APPLIED GEOLOGY BEOOKS. 



345 



one of State rights. Moreover, the Repiibhcans were in power, with 

 a hopelessly small Federahst minority. It was natural, therefore, 

 that the people, loyal to their pohtical faith, should turn to the Com- 

 monwealths for aid in developing the new land. Tliis aid for the 

 most part took the form of large grants for pubhc improvement of 

 transportation facihties — at first for canals and wagon roads, later 

 for railways. During the period enchng with 1838 the States bor- 

 rowed sums aggregating over $160,000,000 for purposes of public 

 improvement. Compared with tliis sinn, the expencUtures for geologic 

 surveys were small. It is a significant fact, however, that in 1838 a 

 larger percentage of the States supported geologic surveys than in 

 any subsequent year until 1898. This is grapliically illustrated in 

 figure 3. The upper curve shows the total number of States and the 

 lower the percentage of total number wluch supported geologic sur- 

 veys between 1826 and 1910. 



The very rapid increase in State surveys is all the more significant 

 when compared with the status of governmental surveys in Europe. 



Fig. 3.— Total number and percentage of total number of States supporting geologic 



WORK, 1825 to 1910. 



Though much geologic work was done in European countries during 

 the early part of the century, it was not until about the middle that 

 the Governments began organizing systematic surveys. England led 

 by estabhshing her survey in 1832. Next came surveys of Austria- 

 Hungary and Spain, organized in 1849, of Bavaria in 1851, and France 

 in 1855. Most European countries did not \mdertake systematic 

 geologic surveys until about 1860, or more than 20 years after our first 

 maxima of State surveys had been reached. 



As already indicated, the principal influence that led to this first 

 era of State surveys, as Dr. Merrill has called it, was the widespread 

 interest in scientific investigations and the great industrial advance- 

 ment wliich created a demand for the practical results of such investi- 

 gations. A good example of the faith the people had in applied geology 

 is found in the first geological survey made in Georgia, wliich was paid 

 for by landowners of two counties — a condition that has never been re- 

 peated until recently in some of the rich mining districts of the West. 



