II 



A CENTURY OF GEOLOGY THE PROGRESS 



OF HISTORICAL, GEOLOGY IN NORTH 



AMERICA 



By CHARLES SCHUCHERT 



Introduction. 



THE American Journal of Science, "one of the 

 greatest influences in American geology, ' ' founded 

 in 1818, has published a little more than 92,000 

 pages of scientific matter. Of geology, including min- 

 eralogy, there appear to be upward of 20,000 pages. 

 What a vast treasure house of geologic knowledge is 

 stored in these 194 volumes, and how well the editors 

 have lived up to their proposed "plan of work" as 

 stated in the opening volume, where Silliman says : " It 

 is designed as a deposit for original American communi- 

 cations" in "the physical sciences . . . and especially 

 our mineralogy and geology" (1, v, 1818) ! Not only is 

 it the oldest continuously published scientific journal of 

 this country, but it has proved itself to be "perhaps the 

 most important geological periodical in America" (Mer- 

 rill). It is impossible to adequately present in this 

 memorial volume of the Journal the contents of the 

 articles on the geological sciences. 



Editor Silliman was not only the founder of the Jour- 

 nal, but the generating center for the making of 

 geologists and promoting geology during the rise of this 

 science in America. For nearly three decades, the work- 

 ers came to him for counsel and help, and he had a kind 

 paternal word for them all. This influence is also shown 

 in the many letters which were addressed to him, and 

 which he published in the Journal. A similar influence, 

 paternal care, and constructive criticism were continued 



