84 SECTIONAL ADDRESSES. 



on the geological survey of these islands, by Mr. G. M. Stockley, has been 

 published. Among the economic materials found are clays and limestones 

 for building and road purposes, and gypsum — possibly of value for manure 

 for the clove plantations. Useful information regarding water-supply 

 was obtained and many fossils discovered, which have aided considerably 

 in the correlation of the strata with those of the mainland of East Africa. 



Falkland Islands. — A geological survey of these islands was completed 

 by Dr. H. A. Baker, and a report with map, sections and plates published. 

 This survey extended the work done by geologists who had previously 

 examined portions of the islands. Numerous additional fossils were 

 discovered, and the close relations confirmed between certain formations 

 of the islands and those of South Africa, as had been suggested by previous 

 observers. 



It should be stated that the minerals mentioned under the various 

 Colonies and Malaya do not embrace all that have been found in them. 

 There are many others that were known, and in some cases were being 

 mined, before geological and mineralogical surveys were established — such, 

 for instance, as alluvial tinstone in Nigeria and the Federated Malay States, 

 gold in the Gold Coast, Tanganyika, and Nyasaland, and diamonds in 

 British Guiana. The Surveys, however, can fairly claim to have done 

 most useful work in these tinfields by their examinations and reports 

 before the regions were effectively developed. 



Prospecting Parties, or a Geological Survey— A Comparison. 



The view has been advanced that a Colony without a Geological 

 Survey can derive so much benefit from the geological and mineralogical 

 results contribiited to it by prospecting parties attached to mining groups 

 operating in the country, or independent of them, that a Geological Survey 

 is unnecessary. Opinions will differ as to the correctness of this view. If 

 that is correct it is so only as long as such mining groups or individuals 

 supply this information. But, since it is much more common that such 

 mineral results are carefully conserved for their own interests solely, no 

 great amount of information would probably be received by the Colony. 

 Besides, it is well known that prospecting parties of this kind are looking 

 specially for certain kinds of minerals or metals, and the whole of their 

 energies are devoted usually to the search, discovery and economic aspect 

 of deposits of such minerals. No interest is taken usually in anything 

 which has no important structural or economic bearing upon the objects of 

 special search. Even respecting those there are possibly aspects of interest 

 or value to the country, but not regarded as having any such to the groups. 

 Thus much information of value is either not observed or recorded, or lost 

 if obtained, and the country does not benefit fully. 



Also, it sometimes happens that the operations of a private prospect- 

 ing party are conducted with a view not to the discovery and legitimate 

 exploitation of a promising deposit of a useful mineral, but to the successful 

 flotation of a company, irrespective of its probable economic value. 



As already indicated, the energies of ordinary prospecting parties of 

 companies are not devoted to the search for numerous different minerals, 

 so many such are probably passed unnoticed or untested, due to want of 



