113 



The Anniversary Address. 



By Professor Ealph Tate, Assoc. Lin. Soc, F.Gr.S. ; Corr. 

 Memb. Acad. Sc. Philadelphia ; Roy. Soc, Tasmania ; Lin 

 Soc, KS.W., &c., &c 



Geology ix its Relation to Mini^^g xkd Surterraxeax 

 AVater Supply ix South Australia. 



Because of the activity and spirit which now pervades our 

 mining community, and of the more extended search for under- 

 ground supplies of water in arid regions which is now being 

 prosecuted, I have thought that the present occasion may not 

 be an inopportune one to discuss the nature and character of 

 these several enterprises from the geologist's point of view. 

 In a general way the information that is gleaned from each 

 underground exploration commences and finishes in itself ; 

 whereas I would regard it as furnishing its quota to a store of 

 experience from which we may deduce some guiding laws to 

 replace the haphazard methods of search so prevalent in this 

 colony. The exceedingly short time that has lieen given me to 

 prepare this address has not permitted me to obtain as much 

 specific information as is desirable ; nevertheless, after review- 

 ing the observations already collected, I believe that the 

 deductions to be submitted are brought within a measurable 

 distance of completeness. 



geological SURA'EYS. 



Geological science is of much practical use by itself, and its 

 practical use is greatly enhanced by the aid afforded by 

 chemistry and physics. Although geological knowledge is 

 comparatively inexact, yet it becomes more exact as our know- 

 ledge advances. So-called " practical" men entertain a con- 

 tempt for what they consider the " theoretical " opinions of 

 geologists. The former trust to mere empirical guidance ; 

 whilst the geologist, who is trained to acquire comprehensive- 

 ness, power of observation, and the invaluable habit of taking 

 all the facts into consideration to the exclusion of none, 

 applies known systematised facts for discovering the unknown. 

 As an art geology has done great service to mankind, and were 

 it needful I could adduce numerous examples of the waste of 

 money in connection with mining enterprises, in wilful igno- 

 rance of geological results, or in spite of the warnings of 



