18 THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS 
upon maps and sections. This work is being accomplished by 
geologists all over the world, and this country and its dependencies 
have contributed their full share. It is therefore opportune to 
note that there has just been celebrated the Centenary of the Geo- 
logical Survey of Britain and, with it, the opening of the new 
Geological Museum at South Kensington. 
A century ago H. T. de la Beche, one of the devoted band of 
pioneer workers then studying the geology of the country, offered to 
‘affix geological colours to the new maps of Devon and Cornwall’ 
then in course of issue by the Ordnance Survey. His offer was 
accepted, and, at his own expense and on his own feet, he carried 
out a geological survey of some 4,000 square miles. In 1835 he 
was appointed to continue this task, with a small salary and a few 
assistants. ‘Thus was started the first official geological survey, an 
example widely. followed by other nations and dominions. De la 
Beche’s conception included also a Museum of economic and prac- 
tical geology, a Library, a Record of Mines, for which he secured 
support from a strong Committee of the British Association in 1838, 
and a School of Mines for the scientific and technical education of 
those to be employed in the survey or exploitation of mineral 
resources. In these objects, and especially the last, he was warmly 
supported by the Prince Consort. He lived to see his visions all 
come true, as he collected round himself that wonderful band of 
surveyors, investigators, writers, and teachers, which included such 
men as Playfair, Logan, Ramsay, Aveline, Jukes, Forbes, Percy, 
Hooker, and Huxley. 
Some of the schemes he planned have budded off and grown into 
large and important entities, rendering conspicuous service to 
scientific record, education, and research. But the main duties of 
the Geological Survey remained with it, and have been carried on 
fora century. These are to map the geology of the country on the 
largest practicable scale, to describe and interpret the structure of 
the land, to preserve the evidence on which conclusions have been 
founded, and to illustrate for students and other workers the geology 
of the country and its applications to economics and industry. The 
broad detail of the structure of the whole country is now known, 
but much new work must be done to keep abreast of or to lead 
geological thought. For instance, the study of the cloak of ‘ super- 
ficial deposits,’ which often cover and conceal the structure of the 
more solid rocks below, is essential for the proper understanding 
of soils and agriculture; and a knowledge of the deep-seated 
geology of the country, which is often widely different from that 
nearer the surface and thus very difficult to interpret, is vital to the 
community for the successful location and working of coal and iron, 
