for the year 1861. xxix 



originality, and importance of his invention have been re- 

 cognized by a commission appointed by this Government to 

 consider his claim to reward, and admitted in strong terms 

 by the most competent judges at home, of whom I may quote 

 Sir Henry James, the director of the ordnance survey of 

 Great Britain ; and Mr. Hardwick, Professor of Chemistry 

 and Photography at King's College, London. Some idea 

 may be formed of the comparative excellence of Mr. Osborne's 

 work from specimens which lie on the table ; and he will be 

 good enough himself, in the course of the evening, to furnish 

 explanations as to his process, which, I will only add, may 

 be rendered applicable to zinc and copper-plate engraving, as 

 well as to lithography. 



Of the labours of another of our most distinguished mem- 

 bers — Mr. Selwyn— on the geological survey of the country, 

 we have ample proof, likewise before us, in the beautiful 

 maps now issuing from the Government press. The singular 

 objection has, indeed, been raised to them that they are too 

 beautiful, in the sense, I presume, of being too elaborate and 

 costly for the purpose for which they are required ; but, 

 besides the national credit derivable from the proper execu- 

 tion of such a work, a little reflection will show that its 

 value is proportioned solely to its truthfulness, and that in 

 order to secure that quality, a thorough examination of the 

 strata must be made, and the minutest facts recorded. Sim- 

 plicity, in a word, can only result from the accumulation of 

 complex data ; the sketch map must follow, not precede, the 

 highly finished surveys first completed. If anything, there- 

 fore, be wanting to make Mr. Selwyn's work more generally 

 available, it would seem to me to be, that such sheets as 

 depict a portion of any gold-field should be re-published by 

 the Mining Board on an enlarged scale, and in as simple a 

 form as possible, for the use of the miners of that district. 



3 he collection of mining implements, machinery, and 



