228 Geological Survey of Great Britain. 
some edifice has been built, in the best part of London, for 
the reception of the various collections, and in which, lastly, 
after the successful solution of numerous questions of in- 
dustrial importance, practice is already beginning to reap 
the harvest which was sown by the application of science. 
About the year 1833, Sir H. De la Béche made a pro- 
posal to the Government to add the geological colouring to 
the Ordnance Map, which was then in progress, and which, 
from its beauty of execution, appeared remarkably well 
adapted for this purpose ; the expenses incurred by him only 
were to be repaid. Already there had been published in 
England, by various savans, nuinerous detailed maps of par- 
ticular districts, and even some general geological maps of 
the whole country, among the latter of which I may mention 
the map published by Smith in 1815, including, in fifteen 
sheets, all England and a part of Scotland, and the beautiful 
map by Greenough, of which the first edition appeared in 
1819, the second, much improved, in 1839 ; yet the very great 
importance of specially executed detailed maps of the whole 
country, worked out on a uniform plan, was at once recog- 
nised, and the proposition of the celebrated geologist, whose 
scientific position guaranteed the corresponding execution of 
the work, was accepted. 
Sir H. De la Béche at once commenced operations: two 
assistants of the Trigonometrical Survey were supplied him 
at the expense of that department. He himself had only his 
travelling expenses paid, and was placed under the head of 
the Ordnance Survey, at that time Colonel Colby. Under 
these circumstances he completed alone the maps of Corn- 
wall and Devonshire, and on so well-matured a plan, that the 
same is retained in all its important points even now, for the 
much enlarged working force of the Geological Survey. The 
“Report on the Geology of Devon, Cornwall, and West 
Somerset,’’ which appeared in 1839, contains the geological 
descriptiou of the country investigated, with a geological map, 
numerous mine plans, geological sections, &e. 
After the completion of this first part of the work, the 
geological examination of Glamorganshire was to commence ; 
Sir H. De la Béche felt how much aid might be afforded, in 
surveying, this district, by a person acquainted with the loca-_ 
