GEOLOGY OF NEW JERSEY. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The geological structure of a region being intimately con- 

 nected with its external physical features, it will usually be found 

 that a correct view of the latter will materially assist us in under- 

 standing a detailed description of the former. I therefore propose 

 introducing my account of the geology of the State of New Jersey 

 with the following brief sketch of the physical aspect which 

 characterizes each of the several districts into which it naturally 

 divides itself. 



The State is separated on the northeast from the State of 

 New York by an artificial boundary line, which commences at 

 the Hudson river, very near lat. 41°, and extends in a northwest 

 diiection to the Delaware river at Carpenter's Point, or the 

 mouth of the Macacomac river: but on every other side it is 

 enclosed by a natural boundary, namely, by the Delaware river 

 and its bay, on the northw^est, west, and southwest, and by the 

 waters of the Hudson river, the Raritan bay, and the Atlantic 

 ocean on the east. 



Its extreme length, measured by a line running nearly due 

 north from Cape May to Carpenter's Point, is about one hundred 

 and sixty-four miles,* while its shortest diameter, measuring from 

 the Delaware river near Bordentown to the Raritan bay near 

 South Amboy, is about thirty miles. 



The area of the State, approximately estimated, is about seven 

 thousand two hundred and seventy-six square miles. In shape it 

 bears some resemblance to a bean — its northern half representing 

 the one lobe, its southern half the other. 



* See Gordon's Gazetteer for New Jersey. , 



