PRESIDENTIAL ADDRES3. G43 



growth of special branches of knowledge— Geomorphology, Oceanography, and 

 Climatology. Each is indispensable to the geographer, each forms an essential 

 part of the geographical whole. Much research work is and will be carried on 

 in each by geographers who find their geographical studies hampered for the lack 

 of it. As geographical progress is to a considerable extent conditioned by progress 

 in these subjects, it would be legitimate to examine their needs. Time, however, 

 will admit only a note on one of the barriers to progress in geomorphology— 

 the lack of a good classification and notation. 



Geomorphology deals with the forms of the land and their shaping. Three 

 things have to be kept clearly in view ; (i) The structure, including the composi- 

 tion, of the more permanent substance of the form; (ii) The forces which are 

 modifying it; and (iii) The phase in the cycle of forms characteristic of such 

 structure acted on by such forms. We may say that any form is a function 

 of structure, process, and time. The matter is even more complicated, for we 

 have instances, e.g. in antecedent drainage systems, of the conditions of a 

 previous cycle affecting a subsequent one— a kind of heredity of forms which 

 cannot be neglected. 



The geomorphologist is seeking for a genetic classification of forms, and in 

 the works of Bertrand, Davis, de la Noe' and de Margerie, Penck, Richthofen, 

 Suess, and Supan and their pupils are being accumulated the materials for a 

 more complete and systematic classification of forms. As you all know, the 

 question of terms for the manifold land-forms is a difficult one and apt to 

 engender much more controversy than the analysis of the forms themselves. 

 I believe that we shall find it advantageous to adopt some notation analogous 

 to that of the chemists. I have not yet had time to work such a notation 

 out in detail, but it might take the form of using different symbols for the 

 three factors noted above— say, letters for different kinds of structure, Arabic 

 figures for processes, and Roman figures for the stage of a cycle the form has 

 reached. 



Take a very simple set of structures and indicate each by a letter : — 



Undis- 

 turbed Faulted 



-homogeneous A A 



(■horizontal . B B' 



layered \ tilted C C 



(folded D D' 



• mixed E E 



If pervious or impervious, a p or an i could be added — e.g., a tilted lime- 

 stone with faults would be C'p. 



Next indicate the commoner erosion processes by Arabic numerals : — 



moving water 1 



t, ice 2 



Process. J ^ 3 



sea 4 



One process may have followed another, e.g. where a long period of ice 

 erosion has been followed by water erosion we might write 2'1 where these 

 alternate annually, say 21. 



The phase of the cycle might be denoted by Roman figures. A scale of V 

 might be adopted and I, III, and V used for youthful, middle-aged, and old- 

 aged, as they have been called; or early, middle, and late phases, as I prefer 

 to term them. II and IV would denote intermediate phases. 



A scarped limestone ridge in a relatively mature phase like the Cotswolds 

 would be, if we put the process first^-1 C III. : A highland like the Southern 

 Uplands of Scotland would be denoted by the formula 1-2-1 E'HI. 



This is the roughest suggestion, but it shows how we could label our cases 

 of notes, and pigeon-hole our types of forms — and prevent for the present undue 

 quarrelling over terms. 1 No doubt there would be many discussions, for example, 



1 What I wish to make clear is that it is not necessary to invent a new term for 

 every new variety of land form as soon as it is recognised. It will suffice at first to 

 be able to label it. The notation will also stimulate the search for the recognition 

 of new varieties. 



Structure 



