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an accurate Topographical Survey, carried only to such an extent 

 as would doubtless be deemed advisable, if it were undertaken at 

 all, would be, according to the estimates before us, not less than 

 ten or twelve thousand dollars, the Committee, in view of the con- 

 siderations already suggested, and others yet to be adverted to, 

 are of the opinion that a Geological Survey should be first under- 

 taken, leaving the other enterprize to some future period, when 

 its execution should be more imperiously demanded by the wants, 

 and more clearly justified by the wealth of the State. If this 

 order of proceeding were adopted, the relative localities of various 

 formations could not, it is true, be so precisely determined ; but 

 still the positive location of each could be marked by indicating 

 its position relative to other fixed objects ; and the names of towns 

 would have to be substituted, in a description, for those of some 

 more definite points, whose precise relations could be universally 

 known. 



It might be thought by some lovers of science, who look at the 

 remote as well as at the immediate advantages which science 

 always brings, that the Committee have taken a narrow and lim- 

 ited view of the subject, and that they should have recommended 

 the immediate execution of a Topographical Survey, in terms of 

 the warmest commendation. But representatives, as they are, of 

 a peculiarly practical and real-life people, they would not, what- 

 ever might be their ow r n private opinions, feel justified in recom- 

 mending to them any expensive enterprize from which they could 

 not expect to derive some direct, as well as definite and tangible 

 advantage. 



But it does not require any broad and comprehensive view of 

 the subject in order to discover the immediate and direct benefits 

 to be derived from a Geological Survey of the State. These 

 benefits are too clear and obvious not to be] discernible at the 

 most hasty glance. If they were limited to a development of our 

 mineral products, in the shape of metallic ores, (as some might be 

 disposed to limit them, if they had made no inquiry to ascertain 

 the proper boundaries of geological research, and the appropriate 

 objects which come within its scope,) even this would not be deemed 

 a matter of small importance. Accident, without the aid of any 

 thing like scientific and systematic investigation, has already 

 brought to light many valuable treasures in the shape of iron, 



