AMERICAN GEOLOGY MACLUREAN ERA, L785-1819. 



223 



In January, 1810, there was established by Prof. Archibald Bruce 



the American Mineralogical Journal, the first American publication 



designed primarily for geologists and mineralogists. The life of this 



journal was, however, short, the last issue bearing the 



Bruce's American . . 



Mineralogical date of 181-1, and the whole number comprising but 



Journal, 1810. _. r ° 



•J0> pages. 



The first paper was by Samuel L. Mitchill, professor of natural his- 

 tory and botany in the University of the State of New York. This 

 consisted of an annotated catalogue accompanying a suite of mineral 

 specimens made during a tour to Niagara in 1809. 



Among the other papers which followed mention may be made of 

 one by Colonel Gibbs on the Iron Ores of Franconia, New Hampshire; 

 by Benjamin Silliman on the Lead Mines near Northampton, Massa- 

 chusetts; by .lames Catbush on the Blue Earth of New Jersey, and by 

 W. Meade on Elastic Marble, a "fossil of 

 rare occurrence'" found near Pittsfield, 

 Massachusetts. 



The more important strictly geological 

 papers were by Dr. Samuel Akerly and 

 included a geological account of Dutchess 

 County in New York, one on the improba- 

 bility of finding coal on Long Island or in 

 the vicinity of New York, and one on the 

 geology and mineralogy of the island of 

 New Y'ork. Akerly described the high- 

 lands of Dutchess County as consisting of 

 granitic rocks, and the whole country north 

 of the highlands as underlaid with primitive 

 slate, most of the hills being composed of 

 limestone. New York Island was described as underlaid throughout 

 its northern part by primitive rocks, granite, and limestone; the south- 

 ern part, upon which the then existing city was built, as composed of 

 an alluvion of sand, stone, and rocks. This he regarded as a recent 

 deposit "subsequent to the creation and even the deluge." The man- 

 ner in which this alluvial material was deposited he described as 

 follows: 



After the waters of the Deluge had retired from this continent, they left a vast 

 chain of lakes, some of which are still confined within their rocky harriers; others 

 have since broken their bounds and united with the ocean. The highlands of 

 New York was the southern boundary of a huge collection of water, which was con- 

 fined on the west by the Shawangunk and Katts-kill mountains. The hills on the 

 east of the Hudson confined it there. When the hills were cleft and the mountains 

 torn asunder, the water found vent and overflowed the country to the south. It 

 was then that the channel of the Hudson was formed, ami its stream has never 

 since ceased to flow. The earth, sand, stones, and rocks brought down by this tor- 

 rent were deposited in various places, as on this island, Long Island, Staten Island, 

 and the Jerseys. This opinion is mostly hypothetical, because unsupported by a 



Fig. 1.— Archibald Bruce. 



