Address before the Association of American Geologists. 237 
work was begun in 1838, but has yet proceeded no farther than 
a reconnoissance by Prof. Mather. In Georgia, Mr. John’R. Cot- 
ting was commissioned in 1836; he informs me, that about 
half the state has been surveyed ; that three section lines, from 
three hundred to four hundred miles long, have been explored ; 
that “a-vast amount of interesting materials, both. geological and 
agricultural, has been collected; and that it is in conte 
to publish a volume of six handved pages the present year.” 
“In 1834, the United States government directed Mr. Feather- 
stonhaugh to examine, geologically, ‘the Territory of Arkansas, 
and the adjacent public lands.” He has made two reports, one 
of ninety seven pages, and another of one hundred and sixty eight 
pages, with numerous sections. In 1839, Dr. D. D. Owen was 
commissioned to examine. the Territory of Iowa, and his report, 
in connection with that of. Dr. Locke, made in 1840, contains 
one hundred and sixty one pages. Mr. Nicollet has also been 
rveavine phe 
y g,b pom. y and g y, the northwestern 
ee eee} 2 Pees BS a ee Sn eee Pe 
PO ae ar ee in ee Vid ae Mis- 
pa ee 1 hic win awe ¢ Sor. fos eee: fee age eta 
SISsIppi; dha eis Now iha urse OF Pf ‘Cation, lta 
geological section tracing 
fought not to omit to act of private 
siettiols occurred before any of the : state sarees were commenced. 
The late Hon. Stephen Van R 
vey to be made of the entire route of the Erie-candl, ‘ebsites pers 
private expense. This work was executed by Prof. Amos Eaton, — 
who in 1824, published a report of one hundred and sixty three 
pages, with a section from the Atlantic to Lake-Erie. I might 
also. mention with propriety, the surveys of several mineral 
districts by private companies ; such as those of the coal-fields 
of Pennsylvania, by R. C. Taylor, Esq., and Prof. Johnson ; of 
the gold region of Virginia, and of portions of the coal-fields of 
Pennsylvania, by Prof. Silliman ; of the iron region of Missouri, 
by Prof. Shepard; &e: But time "will not permit me to enter into 
fuller details. 
-From these statements it appears, that within the last sixteen 
or seventeen years, surveys have been commenced in no less 
‘than nineteen’ states, and two of the territories of this ca 
embracing an area of nearly seven hundred thousand squ 
miles. For the last four or five years, not less than twenty sae 
Principal geologists, and forty assistant geolog 
Be elem eax “2 
