272 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1919. 
Shall its field be confined to what may be included under geology or 
shall it embrace other activities, such as topographic mapping, hy- 
drography and hydraulic engineering, mining engineering, the classi- 
fication of public lands, the collection and publication of statistics 
of mineral production, and the mechanical arts of publication such as 
printing and engraving. These various lines of activity may be 
divided into two main classes—those that are more or less contribu- 
tory to or subordinate to the publication of geologic results, and those 
that have little, if any, connection with geology. 
I am one of those who believe that a geological survey should be 
essentially what its name implies—that it should confine its activity 
to the science of geology. This opinion is held, however, in full 
realization of the fact that here, as elsewhere, some compromise may 
be necessary. This may be dictated by law or may be determined by 
policy. 7 
The organic law of the United States Geological Survey, for ex- 
ample, includes among the duties of the organization “ the classifica- 
tion of the public lands.” ‘There may be some difference of opinion 
as to what the framers of the law meant by this provision, but it is 
at least a reasonable conclusion that they intended the sort of classi- 
fication adopted by the General Land Office. If so, the determina- 
tion of the so-called “ mineral” or “nonmineral” character of public 
lands is undoubtedly a proper function of the United States Geolog- 
ical Survey, although it is one that was neglected by that survey for 
many years and has not yet received the recognition of a specific ap- 
propriation, except recently in connection with the stock-raising and 
enlarged-homestead acts. 
TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING. 
Inasmuch as the preparation of a topographic map is a necessary 
preliminary to accurate and detailed geologic mapping, a geological 
survey is vitally interested in seeing that satisfactory maps are 
available as needed. Whether a particular geological survey should 
itself undertake this mapping depends upon circumstances. If an- 
other Government organization is equipped for doing this work and 
can provide maps of the requisite quality when needed, it would ap- 
pear that the Geological Bureau should leave this work to the other 
organization, particularly as the maps required to keep abreast of 
geologic requirements are likely to constitute only a part of the work 
of the topographic bureau. There are certain decided advantages, 
however, in having the topographic work done by the Geological 
Survey, and these advantages must be weighed against other consid- 
erations. With the topographic and geologic work under a single 
control, the geologist is more likely to be assured of getting the kind 
