IV I'RKFAfE. 



first aware of the existence of these Jiianuscripts. He theieiipoii 

 applied to the Director of the Survey for permission to refer to them, 

 and, if desirable, utilize any information contained therein. This 

 })ermission was granted, as shown by the following letter: 



Department of the Intebiob, 



IGNITED States Geological Suuvey, 

 Washington, D. C, (Mober 2S, li>02. 



Dr. Geo. P. Mekrill, 



U. S. National Mu.seinn, 



Wasftwgton, D. C. 

 Dear Sir: In accordauce with your request of recent date 1 send you here- 

 with the manuscripts relating to the history of official scientific surveys col- 

 lected by the survey some years since. These manuscripts contain a large 

 amount of valuable historical data, nmch of which it would be difficult to re- 

 place. 



* * t- ::■■ s- * * 



You are at liberty to use any material which they contain in any way tliat 

 you see fit. 



I should be glad to have yon consider the preparation of a history of oflicial 

 scientific surveys in tlie United States for publication by this Survey, using the 

 material now in hand and such other material as you may be able to obtain in 

 cooperation witli the Survey by correspondence and otherwise. 

 Very respectfully, 



(Signed) C'has. D. Walcott, 



Director. 



The proposition made in the final clause of the above was agreed 

 to with a verbal understanding that the work should receive atten- 

 tion only when official and other more pressing duties permitted. 



Shortly after the withdrawal of Director Walcott from the Survey 

 the matter v\as brought to the attention of Director George O. Smith, 

 with the results given in tlie folloW'ing letter: 



Department of the Inteuior, 



United States Geological Sujivey, 

 WasJiinfftou, D. C. Fchrnnry 6, JUOis. 

 Dr. George P. Merrill, 



Head Curator of Geology, 



Smithsonian Institution . 

 My Dear Doctor Merrill: In reply to your inquiry of November 36 on the 

 subject of the manuscript history of tlie State surveys, further consideration has 

 simply confirmed njy first impression that this material should be turned over 

 to you for publication. * * « i uote that Director Walcott in 1902 stated 

 that you were at liberty to use the material in any way that you saw fit, and I can 

 do no less than confirm his action in giving you a free hand in the matter. In 

 fact, however much I might desire to see this worlc published under Survey 

 auspices, the present superabundance of material awaiting publication makes it 



