84 PROCEEDIXGS OF THE SAINT LOUIS MEETING 



in France, the Society instructed the Secretary to send a telegram of 

 S3'mpathY to its former President.^ 



ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FIRE AT MOUNT HOLTOKE 



The Secretary announced the receipt of a letter from Miss Mignon 

 Talbot, Professor of Geology at Mount Holyoke College, relating to the 

 total destruction by fire, on December 22, 1917, of Williston Hall, with 

 all the scientific collections and apparatus of the college, and asking the 

 help of the Fellows in building up again the collections in geology and 

 paleontology. 



Tlie Society then proceeded to the consideration of scientific papers. 



STUDY OF THE 8EDIMEXTS AS AN AID TO THE EARTH HISTORIAN 

 BY ELIOT BLACKWELDEE 



(Abstract) 



Progress in the interpretation of the physical history of the earth depends 

 in large measure on our understanding of the principles of correlation and the 

 origin of the sedimentary rocks. Of the two, the study of the latter is the 

 more urgent, because it will assist in unraveling the puzzles of the former. 



At present our knowledge of the sedimentary rocks is very ragged. In order 

 to fill out the deficiencies we need many detailed investigations of modern de- 

 posits and of the processes by which they are being made, and many equally 

 minute studies of ancient sedimentary rocks. Important service may be ren- 

 dered by geologists who are not specialists in sedimentation, if they will make 

 their stratigraphic descriptions as accurate and definite as possible, give precise 

 information regarding all chemical analyses of sedimentary rocks, and collect 

 material with adequate field-notes from the less familiar regions of the earth, 

 as they may visit them. Some of the problems will, of course, require expedi- 

 tions and cooperative work beyond the power of the individual, but feasible 

 for some of our scientific institutions. 



1 In carrying out instructions, the following- telegram was dispatched: 

 "Hon. Charles D. Walcott^ Washington, D. C. : 



"Geological Society of America, annual meeting assembled, extends heartfelt sympathy 

 in your anxiety regarding son, who may have already made the greatest sacrifice possible 

 for his country. 



"Edmund Otis Hovey, Secretary." 



Doctor Walcott's Reply 



"Dear Doctor Hovey : We greatly appreciate the thoughtfulness of the members of 

 the Geological Society who assembled at Saint Louis in expressing their sympathy. The 

 present situation is summed up in the following cablegram from General Pershing : 



" 'With reference to Stuart Walcott, his engagement took place in the Grand Bois de 

 Saint Souplet region. His machine did not fall in flames and did not land so violently 

 as to lose hope that he may l)e a prisoner." 

 "Sincerely yours. 

 "(Signed) Charles D. Walcott." 



