118 President's Address 



survey, will be found to contain valuable and interesting 

 matter. The investigations concerning the nature and pro- 

 ductiveness of the water of the salt lakes will be continued, 

 also those in connection with the possible manufacture of 

 hydraulic and other cements, — both of which are not 

 unlikely to become important industries of Yictoriae 



During his recent examination of the upper portions of 

 the Yarra gold-fields, and of other districts, especially of 

 Eastern Gipps Land, Mr. Selwyn has been enabled to make 

 several important additions to the geological sketch-map of 

 the colony. 



Emanating from this department is a report by Mr. 

 Ulrich, assistant geological surveyor, on the Freiberg Silver- 

 mining Company, St. Arnaud, containing some generally 

 interesting and very valuable observations on the argen- 

 tiferous lodes of that district. 



Mr. Selwyn has examined the Western Port and Gape 

 Paterson coal-fields, and reiterates his former opinion of the 

 improbability of a really good workable coal-field ever 

 being found in that district. He states that " there are 

 one or two places some miles from Gape Paterson and 

 Griffith Point where it might be advisable to make a few 

 borings ; but he entertains very little hope of even these, 

 if carried out, leading to the discovery of any really 

 profitable workable coal-field. The ground is, however, 

 untested, and while a chance of a successful result remains 

 it should not, in his opinion, be neglected." 



Mr. Gampbell, of Traralgon, has discovered excellent coal 

 among the river drift in the bed of the River Tyers, but not 

 the seam, from which it is derived, "which can easily be 

 found if carefully sought for. If it occurs sufficiently thick 

 and extensive to work profitably, it would undoubtedly 

 prove most valuable." Mr. Selwyn proposes visiting the 

 locality shortly, to ascertain the probable extent and 



