Reports and Proceedings — British Association. 419 



beginning ; we now look for authoritative information to the Cape 

 Survey inaugurated by Dr. Corstorphine in 1895 and so ably 

 continued by his successor Mr. Eogers ; to the Transvaal Survey 

 begun by Dr. Molengraaff in 1897 and auspiciously revived under 

 Mr. Kynaston ; and to the Natal Survey which Mr. Anderson has so 

 successfully directed since 1901. I hope that it will not be long 

 before there is no part of South Africa outside the direct supervision 

 of a systematic and well-ordered survey. 



There is perhaps some danger lest in a developing country, where 

 the commercial possibilities are prominently before all eyes, the 

 ■immense importance of such surveys should be overlooked, and lest 

 it should be thought that what appears to be purely scientific 

 research may be left to take care of itself until the mineral wealth of, 

 the country has been explored. I cannot enter too emphatic 

 a protest against such a view ; how closely the two interests are 

 knit together must be apparent to anyone who reflects that the 

 nature and sequence of the more northerly formations which have 

 yielded coal, diamonds, gold, and metalliferous deposits can only be 

 studied in the light of the more intelligible geology of Cape Colony 

 and Natal. It is, moreover, immensely to the advantage of South 

 Africa that j'ou have intimately connected with the mining industry 

 geologists of such training as Doctors Corstorphine, Molengraaff, and 

 Hatch, who have all gained valuable experience upon geological 

 surveys. 



I may now, perhaps, cease to speak merely as a representative of 

 the visitors and identify myself more closely with the Section as 

 a whole ; for the most gratifying feature of this meeting is that 

 it is not merely a visit of strangers who are enjoying your hospitality, 

 but that with Section C of the British Association is fused Section B 

 of the South African Association, so that for the time being we are 

 all colleagues ; and even such vexed questions as the correlation of 

 the rocks of the Transvaal or of Rhodesia with those of the Cape, or 

 the origin of Banket, or of Blue G-round, or the extension of the 

 Main Reef Series (perhaps it is no longer necessary to include the 

 problem of the Dwyka conglomerate) can be discussed by us on the 

 spot as members of the same body inspired by the same earnest 

 desire for truth. 



I began these preliminary remarks by asking that I might be 

 regarded as the spokesman of the visitors, and therefore represented 

 myself as a geologist visiting the country for the first time. I must, 

 however, make a frank confession. Not only is this my second visit 

 to the country, but I have not even any claim to be called a geologist. 

 My training and experience have been such that upon many of the 

 questions which must be most interesting to this Section I am not 

 competent to form an opinion or to appreciate properly the evidence. 

 I must, therefore, crave your indulgence if in this Address I refrain 

 from discussing any of the problems of surpassing interest which 

 naturally engage the attention of those who are occupied with the 

 «tudy of South African geology. It would indeed be an impertinence 

 for me to do so. 



