RANSOME: NATIONAL GEOLOGICAL SURVEY I07 



SUMMARY 



Briefly summarizing what has gone before, I conclude that 

 the chief primary function of a geological survey is geological re- 

 search and that the spirit of investigation should be the same 

 whether the work is undertaken to increase knowledge and to 

 serve as the starting point for further attacks on the unknown, 

 or is begun with a definite economic or practical result as its 

 desired goal. Compromise and concession are inevitable but 

 the necessity for making them should not and need not permit 

 the real purpose of the organization to sink from sight. If 

 the members of a scientific bureau can confidently feel that 

 those charged with its direction make such concessions wisely 

 with the higher purposes of the bureau really at heart, their 

 whole attitude towards their work will be entirely different from 

 that into which they will fall if they become convinced that 

 scientific ideals receive only perfunctory regard and that the 

 real allegiance is directed elsewhere. 



What may be called the chief secondary function of a national 

 geological survey is believed to be popular education in geology 

 both for the benefit of the people and as providing the most 

 enduring basis for the support of such an organization by a 

 democracy. Such education should be conducted through every 

 possible channel and in close cooperation with all of the educa- 

 tional institutions of the country. One of its objects should be 

 the revival and encouragement of amateur geological observa- 

 tion and study. In this connection I heartily approve the 

 present trend in the poHcy of the American Association for the 

 Advancement of Science and believe that this great organization 

 will fulfill its purpose and advance science much more effectively 

 than at present if it will leave to the various special scientific 

 societies the holding of meetings devoted to the presentation of 

 scientific papers, and devote itself to the popularization of science 

 and to the encouragement of cooperation between different 

 branches of science. 



PERSONNEI. 



Finally a few words may be said concerning the relation be- 

 tween the personnel of a geological survey and the results ob- 



