GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEYS. 149 



Sec. 7. And be it enacted, That the sum of $10,000 annually, or so much 

 thereof as may be necessary, be, and the same is hereby, appropriated out of any 

 money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of carrying 

 out the provisions of this act. 



Sec. S. And he it further enacted, That this act shall take effect upon the date 

 of its passage. 



Above bill passed the house April 1; by the senate April 4; signed by the 

 governor Api-il !), ISDS. 



Tlie organization was still in existence at the time this Bulletin 

 went to press. 



MASSACHUSETTS. 



SURVEYS UNDER EDWARD HITCHCOCK, 1831-1841. 



Organization. — To Massachusetts belongs the credit of having 

 inaugurated and carried to successful coiiipletion under State au- 

 spices, tlie first geological and natural history survey on the West- 

 ern Continent. The causes which led up to this are not at present 

 easil}^ ascertainable, but in Governor Lincoln's message to the legis- 

 lature. Ma}' 29, 1830, occurs the following paragraph : 



I beg leave to suggest to your consideration the utility of connecting with 

 the geographical surveys, an examination of the geological features of the State, 

 with a view to the exhibition of them on the map. Much knowledge of the 

 natural history of the country would thus be gained, and especially the pres- 

 ence of valuable ores, with the localities and extent of quarries, and of coal 

 and lime formations, objects of inquiry so essential to intei'nal improvements, 

 and the advancement of domestic prosperity, would be discovered, and the pos- 

 eession and advantages of them given to the i)ublic. I am assured that much 

 has already been gratuitously done, by some eminent professors in our col- 

 leges, towards the accomplishment of such a work, and that, at a little expense, 

 it might be completed, and the fruits of their generous labors thus far, be se- 

 cured to the State. This, however, will require the interposition of your au- 

 thority in increasing the present appropriaton, and permitting an application 

 of it, so far as may be necessary, in the exercise of a sound discretion, to the 

 end proposed. 



In accordance with this suggestion there was passed tlie following 

 resolve : 



Resolve avithorizin^ fnrtlior .ippropri.itions for a surve.y of the Comuionweallh. -lune 5, 



1830. 



Resolved, That his excellency the governor, by and with the advice of the 

 council, be, and ho is hereby, authorized to appoint some suitable person to 

 m:ike a geologic;! I examination of the Commonwealth, in connection with the 

 genernl survey,' in order that the same may be inserted on the map which may 

 be published, and he is authorized to apply such portion of the sum herewith 

 appropriated, not exceeding .$1,000, as may bo necessary for the accomplishment 

 of this ob.1ect. 



Additional acts relating to the conduct of the survey and the pub- 

 lication of its reports were subsequently passed, as follows: 



* A geneial trigonometric survey autliorized by resolve of Mar. 3. 1830. 



