358 Jnlelligence and MisceLlaniea. 



3. Memorial. — The following memorial to the Legislature 

 of the State of New-York was presented at the last session. 

 A Bill was introduced in accordance with the memorial, but 

 owing to the pressure of business it was not acted upon. 

 Geological surveys similar to that proposed in this memorial 

 have been authorized by the Legislatures of North and 

 South Carolina, and of A'irginia, and have developed, in no 

 small degree, the mineral riches and resources of these States. 

 It is to be hoped that their example will be followed by oth- 

 er States, and in the mean time we thmk the following me- 

 morial, as embodying a variety of useful facts, worthy of be- 

 ing more extensively circulated. 



To the Honorable the Legislature of the State of New-York, 

 in General Assembly convened. 



The Members of the Lyceum of Natural History in the 

 City of New- York respectfully represent — 



That the object for which their Society was originally in- 

 corporated is the advancement of Natural Science ; in the 

 which pursuit they have steadily persevered, unaided by le- 

 gislative patronage, and contributing from their mdividual 

 resources, the means requisite for the establishment of a 

 scientific library, and an extensive collection of objects in 

 every branch of Natural History, which is open at all times 

 gratuitously for the gratification and information of their 

 fellow citizens and of strangers. 



Your memorialists have especially turned their attention 

 to the investigation of the mineral riches of the State, and 

 to this effect have cultivated geological knowledge with 

 much assiduity. They would respectfully state, that they 

 have been long satisfied of the probable existence of bitu- 

 minous coal in the State of New- York in situations and in 

 quantities offering the strongest inducement for instituting 

 a research for that valuable fuel, upon the approved princi- 

 ples derived from the Science of Geology, which teaches 

 that all the extensive and profitable beds of bituminous coal 

 which have been hitherto discovered and worked, are found 

 in constant relation to, or connexion with other mineral 

 formations analogous to those known to exist in this State. 



Accident has already discovered many seams of bitumin- 

 ous coal in our State, but the quantity contained in them 

 has not been sufficient to warrant their being worked, and 

 they are only to be considered as indications of more abund- 



