NATIONAL GEOLOGICAL SURVEY—RANSOME. 265 
average visitor to a museum probably has little conception of what 
to a scientific man is the real purpose of such an institution. He 
gazes with interest at the contents of the display cases without realiz- 
ing that by far the greater part of the material upon which the 
scientific staff is working or upon which investigators will work in 
future is hidden away in drawers and packing cases. The principal 
recognizable result, so far as he is concerned, is that he is interested 
in what he sees and feels that he is being pleasantly instructed. 
In other words, it is as important for man to have his imagination 
quickened as to have his bodily needs supplied, and in ministering 
to either requirement science is entitled to be called useful or valuable. 
It may be remarked in passing that Pasteur’s work had this in 
common with pure science, or science pursued with the single aim 
of adding to human knowledge, in that Pasteur himself could not 
foresee all of the applications that would in future be made of his 
discoveries. 
Enough, I think, has been said to show that the term “ usefulness ” 
as applied to science covers a wide range and that when employed by 
people of imagination and liberal culture it may include much more 
than when used by those whose only standard of value is the unstable 
dollar. 
FUNCTIONS UNDER AN IDEAL AUTOCRACY. 
Tf government were in the hands of a wise and benevolent autocracy 
a national geological survey would be so conducted as to be useful to 
the people whose taxes go toward its support, but it would probably 
be useful in the broader sense that I have outlined. It would give 
the people not perhaps what they thought’ they wanted but what, in 
the wisdom of their government, seemed best for them. I believe 
that a survey so directed would aim to encourage and promote the 
study of geology by undertaking those general problems and regional 
investigations that would be likely to remain untouched if left to 
private enterprise. It would lay the foundation for the most eco- 
nomical and efficient development of the natural resources of the 
country by ascertaining and making known the location, character, 
and extent of the national mineral resources. As an aid to the 
intelligent utilization of these resources and to the discovery of de- 
posits additional to those already known, it would properly occupy 
itself with problems concerning the origin and mode of formation 
of mineral deposits. Last, but not least, it would accept the responsi- 
bility, not only for making known the material resources of the 
country but for contributing to the moral and intellectual life of the 
Nation and of the world by seeing to it that the country’s resources 
in opportunities for progress in the science of geology are fully 
utilized. I may illustrate my meaning by examples taken from the 
